Cleaning reels

[Bassfan99]

With some extra time on my hands this winter I plan to disassemble all my reels and give them a good cleaning. Can anyone else share some good pointers or tips they may use when it comes to this.

Thanks

[Dave A]

My tip for you is go to you tube and you can sit for hours watching videos on how to clean reels.

[SeanH]

These are excellent:

Part 1:


Part 2:


Lastly, a cheap ultrasonic cleaner, will clean your spool bearings perfectly (Put acetone and bearings in a small glass jar)
Than, 1 drop of oil per bearing: (I like Shimano Bantam Reel oil).

Good luck.

[billnorman1]

Get a large flat clean surface with plenty of light. Don't work over a floor that is dirty or has crevices, you may drop tiny parts.

[Avanti]

You can’t take too many pictures with your phone along the way. Many times I have had to go back and look through the photos during reassembly.

[bill.s]

And, if you can't find or don't have an Ultrasonic cleaner; one of those handheld woodworking vibrating tools (w/o the cutting blade on) held against the jar or a small tupperware box with a lid works fine for cleaning the bearings in acetone or naptha (lighter fluid).

[ECobb91]

Honestly it’s not as hard as people make it seem. It’s very easy to do, the biggest thing to keep in mind is organization. I pull the parts and put them in a 3700 tackle box in the order I pull them. Then when you’re done, just go backwards and put them back together. If you have a schematic, even better.

if you can follow directions to put together a lego set designed for an 8yo, you can clean a reel.

As far as cleaning goes, I use Ardent Products (cleaner, grease, oil, etc.). I use Reel Kleen on every part to remove grease and oil. Oil goes on shafts and bearings, grease goes on gears. Less is better for both. The shimano reel cleaning videos above is a great example of how much to use. The more oil and grease you use the worse the reel will perform as it will attract dirt and other particles

[NEBASS78]

-I have a older folding table that I use and cover with large white bathroom towel to layout all the reel parts as I go.
-Take pictures as you go through each step.
-I use acetone to clean out the bearings in a old glass jar with a lid.
-I always save old tooth brushes for cleaning my reels.
-Tweezers and precision screw drivers.
-Q-Tips are handy
-I use Cal's Universal grease for gears/etc and quality reel oil for the bearings.

[PJ-Rohlf]

Biggest tip I can give is don't over lube anti reverse bearings. I have had them not work properly when dirty and also when over lubed.

[Mechanic Bob]

When living in Michigan, January and February I always cleaned and lubed my reels. Moved to NC 31 years ago now clean them when there is a week of crappy weather, IF I am in the mood.

[bnt55]

Good reminder, this is something I'm going to do. And if I lose parts I get to buy new reels!! Win-Win

[Dennis S.]

Go ahead and order a few of the tiny wire bearing retainers; you'll probably need them.

[cbr900racer22]

Oil on bearings, grease on gears.

[duracraftman]

The videos posted above should really have all the info you need. I just do part 1. I did part 2 one time with an old citica and it never worked the same so when there's something mechanically wrong I send them off for repair lol.

[catdude28]

Oil on bearings, grease on gears.

Generally true with two exceptions to this:

1) Oil on the worm gear (casting reel)
2) Dry anti reverse bearing

[DewRonInc]

I have been doing it for decades. Penn grease and liberty reel oil is the best. Get a large container of lighter fluid, ceramic bowl, put about 1/2 inch of lighter fluid in it and let bearings soak while u are cleaning other parts, dawn and a old tooth brush. Let dry after rinsing with water and use blow dryer to speed process. Use a small screwdriver or ice pick to hold bearing, rinse over bowl with more lighter fluid. Now lay on clean cloth to drip dry of fluid. After a bit, 15 minutes, put a drop or two of oil on bearing, allow to soak in, wipe excess and put back together. A pick kit will be a must and a pretty good precision screw driver set....

[DewRonInc]

You will find bearings, on a ice pick or a fork u bend to allow bearing to spin, are not very smooth, after using lighter fluid, they will spin like crazy

[limit5bass]

Following

[fly by night]

Good Luck!

[Bassman13]

Biggest tip I can give is don't over lube anti reverse bearings. I have had them not work properly when dirty and also when over lubed.

No lube of any kind should be put on reverse bearings. need to be dry.