Cleaning A New Reel

[papajoe222]

For those of you that are unaware......Some reel manufacturers use an abundance of grease when assembling their reels. This is why some low end reels feel smoother than you'd expect right out of the box. This by itself is not a bad thing, but grease and oil attract and hold dirt and if that reel gets even light usage from it's new owner it will be trash after a few seasons of use unless that excess grease is cleaned out.

I just finished cleaning a reel that was a few years old and the owner did nothing as far as maintainance after purchasing it. There was so much grease inside it, that I literally could not see some of the parts and it was all pitch black.

This reel should have lasted for a lot longer than it did (it's trash now). Even if you purchase new equipment every few years, there's a difference between needing to (as with this guy) and wanting too. 

It's your money, I'm just giving you a heads up.

[LgMouthGambler]

The only thing that gets attention straight out of the box is the spool bearings. Otherwise all the factory grease and oil stays for the first year. I fish Shimano only now, and don't have the major excess problem that I have seen in other brands that I have tried. That is the way the cheaper made reels are disguised though.

[jeb2]

Good advice, papajoe. I always do a full tear down and clean/re-lube on my new reels. That way, I know they're done right. Rare to find a factory spool bearing that is not seriously over lubed.

[Maico1]

For those of you that are unaware......Some reel manufacturers use an abundance of grease when assembling their reels. This is why some low end reels feel smoother than you'd expect right out of the box. This by itself is not a bad thing, but grease and oil attract and hold dirt and if that reel gets even light usage from it's new owner it will be trash after a few seasons of use unless that excess grease is cleaned out.

I just finished cleaning a reel that was a few years old and the owner did nothing as far as maintainance after purchasing it. There was so much grease inside it, that I literally could not see some of the parts and it was all pitch black.

This reel should have lasted for a lot longer than it did (it's trash now). Even if you purchase new equipment every few years, there's a difference between needing to (as with this guy) and wanting too. 

It's your money, I'm just giving you a heads up.

 

 

Good advice, papajoe. I always do a full tear down and clean/re-lube on my new reels. That way, I know they're done right. Rare to find a factory spool bearing that is not seriously over lubed.

 

I agree you just never know unless you open them up...Have seen them bare ,over and under lubed JDM included.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Over lubing from factories is common, but the bigger issue in this example is 3 yrs of heavy use with no attention. A half or whole season a quality new reel is no problem and gives the chance for any warranty issues to come to light. Flushing the bearings is big performance enhancer.

[papajoe222]

I see overgreasing a lot more on the low end reels of most brands than I do on the higher end stuff. Quantum is by far the worst of the major brands although I have not had the opportunity to look inside any of the Okumas.  The other thing I didn't mention earlier was that if you plan on using a piece of equipment for years to come, don't by inexpensive gear. With plenty of TLC it may last, but.......... The old saying you get what you pay for is just as true for fishing equipment as it is for automobiles.

[J Francho]

I just flush the bearing spools.  I do a total break down and clean after the first season, unless I do something really bad to the reel, like this one:

 

 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

rough on our toys are we?

[LgMouthGambler]

I just flush the bearing spools.  I do a total break down and clean after the first season, unless I do something really bad to the reel, like this one:

 

[img=http://plan-b.smugmug.com/Family/Fishing-Journal/i-xX4xLPG/0/L/IMG_0752-L.jpg]

 

[img=http://plan-b.smugmug.com/Family/Fishing-Journal/i-qmPLR6z/0/L/IMG_0753-L.jpg]

Is that the one you lost and snagged months down the road.

[J Francho]

Was only in the water a week.

[jhoffman]

I hope that baby went through the ultrasonic

[J Francho]

I was brand new, no US cleaning necessary.  A little Dawn, and some elbow grease was all it took to make it better than new.

[MarkH024]

I just started ripping my reels apart this winter for the first time. For those who don't already do it and want to, just be organized and don't cut corners. Take pictures if you have to help yourself remember and use your schematics. I'm really enjoying taking my stuff apart and cleaning them thoroughly, and at the same time realizing there is a great NEED for it too.  Mike from DVT, JFrancho  and a few other have helped me through the course of doing some of my stuff, lending tips to help the process. 

[Maico1]

I was brand new, no US cleaning necessary.  A little Dawn, and some elbow grease was all it took to make it better than new.

 All I can say is that reel operates "as smooth as a kitties ear"........

[J Francho]

That is the reel you played with.  I forgot that it was the lefty that I put the Hawgtech handle on.  I actually have three Chronarchs, and other than the fact that two are righty, and one is lefty, you'd be hard pressed to tell which spent some time in the drink!

 

[MarkH024]

This might be covered else where, and I'll dig deeper, but does anyone have a good video or instruction sheet on how to properly polish using a Dremel. I think I am either way to timid with mine, or I am not doing it right. I get a nice smooth shiny surface, but I don't seem to remove all the blemishes. 

[J Francho]

Blemishes?  Where are there "blemishes?"  Sounds like something is worn past it's useful life, or you are looking too closely for defects. 

[MarkH024]

Blemishes?  Where are there "blemishes?"  Sounds like something is worn past it's useful life, or you are looking too closely for defects. 

The reels are 1 or 2 season old. I'm specifically referring to the main gear that the drag washers sit in. It looks like a combo of the fiber washer and grease that makes a dark spot onto the gear itself. Not sure how crucial it is to get these cleaned up but from what ive read or seen, most guys have them sparkly clean.

[J Francho]

For that, I would use something more abrasive, but not enough to scratch he soft brass. A soak in something like Perfect Solution (http://www.perfectsolutioncleaner.com/) might even loosen up the grime.  Whenever I see that junk in a reel, I replace the soft washers with Carbontex.  No need to polish metal washers, as the Carbontex seat themselves, and create a "bed" in the metal after a short break in term.

[MarkH024]

For that, I would use something more abrasive, but not enough to scratch he soft brass. A soak in something like Perfect Solution (http://www.perfectsolutioncleaner.com/) might even loosen up the grime.  Whenever I see that junk in a reel, I replace the soft washers with Carbontex.  No need to polish metal washers, as the Carbontex seat themselves, and create a "bed" in the metal after a short break in term.

Thanks

[.RM.]

For that, I would use something more abrasive, but not enough to scratch he soft brass. A soak in something like Perfect Solution (http://www.perfectsolutioncleaner.com/) might even loosen up the grime.  Whenever I see that junk in a reel, I replace the soft washers with Carbontex.  No need to polish metal washers, as the Carbontex seat themselves, and create a "bed" in the metal after a short break in term.

No need to polish the drag cup in the drive gear, or the metal drag washers as stated.

Upgrade if possible to carbontex as stated they will reseat the cup but the dark stains will never fully disapear..

 

Tight Lines!