Reel Maintenance

[Will Ketchum]

If you are using a spinning reel, about the most important part that needs cleaning and lube is the roller. Otherwise you will eventually cut a groove in it. Ask me how I know?

 

Unless you drop your outfit in the drink or fish in muddy water a lot, just wiping off the exterior should do. If you want to dig in, I would do a little at a time, reassemble and do a little more.

[FishTank]

I clean my reels every year and some twice. I don't always do a complete break down but I do take the side plate off and clean and lube the main gear and the pinion. A few of my reels are 15 years old and still work good as new.

 

 

 

I also work on a few reels each year for people I fish with. This may be my slowest year as some guys have stopped fishing, many have just purchased new reels or switched brands and some just didn't fish much last year and don't need service. With that said, I can tell you that for fisherman with around 5 reels that fish once or twice a week, their reels need serviced once a year. Think of it like an oil change but the insides of the real is the oil filter. Except in our case, we are filtering the water we fish and for the reel to perform like new, the reel needs to be clean, inside and out. 

 

 

 

 

[Mike L]

Every 6 months depending on how active I am I only do the basics.
 

If I sense a deeper cleaning and lube is required where I have to turn a screw, remove a washer, dislodge a spring or pop a bearing I’m not messin with it. 
 

I leave that to the professionals 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[garroyo130]

When I first started servicing my own reels, I was able to get things sorted out through forum posts, articles, and videos online. The one piece of advice I wish I would have received is to buy quality screwdrivers ... Wiha or Wera make good sets

[newapti5]

1 hour ago, garroyo130 said:

When I first started servicing my own reels, I was able to get things sorted out through forum posts, articles, and videos online. The one piece of advice I wish I would have received is to buy quality screwdrivers ... Wiha or Wera make good sets

 

Yep, it's only after several stripped small screws that I realized the problem was the screwdriver, not the screws. 

[BrianMDTX]

Within the next day or so I will be cleaning and lubing my Daiwa Fuego CT. Over the summer I noticed it was starting to take increasing effort to crank in spinnerbaits, etc. I have oil and grease arriving tomorrow and I have all the tools required. I definitely plan on taking scores of pics as I progress to ensure what comes off goes back on correctly. Hopefully all it needs is cleaning and lubing. 

[garroyo130]

10 hours ago, BrianMDTX said:

Within the next day or so I will be cleaning and lubing my Daiwa Fuego CT. Over the summer I noticed it was starting to take increasing effort to crank in spinnerbaits, etc. I have oil and grease arriving tomorrow and I have all the tools required. I definitely plan on taking scores of pics as I progress to ensure what comes off goes back on correctly. Hopefully all it needs is cleaning and lubing. 

 

Not sure how deep youre taking it but iirc the screws for the posts that the clutch springs sit on has loctite as do the handle screws so make sure you have a proper fitting screwdriver or they will strip. The handle side spool bearing also has an interesting retainer on it which you just need to carefully pop off with a tiny screwdriver. 

[gim]

I take mine in to a tackle shop for full disassembly, cleaning, and lubrication about every 2-4 seasons depending on use and necessity.  If I used my reels more often, I'd consider doing it more frequently.  I don't trust myself to start tearing them apart and then putting them back together properly.

 

Same goes with several of my firearms.  I take them in every few years to a professional gun cleaning service so they can completely disassemble, clean, and lubricate internal parts.  I'm capable of doing minor cleaning on reels and guns, but not internal parts.

 

There is a real off season here from fishing in the winter, so I have 5 months of down time to do it.

[Darth-Baiter]

i'll send a few in every down season.  we have a 2 month period where work, life, weather dampen my fishing spirit anyways.  

[BrianMDTX]

1 hour ago, garroyo130 said:

 

Not sure how deep youre taking it but iirc the screws for the posts that the clutch springs sit on has loctite as do the handle screws so make sure you have a proper fitting screwdriver or they will strip. The handle side spool bearing also has an interesting retainer on it which you just need to carefully pop off with a tiny screwdriver. 

I definitely have all the proper screwdrivers I’ll ever need lol. My “plan” is to disassemble the reel as much as required to oil and grease everything that requires cleaning and lubrication. I watched a video and as long as one takes their time (and makes sure they document how all parts are oriented prior to disassembly), it doesn’t look too bad. 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

2 hours ago, BrianMDTX said:

I definitely have all the proper screwdrivers I’ll ever need lol. My “plan” is to disassemble the reel as much as required to oil and grease everything that requires cleaning and lubrication. I watched a video and as long as one takes their time (and makes sure they document how all parts are oriented prior to disassembly), it doesn’t look too bad. 

It’s not rocket science as they say and they all work off the same general principle. Many models have a “gottcha” somewhere. Go slow and pay attention. Put aside enough time to do the whole job. Things can get fuzzy over night. 

[ScottW]

Between my old eyes and fumbling fingers I wouldn’t try to strip one down completely. Basic lube and grease is it unless a symptom needs addressing. This is coming from someone who regularly worked on servers and computers previously. If there’s something that needs more than the basics I’ll get with a professional like @Delaware Valley Tackle

[BrianMDTX]

So, all-in-all, not bad. I took pics every step of the way during disassembly and segregated the parts oriented as they were installed and in order. Wasn’t very dirty. Also wasn’t (in my opinion) well lubed, either. I greased all metal gears and shafts and oiled all bearings. I reinstalled all components and the reel works as it should. Still felt a little geary but the proof will be in fishing with it. 
 

The video I watched said not to grease the plastic gears. I’m wondering if that was a good idea (although I will say none of them had a lick of grease on them when I disassembled the reel). 

[garroyo130]

Greasing plastic isnt necessary. The best cure I've found for geary feeling is to swap to gear oil in frame bearings. I did per DVT recommendation and won't go back to oil on those. 

[Bankbeater]

I keep the schematic handy, and I keep a magnifying glass next to the schematic.

[ike8120]

First find a space with decent lighting, a location if something falls on the floor you have 50/50 chance of finding it, also cover up any floor vents. I work on a silicone soldering mat, also if there are small parts you can take the reel apart in a bag or box. Make sure you use the right screwdivers. Last use a quality grease and oil do not over do it. When in doubt go to you tube, I also took pictures of each step of my disassembly. Just take your time,

[FrnkNsteen]

10 hours ago, garroyo130 said:

Greasing plastic isnt necessary. The best cure I've found for geary feeling is to swap to gear oil in frame bearings. I did per DVT recommendation and won't go back to oil on those. 

As in 80/90wt differential gear oil? I had heard that but haven't tried it.

 

I have a bottle of that out in the shop. I will have to try some of it in one of my reels.

[a1712]

17 hours ago, garroyo130 said:

Greasing plastic isnt necessary. The best cure I've found for geary feeling is to swap to gear oil in frame bearings. I did per DVT recommendation and won't go back to oil on those. 

Amen. I clean all my frame and pinion bearings in an Ultrasonic. After they are completely dry they go into a beaker with heavy synthetic oil and ran through the Ultrasonic. This really helps the hvy oil migrate to the inside of the sealed bearings.  I have never experienced a geary feeling from those again. Brian. 

[cheezyridr]

On 12/8/2022 at 6:53 AM, MidwestBassAttack said:

 

 

One adult beverage is also a must with Mozart lulling in the background. 

 

or slayer, that works too