Keep it Clean and Lubed

[papajoe222]

In this day of 'replace it if it quits working right' mentality, the following may not apply to you.  If you have excess cash, do with it as you please.

A fellow club member, knowing that I work on fishing gear, asked me to check out his old Daiwa PMA10. The issue with it was it wouldn't cast any distance, even with the spool tension knob backed off.  I suspected the older Magforce system, but upon disassembling the reel discovered that the reel hadn't been cleaned or serviced in years, possibly never.  The culprit was the spool bearings had frozen up. I replaced them with new and inquired why he hadn't had the reel serviced.  He felt there was no need to as he only uses the reel a few times a year for sentimental reasons. 

Please, whether you intend to hang on to your gear forever, or are only wanting peak performance from it, a little PM will keep it performing the way you want.

[The Bassman]

But we still like new toys.

[BrianMDTX]

What would Connie Rodd say? 

[scaleface]

The problem is whenever I disassemble a reel I cant piece it back together .

[Tywithay]

I bought a practically new Curado K for $100 because the guy had apparently tried to work on it and couldn't get the sideplate on. 

[Born 2 fish]

My problem is I maintain my reels and still buy more. My son told me today I have to many I told him you never have to many rods and reels.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

4 hours ago, scaleface said:

The problem is whenever I disassemble a reel I cant piece it back together .

I can’t tell you how many “bag-o-parts” arrive here every year. Don’t feel bad you’re definitely not alone. 

[Manifestgtr]

Agreed.

 

i like buying new reels but I HATE the idea of having to buy a new reel because one quit on me. I lube my brakes every month, “shallow” clean every few months and deep clean when I’m stuck inside and bored over the winter months. 
 

Its minimal effort when you think about it but it keeps your gear runnin...

[FishTank]

8 hours ago, papajoe222 said:

In this day of 'replace it if it quits working right' mentality, the following may not apply to you.  If you have excess cash, do with it as you please.

A fellow club member, knowing that I work on fishing gear, asked me to check out his old Daiwa PMA10. The issue with it was it wouldn't cast any distance, even with the spool tension knob backed off.  I suspected the older Magforce system, but upon disassembling the reel discovered that the reel hadn't been cleaned or serviced in years, possibly never.  The culprit was the spool bearings had frozen up. I replaced them with new and inquired why he hadn't had the reel serviced.  He felt there was no need to as he only uses the reel a few times a year for sentimental reasons. 

Please, whether you intend to hang on to your gear forever, or are only wanting peak performance from it, a little PM will keep it performing the way you want.

I totally get this.  I work on a few reels for friends every winter, just the basic stuff, and I am always surprised at what they give me.  Some reels are fished a ton and seem like they are new out of the box when I get them and others seem like they have been used as clubs.  Each of these guys takes care of his gear differently, some even leave it outside all year (still don't get this one). 

 

This years gem... A Curado B that had never been serviced.  All the bearings were rusted, gears were questionable, drag washers broke apart in my hand, the brake ring was grooved and two of the brakes were toast.  Not the worst one I have seen but once cleaned/lubed and a few new parts, it worked well.  The problem was, the owner looked like he did not know how to fish when he used it after the repair for the first time.  He had set it up as he did before, casted the same way and he couldn't control it.  He thought I broke the reel until I showed him it would cast a mile and bring in the fish.  The reel had been in bad shape for so long he had forgotten what it felt like new. 

 

Sometimes the people are harder to deal with than the reels. 

[OnthePotomac]

I have always been paranoid about my reels being kept up to snuff, which is why my Curado 100B's are 14 years old and good as new.

[dodgeguy]

19 hours ago, scaleface said:

The problem is whenever I disassemble a reel I cant piece it back together .

Thats why Delaware Valley tackle exists.