Reel Repair by Alan Tani

hi all,I'm looking for some advice
Im new to reel servicing and have just completed my 1st attempt on my certate 2500r which was noisy.
its much quieter now,i opened up the bearings and cleaned them out with thinners and packed them with cals reel and star drag grease and cleaned the gears and shafts .my problem now though is that the reel feels slightly heavy to wind or tight.another way to explain it would be when i  spin the handle and let it go it stops almost straight away unlike when you buy the reels new.
should i have packed bearings with grease or just oil?

i also did a daiwa legalise 1000 and same problem!
thanks in advance -chris

For the bearings, I use Reel X. The grease is slowing your bearings down. If you want freespool, use oil.

Hi fine tuna --

Most of the folks here use a light application of either Yamaha Marine Grease or Penn Grease -- if using grease for bearings.

Depending on you planned use of the reel, you may want to use oil instead (synthetic, CorrosionX, Hot Sauce Oil, etc.).  This will allow the reel to work easier -- but may be too free for your application and preference.  And, it may need to be relubricated more often with oil.

As a rule, drag grease should only be used on drags, as it's nature will really slow down and gum up the bearings and gears.

I work on a lot of the old spinners like DAM Quick, Mitchell, etc. -- and the old school greases from the manufacturers really turn to a hard beeswax-like substance if not serviced regularly.  The new stuff is much better.

Best,

Fred

Cal's Universal Reel and Drag Grease is a bit thick if you are using the tan one.  That may be the reason why.  The Yamaha marine grease is thick but way more viscous than Cal.  That is why I use Yamaha marine grease to pack bearings.

The only bearings I pack with Cal's are the spinner spool bearings because they are often next to the drag washers.

As above thick greases can make spinners feel sluggish, especially small size ones like the Certate 2500 that have no cranking power to begin with.

In addition, such small reels are *usually* used in freshwater so there is no need to go crazy with tons of grease throughout the reel. The bearings will be much faster with an oil on them and the main shaft should be lubed with oil as well as the long travel in the pinion gets gummy easy with grease.

The only thing I grease on very small spinners is the main gear/pinion, simply for longevity. Everything else gets oil.

The only time you compromise is on a surf reel or kayak reel that is likely to get dumped sooner or later, then you live with sluggish to get the protection of grease.

Don't neglect your line roller, lube with oil.

Like John has stated use mostly oil. On the top pinion bearing where water may enter oil the bearing then add just a little of the Cal's grease that you have. It will spin much easier this way. I too have made the same mistake of some spinning reels. Too much grease in the bearings.

i don't know the correct answer, but i use to put alot of penn blue grease in my spinners, yes they were a little sluggish at first, but after you used them awhile the grease got pushed around out of the way some what, the reel loosened up but it always had lubrication plus if any salt water got in there it would help protect the insides from rusting if the gears weren't stainless or bronze,  as your reeling in a fish, you don't spin the handle to see how many revolutions you can get, your cranking with force to land the fish.    just my view

greased bearings will do this.  it's a necessary sacrifice to increased the survival of the reel. 

I pack the bearings on my spinners. I use the blue Yamaha grease but I mix it with Corrosion X. I don't measure it but I just mix it until it is the consistency I like. They are still stiffer than plain oil but are much better than plain grease. I haven't noticed the grease and oil separating. YMMV  Bob

Quote from: Cone on June 30, 2014, 05:28:14 PM
I pack the bearings on my spinners. I use the blue Yamaha grease but I mix it with Corrosion X. I don't measure it but I just mix it until it is the consistency I like. They are still stiffer than plain oil but are much better than plain grease. I haven't noticed the grease and oil separating. YMMV  Bob

I like that idea - I can vary by season if I need too as well

Thanks

thanks for your help I've changed to synthetic gun oil that i found lying around and it feels much better
harryk3616 i know what you mean but i flick unweighted slug go soft plastic lures around and id like the reels to feel easy to spin