Reel Maintenance Myth

[Day's Fishin]

Maintaining reels is not as hard as you may think. All reels will have their idiosyncrasy's.

The stripping down of a reel and servicing it is as simple as you want it to be or as hard as you think it will be.

The servicing of any unknown equipment takes a little practice and patience!

Firstly find yourself a nice quite area with a good working space clear of all other object's.

Now it's time to take your reel apart. Lay each part out as it comes of the reel in order. Do not force any component apart, if it seem stuck it may have a hidden key way etc so look for the reason its not coming out easy.

Once the reel is disassembled it's time for you to inspect each part for undue wear or corrosion.

Fix or replace suspect parts. OK now it's time to reassemble the reel.

Wash each part in ISOPROPYL as you go.

When you have it all back together up to the outer case it's time to oil/grease it.

Using light lubricating oil will give your reel the ability for you to cast it to it's maximum.

Using a grease will give the reel better protection but will put more drag on it and hinder the casting distance.

I service my reels each year at the end of the season with oil and my outer cases give up the ghost before the inner workings go on stress leave.

The best way to become confident in servicing reels or any other machine is to get hold of a stuffed one and disassemble and reassemble it a few times taking note of how each part marries up to the next.

These are not like some other mechanical machines that you end up with a couple of parts screws/parts left over and they still perform to an extent. If you have anything left over your reel will not function.

After many years of training technicians I found that if someone thinks it's going to be a nightmare doing a job then he/she is going to be useless as they get a mental block and can't see past the end of their nose!

Stop spending money having someone else service your reel or buying a new one.

HAVE A GO you will be surprised at how easy it is and how good you will feel by doing it yourself.

Regards Jeff

Edited September 21, 2010 by Day's Fishin

[rickb]

Hi Jeff,

ALL THOSE REEL SERVO'S OUT THERE WON'T LIKE YOU.

GREAT THREAD AND WELL EXPLAINED.

YOUR DEAD RIGHT ABOUT GETTING THE THOUGHT IN YOUR HEAD.{CAN'T DO IT.}

mOST KIDS {BOYS} WHEN i WAS GROWING UP USE TO PULL EVERYTHING

APART TO SEE HOW IT WORKED.i STILL DO.

REGARDS Rick.

Sorry mate must have hit caps button.

Edited September 22, 2010 by rickb

[slinkymalinky]

Absolutely right. Servicing reels is just a matter of confidence and experience combined with being methodical and careful.

One quick note on lubricants. Grease has its place in reels particularly because of its greater protective qualities. In spinning reels, the lubricants have nothing to do with casting distance (as the line comes off a 'fixed' spool). In baitcasters, overheads and game reels there are some components (certain bearings, some level-winds, etc) that really should be lubed with an appropriate light oil as Jeff said. There are other components though, that don't effect free-spool so different options may suit.

Cheers, Slinky

[Day's Fishin]

Your right Slinky regards spinning reels the distance cast depends on matching the right reel to the right rod and line as the line peels of a stationery spool. Spinning reels I find are the easiest to service or repair.

Regards Jeff

Edited September 23, 2010 by Day's Fishin

[slinkymalinky]

Your right Slinky regards spinning reels the distance cast depends on matching the right reel to the right rod and line as the line peels of a stationery spool. Spinning reels I find are the easiest to service or repair.

Regards Jeff

Yeah... service simplicity has become one of the things I look for now when choosing reels. A lot of ultra modern tackle performs amazingly well but is really highly-strung and difficult to service... a lot like modern cars. I've been rebuilding my collection of classic ABUs partly for just that reason (and because it's impossible to find engineering quality like that in modern reels unless you're willing to pay mega-bucks).

Cheers, Slinky

[FRITZABU]

Yeah... service simplicity has become one of the things I look for now when choosing reels. A lot of ultra modern tackle performs amazingly well but is really highly-strung and difficult to service... a lot like modern cars. I've been rebuilding my collection of classic ABUs partly for just that reason (and because it's impossible to find engineering quality like that in modern reels unless you're willing to pay mega-bucks).

Cheers, Slinky

Mako I can agree with you as a ABU lover/collector. Even if you want to pay mega bucks for new reels.They are still not up to standard as with most of them now manufactured in the east. The material used (even stainless) is not of original standard.

I have found many new models rust in places where the older models never did rust ever . Even if we abused the reels.