Bearing lubrication question

Started by Calusa, October 07, 2021, 07:48:54 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Calusa

I have a few Penn Z-series Spinfisher reels that I am breaking down and cleaning, etc.
What is the best lubricant to use to lubricate the pinion bearing?
I have blue Penn grease, Cal's, Rem Oil, Reel-X and Penn Silicote Reel Lube.
I read where some mix the grease with a lighter lubricant but I would like opinions.

Thanks, Garry

Hardy Boy

Any spinner that I service for use in salt water I use Yamaha lube on all of the bearings. Light fresh water use just use a little corrosion X.


Cheers:

Todd
Todd

oc1

I think there is a lot of personal preference in the choice depending on how you want the reel to feel.  Smoothness is not the Spinfisher's strong suit so grease will smother it some.  Light oil will make it crank a little easier.

thorhammer

Corrosion X in every bearing I have. And there are hundreds.

Calusa

Quote from: oc1 on October 07, 2021, 08:12:18 PM
I think there is a lot of personal preference in the choice depending on how you want the reel to feel.  Smoothness is not the Spinfisher's strong suit so grease will smother it some.  Light oil will make it crank a little easier.

That's kind of what I was thinking about personal preference - I want the feel to be as smooth and easy as possible, but not too 'gritty' using light oil, if that makes any sense.
What about a mix of the Reel X and the blue grease? As long as the two mix well together there shouldn't be any harm correct?

handi2

Yes you can add a little oil to the grease for those bearings and that reel. Penn blue isn't very thick to start with.

Keith
OCD Reel Service & Repair
Gulf Breeze, FL

Alan Matsuno

Quote from: Calusa on October 07, 2021, 09:47:29 PM
Quote from: oc1 on October 07, 2021, 08:12:18 PM
I think there is a lot of personal preference in the choice depending on how you want the reel to feel.  Smoothness is not the Spinfisher's strong suit so grease will smother it some.  Light oil will make it crank a little easier.

That's kind of what I was thinking about personal preference - I want the feel to be as smooth and easy as possible, but not too 'gritty' using light oil, if that makes any sense.
What about a mix of the Reel X and the blue grease? As long as the two mix well together there shouldn't be any harm correct?

They do not mix together well.  I do not understand gritty from using light oil.  If your bearings are gritty, they may be pitted.  If you have pitted or low grade bearings, and want smooth, use 30 w non detergent oil.

Calusa

I actually just finished doing a really nice 714Z that looks like it was used maybe twice if that, then stowed away for a few decades. As you can imagine the inside was full of old hardened grease (I could tell because it felt like it had molasses in it), so after a complete disassembly and cleaning I used Penn blue grease on the gears and main gear shaft, oil on the anti reverse mechanism. Then I mixed a little grease with a drop of teflon oil and brushed it on the spool shaft (please don't ask for an explanation - I did it because I thought it was a good idea  ;). Cal's tan grease in the drag layers and oil in the exterior moving parts and this is essentially a NOS reel. Didn't even have to mess with the bail assembly.

As for the gritty description maybe I used the wrong word. "Not smooth enough" is what i really should have said.

What is the spool shaft supposed to get lubed with oil or grease?


foakes

Any synthetic oil is best for the spool shafts — grease will work, but will slow down the reel — and eventually will bind up.

Best, Fred
The Official, Un-Authorized Service and Restoration Center for quality vintage spinning reels.

D-A-M Quick, Penn, Mitchell, and ABU/Zebco Cardinals

--------

The first rule of fishing is to fish where the fish are. The second rule of fishing is to never forget the first rule.

"Enjoy the little things in Life — For someday, you may look back — and realize that they were the big things"
                                                     Fred O.

Calusa

#9
Quote from: foakes on October 08, 2021, 03:15:06 AM
Any synthetic oil is best for the spool shafts — grease will work, but will slow down the reel — and eventually will bind up.

Best, Fred

Thanks Fred, I'll do that for the other Spinfishers I am working on.

By the way I used only Reel-X on the pinion bearing. Spins like a top.

JasonGotaProblem

#10
Oil on bearings (I like TSI321), grease on gears.

Grease used to be put on ball bearings in the early days when manufacturing tolerances were looser, to intentionally slow them down to prevent them from overheating. Bearings are more precise these days, so there's no need for grease for that purpose. There's nothing wrong with using grease though if thats what people prefer. Great way to prolong service life between cleanings, but it's not the way to reach max performance.

Not to be mistaken for an expert opinion.
Any machine is a smoke machine if you use it wrong enough.