SPOOL BEARING MAINTANCE

[LTM]

Guys,

I have a spinner (550) size with two bearings in the spool. Currently these bearings are greased/shielded, and the pull under drag is quite smooth. However I was wondering after reading some articles about spools with bearings if I should leave them shielded/un-shielded and oil them instead for less friction than the grease thats currently in them to aid in their primary function of smoothing the load on the spool/shaft?

[Bryan Young]

I leave them shielded and pack them with Cal's grease since they are adjacent to drag washers.

[LTM]

Thanx Bryan

[thedw]

personal pref really

for me i leave one side shielded and the other un shielded. the shielded side faces the drag stack to prevent grease from going in.

they are lubed with TSI

[philaroman]

I just go with grease for better protection/longevity & oil for more speed.  I don't think anything in a spinning reel ever spins fast enough to require oil (like baitcaster spool bearings), except maybe the line roller.

[LTM]

I just go with grease for better protection/longevity & oil for more speed.  I don't think anything in a spinning reel ever spins fast enough to require oil (like baitcaster spool bearings), except maybe the line roller.

This spool has two bearings inside the spool arbor, riding on the spool shaft which does rotate rather fast when a fish makes a run. Maybe as fast as the line roller?

Leo

[Bryan Young]

I would still grease them.  Greased bearings put on greater resistance than oiled ones...why would I want to allow the fish an easier time to peel line off my reel?

[LTM]

I would still grease them.  Greased bearings put on greater resistance than oiled ones...why would I want to allow the fish an easier time to peel line off my reel?

Never thought about that part of the equation, thanx Bryan.

[philaroman]

This spool has two bearings inside the spool arbor, riding on the spool shaft which does rotate rather fast when a fish makes a run. Maybe as fast as the line roller?
Leo

it may seem that way, but consider the circumference of the line roller inside the groove (constant, small), compared to the circumference of the spool arbor plus whatever line is on it (variable, but always much bigger than the roller) -- the line roller should rotate several times for each loop of line, whether it's one rotation of the spool under drag, or one revolution of the rotor while winding on...  in short, roller RPM's are much higher, but I would still use light grease in any kind of hot/salty/dusty environment & oil for freezing temperatures (that's for the roller -- for spinner spool bearings, same grease as the drag should work fine)

[thedw]

hey bryan!

if u r using light line/finesse fishing then start up and a sluggish drag is your worst enemy! 

[Bryan Young]

hey bryan!

if u r using light line/finesse fishing then start up and a sluggish drag is your worst enemy! 

It won't come from the spool bearings I assure you...it'll mean you need to work on your drags. If that is the case, wipe off excess grease from your cf drag washers.