Winterizing your gear!

[JediAmoeba]

On 11/7/2019 at 10:59 AM, Luke Barnes said:

I've not been confident or adventurous enough to completely tear one of mine down. I'm afraid of messing it up, loosing parts, breaking something. But I do want to deep clean my reels so they last longer. 

It really isn't that bad.  

 

A few things I have learned over the years is, on a new reel have the schematic and/or take a picture so you know what it looks like.

 

-Put each screw back into it's original location.  This is as important as making sure the screw threads are cleaned thoroughly.  I have a bunch of the light weight purple loctite I put on each thread after I clean it.  This keeps it new and in place and doesn't allow it to leak.  The reason for putting each screw back in its original hole.is that each screw had minor differences that can make the hole bigger or thread it differently.  I just lay them out so I know which hole.

 

- Have a decent set of small tools with all different heads to interchange.

 

- Using acetone and a sonic cleaner isn't necessary but does get a deep clean in those hard to clean parts.

 

- Always have soft mat or carpet under you.  I ruined a spool, years ago that rolled off the table and hit the floor.  

 

-Clean the parts as you go and keep them laid out on paper towels as they get put back together.

 

- Grease and oil should be used depending on the part you are lubing.

 

-a lot of the parts are cheap so its easy to replace them but it's good to have the same reels - if one breaks you can cannibalize parts to keep the other going for a long time.

 

I have been tearing my reels apart since I first had one lock up on me 25 years ago.  I am really hard on my gear but I keep it working nicely.  

 

 

[OnthePotomac]

A good way to remove "C" clips: put a dab of grease on them, insert a tiny flat blade screw driver into one of the openings and twist. It will not go anywhere because of the grease.

[Rook]

I spend quite a bit of time cleaning and refurbishing my old Mitchell reel collection. After so many years of use it's sometimes necessary to redo the whole thing like the Mitchell 300 that I bought back in 1973 in the photo below. I've used it for a lot of years in all kinds of weather and conditions including salt water. So I gave it a face lift along with a good cleaning. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JediAmoeba]

1 hour ago, Rook said:

I spend quite a bit of time cleaning and refurbishing my old Mitchell reel collection. After so many years of use it's sometimes necessary to redo the whole thing like the Mitchell 300 that I bought back in 1973 in the photo below. I've used it for a lot of years in all kinds of weather and conditions including salt water. So I gave it a face lift along with a good cleaning. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Very nice setup!  

[NYWayfarer]

Some cleaning with a q-tip and some grease and oil. I love my Lew’s reels with the lube port. One screw opens the access plate to be able to get at the gears without having to tear the reel down completely. I have a Lew’s spinning reel with a flush and lube port as well. Very convenient.

[swhit140]

I did my 6 reels the last couple days, I have a couple older Team Daiwa Advantage bait casters that needed a good complete tear down, cleaning, grease, oil. I also cleaned up my rods and applied some fresh cork seal. I'll be ready for next season.

 

[FishTank]

I will clean mine the first week of January.  Cabin fever will creep in by then.  I usually end up doing about 30+ for myself and few friends.  Nothing major usually but some reels are a bigger pain than others.   It does keep me busy. 

[Rook]

3 hours ago, NYWayfarer said:

Some cleaning with a q-tip and some grease and oil. I love my Lew’s reels with the lube port. One screw opens the access plate to be able to get at the gears without having to tear the reel down completely. I have a Lew’s spinning reel with a flush and lube port as well. Very convenient.

 

All of my old Mitchell's have a lube port screw. Some of the models have a larger one on the side plate instead of at the bottom. 

 

Such as this model 302 salt water reel.

 

The 402 salt water reel also has the larger port.

 

The 408 ultra lites have the screw on the side that removes the whole side plate to make it easy to get to.

 

The 308 ultra lite side plate removes like the 408.

 

The 406 side plate removes.

 

And the 306 side plate removes.

 

Other models like this 300 C have the lube port screw at the bottom.

 

 

I bought this old Mitchell 406 model and found that somebody had put plenty of grease in it. The side plate that's easy to remove makes it easy to get to the gears to clean and grease.

 

 

 

 

 

[MassYak85]

I'll use my gear usually 8 or 9 months of the year depending on what the ice allows. So I do a full tear down of every reel in the winter. I strip them to the frame and clean everything, relube and order parts as necessary. Some look like I never fished them, some are in desperate need of help by the end of the year. I just decomishioned one for the rest of the year cause it got a little too wet and two of the bearings are completely shot. I only have 6 reels I have to do so I consider a fun winter project rather than a huge chore.

[CrankFate]

On 11/6/2019 at 10:54 PM, JediAmoeba said:

I am doing this on two reels - I got some abec 7 bearings to swap out all the bearings and see if it makes a difference.  I also got a shallow honeycomb spool to try out.  Again, why?  Because I read about monkey's on this page.

The monkey does have its benefits.

[Falkus]

I would take one of the reel and try it yourself. Just use the muffin tray method..

 

 

 

 

[NHBull]

This year I sent many out to TT for deep cleaning and some mods.

I tried a couple that they did for a buddies and couldn't believe the difference. Going forward, I suspect I will put them in a rotation, doing half myself.  That said, it all depends on whether I can tell the difference 

[A-Jay]

2 hours ago, NHBull said:

This year I sent many out to TT for deep cleaning and some mods.

I tried a couple that they did for a buddies and couldn't believe the difference. Going forward, I suspect I will put them in a rotation, doing half myself.  That said, it all depends on whether I can tell the difference 

@NHBull - 

Please let me know how that goes ~ 

I've got a few in need and if DVT doesn't come on line in a timely manner, I need a back up plan . . 

Thank You in advance

A-Jay

[redmeansdistortion]

I tear mine down twice per year.  Once for summer fishing and the other for winter.  For winter fishing I use lower viscosity lubes so the reel is as smooth in the cold as it is in the warm.  I dunno how I'll get around to my own as I have a couple of musky charters from Lake St Clair sending me their reels and another out of Grindstone City here in MI sending me some too.  Not a bad way to kick off my newly opened reel repair business.  I have nearly two dozen Penn, Daiwa, and Shimano trolling reels in the shop right now plus another 5 Abu 7000 C3 reels.  I didn't think I would get so busy this fast.