Despite have read all the postings in this entire section, I have not been able to find the specific question/answer I am looking for. I have several stock Shimano Curado reels that I've used strictly in freshwater. The reels have been used for approximately 15 days of fishing, are clean and not abused. I have not removed the spool bearings, but they appear to have seals. What I'm trying to find out is whether I need to remove the bearings and seals and blow them out with compressed air before I use TSI 321 bearing oil, or is it acceptable to add one drop per bearing of TSI 321 without removing the bearings from the reels? This website has a huge brain trust that I appreciate and respect. Your assistance with the above question would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Les
I'd open the bearing on at least the side you can see and clean it out then lube with tsi321. Going forward a drop to tsi321 and you'd be good to go.
for fresh water, you could likely get away with just regular lubes with TSI 321 and you'd probably be good for a very long time!
What's the time peroid for the aprox. 15 days of fishing: 6 mons.?, 1 yr.? If 1 yr. or more in fresh water, I'd remove the seals, clean with solvent, blow dry and re-lube. If less than a year, I'd add a drop of the tsi321 until you hit that 1 yr. mark(completely arbitrary, but you gotta use some extended time peroid!), then do the afore-mentioned cleaning. Saltwater is to me, much more time dependent and 3 months is a max. for lube and corrosion checks for a regularly used reel.
When you remove the shield there is always a risk that the cage will be bumped and deformed so that the bearing does not run quite as smoothly. It may only be noticeable in spool bearings where a minor difference can affect casting distance. Freshwater for fifteen days..... I'd just swish them around in naphtha, spin dry and add a half drop of oil.
-steve
Thanks to all of you who replied and offered advice on bearing lubrication. FWIW - I used Paslode Cordless Tool Cleaner for the first time this morning, and I'm impressed. It did a great job cleaning the level wind worm gears on three of my Curado's. It dries quickly without leaving any apparent residue. A 12 ounce spray can was ~$7 at a Home Depot in San Antonio. A solid value in my opinion. Tight lines.
Les