Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Conventional and Bait Casting Reel Rebuild Tutorials and Questions => Penn Tutorials and Questions => Topic started by: Fishead on December 14, 2010, 05:18:24 PM

Title: Spool bearing lube
Post by: Fishead on December 14, 2010, 05:18:24 PM
Alan,I have read your tutorials on some of the Internationals.On the spool bearings,you mentioned using corrosion-x in one and xtreme reel dry lube in an earlier one.Have you found one to be better for bearing life?Freespool is not as important as longevity to me but I don't want to use the blue grease on the spool bearings or I fear I would have almost no freespool.Stepping away from internationals,would corrosion-x still be your choice on reels with the one way roller bearings?
Title: Re: Spool bearing lube
Post by: Bryan Young on December 14, 2010, 05:35:43 PM
For trolling reels, I'd pack the spools with marine grease.  For casting reels, depending on the application, TSI 301/321, CorrosionX, SpeedX, ReelX... for spool bearings.

For roller bearings, corrosionX seems to be the best lube for the application.
Title: Re: Spool bearing lube
Post by: VAOBrian on December 14, 2010, 10:10:27 PM
I just used some xtreme reel dry lube and the smell is extreme even when well ventilated - man what a mess
Title: Re: Spool bearing lube
Post by: Bryan Young on December 15, 2010, 05:51:54 AM
Quote from: VAOBrian on December 14, 2010, 10:10:27 PM
I just used some xtreme reel dry lube and the smell is extreme even when well ventilated - man what a mess
that's the other lube I was thinking of but brain fa*t got me.  That stuff is great, but gotta relube often.
Title: Re: Spool bearing lube
Post by: VAOBrian on December 15, 2010, 07:23:08 PM
Quote from: BryanYoung on December 15, 2010, 05:51:54 AM
Quote from: VAOBrian on December 14, 2010, 10:10:27 PM
I just used some xtreme reel dry lube and the smell is extreme even when well ventilated - man what a mess
that's the other lube I was thinking of but brain fa*t got me.  That stuff is great, but gotta relube often.

How often is "often" with that stuff?
Title: Re: Spool bearing lube
Post by: alantani on December 15, 2010, 08:02:32 PM
when you notice that the spool is slowing down. 
Title: Re: Spool bearing lube
Post by: kamuwela on December 15, 2010, 11:01:37 PM
just my 2 cents majority off the reels i do are for trolling. here in hawaii we get wind and salt spray almost every time we go out. some hard core guys go out almost every day. i had the privilage to do a few of the really hard core guy's stuff. shimano runs open bearing's and penn run's shielded. all the reels i do are grease only. the older penn series takes in more water then the shimano's i fix a set of st's for a hard core commercial fisherman twice a year and find no problem's at all. this guy is a clean freak, and his reel's show it. i recomend locking drag's to full when washing down. on any trolling reel if you have no free spool your drag is way too high, back it off till you get free and check it with a scale. if the drag is too low then you need to look inside.