Cleaning Reels. 2024
Missouribassman95 reply :
Okay I'm thinking of cleaning my reels, but I really don't know how. What should I use? I was thinking of WD40, but I don't really even know where to put it. How often should I be cleaning them? Thanks
Packard reply :
There are many threads on this topic recently. Scroll down this page and try the next page as well. You will most likely find more info their rather than people having to re post it all here.
Delaware Valley Tackle reply :
A reel should be cleaned and lubed at least once a year, more often for heavier use. You don't want WD40 anywhere near the internals of your reel. It and other spray lubes contain solvents that actually act as a degreaser. As stated there are several threads about DIY reel care and it is not out of the question but based on the basic nature of your inquiry, may I suggest having them serviced professionally? As a sponsor of the forum I extend a 10% discount to members. This makes the cost of a clean/lube service only $16.20 plus shipping and parts if needed. I also offer tuning and upgrades where appropriate to maximize reel performance. Let me know if I can help. If you decide to DIY and get stuck, post a question and me, Jfrancho or one of the other folks will try to help.
Mike L
LgMouthGambler reply :
Quantum Hot Sauce oil and grease. Follow manufacturers guide in the owners manual that was supplied with th reel.
Bass Junkie reply :
Rem Oil or 3-In-1 oil work well, but you'll need to apply it every three or four trips to keep things smooth. I find it worth it though, because the low viscosity of the oil can make your reels cast better than just about anything, Hot Sauce included, at least in my experience.
J Francho reply :
QuoteQuantum Hot Sauce oil and grease.
Worst crap ever. If you like cleaning your gear after every three or four outings, then go ahead.
Cal's Lighter Grade Reel Grease and Shimano Bantam Oil are good general purpose lubes.
A-Jay reply :
On 12/22/2011 at 11:16 PM, J Francho said:Worst crap ever. If you like cleaning your gear after every three or four outings, then go ahead.
Cal's Lighter Grade Reel Grease and Shimano Bantam Oil are good general purpose lubes.
J, Don't bother sugar coating it - tell us how you really feel.
btw - I used it last summer on 10 casting reels - which are now at (DVT) to be cleaned.
A-Jay
J Francho reply :
I'm sure someone will be along shortly to tout the merits of it. Not going to change my mind about it. Ever.
Delaware Valley Tackle reply :
I'd like to be that guy just to play with ya' but I can't. Not even for a joke.
LgMouthGambler reply :
On 12/22/2011 at 11:16 PM, J Francho said:Worst crap ever. If you like cleaning your gear after every three or four outings, then go ahead.
Cal's Lighter Grade Reel Grease and Shimano Bantam Oil are good general purpose lubes.
Highly recommended by every angler Ive ever met, I use it for all my reels, and they perform better than new after. I clean my reels at least twice a year, due to I use the hell out of them. If you dont like it, than im sorry, but I have nothing but good to say about this product. Maybe its how you clean your reels? I dont know, but Im very thorough, and my reels last me, and this product has proven me no wrong.
J Francho reply :
It must be the way I clean my reels. Good luck with yours. 
LgMouthGambler reply :
NY, enough said. Explains your bad attitude.
0119 reply :
Wow I thought I was the expert at ticking off moderators, you take the crown from me. Bantam has warned us many times that Hot Sauce will void your warranty on his companies reels so watch out. Ive had 3 in 1 oil badly discolor the black chrome plastic pieces of a Revo SX but otherwise worked well. Inox if you can find it, is very good. If you can find it too, Daiwas blue grease is a very good grease but I understand they dont make it available to the retail market anymore.
Missouribassman95 reply :
I would do that forsure, except I'm only 16 so I don't have a debit card or anything and IDK if my parents would pay for it.On 12/22/2011 at 11:21 AM, Delaware Valley Tackle said:A reel should be cleaned and lubed at least once a year, more often for heavier use. You don't want WD40 anywhere near the internals of your reel. It and other spray lubes contain solvents that actually act as a degreaser. As stated there are several threads about DIY reel care and it is not out of the question but based on the basic nature of your inquiry, may I suggest having them serviced professionally? As a sponsor of the forum I extend a 10% discount to members. This makes the cost of a clean/lube service only $16.20 plus shipping and parts if needed. I also offer tuning and upgrades where appropriate to maximize reel performance. Let me know if I can help. If you decide to DIY and get stuck, post a question and me, Jfrancho or one of the other folks will try to help.
Mike L
Delaware Valley Tackle reply :
I enjoy helping a young person enjoy a wholesome hobby. How many reels do you have that need cleaning? I'll do two free for you if you pay the shipping and the regular member price on any additional, debit, credit, check or MO. Merry Christmas!
Mike
Red reply :
On 12/23/2011 at 11:11 AM, Delaware Valley Tackle said:I enjoy helping a young person enjoy a wholesome hobby. How many reels do you have that need cleaning? I'll do two free for you if you pay the shipping and the regular member price on any additional, debit, credit, check or MO. Merry Christmas!
Mike
This is why BR is the best!!!
Gone_Phishin reply :
On 12/23/2011 at 11:53 AM, Red said:This is why BR is the best!!!
Awesome!!! Talk about awesome. 
Missouribassman95 reply :
I have four, but that's a great deal, thank you so much!On 12/23/2011 at 11:11 AM, Delaware Valley Tackle said:I enjoy helping a young person enjoy a wholesome hobby. How many reels do you have that need cleaning? I'll do two free for you if you pay the shipping and the regular member price on any additional, debit, credit, check or MO. Merry Christmas!
Mike
I'm gonna talk to my parents about this!
Jig Man reply :
You might get something from this, http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/Reel_Care_tips.html
Dave T. reply :
On 12/23/2011 at 11:11 AM, Delaware Valley Tackle said:I enjoy helping a young person enjoy a wholesome hobby. How many reels do you have that need cleaning? I'll do two free for you if you pay the shipping and the regular member price on any additional, debit, credit, check or MO. Merry Christmas!
Mike
DVT... That is awesome of you to do! Even though I normally clean my own reels, I may send some to you to give them a once over... maybe critique my work.
Quick question... when you clean spinning reels, do you put a lineup mark on the main ring and pinion gear and put them back together using that lineup mark? Or, do you think it's a waste of time?
Delaware Valley Tackle reply :
Dave, when you say main ring are you referring to the flat top main gear that drives the pinion when the handle is cranked? If so, I do not mark them but make sure they are seated, meshed properly and smooth before buttoning it up.
Where are you again in NEPA? We'll have to get together sometime.
J Francho reply :
I thought I'd show you guys something HS related. This is a TD-Z Big Bait Special,, previously lubed with HS. Click the image for a full res version, and use the scroll bars to center on the main gear. What you are seeing is staining. After the the lube has been in the reel, it breaks down. It eventually ends up tacky, and mud brown to black. What it leaves behind on metal parts is almost impossible to get rid of without some serious chemicals.
Coincidentally, this reel also comes with a perfect example of why folks in the biz, like DVT Mike and myself hesitate to just let anyone open their reels and do the work themselves. Here, the last person before me to open this reel stripped the screw head. It's a common blunder, but this was a pro. Normally, I would extract it and replace the screw with one of the many I have on hand, but I wasn't willing to risk it with the magnesium framed reel. There is access to lube the bearing from the other side. Just one of the MANY things that can go wrong.
As with Mike, I am always here to help you guys out, especially if your favorite reel is in parts. But don't sit there and tell I don't know what I'm talking about just because my experience differs with your opinion.
Delaware Valley Tackle reply :
Thanks for posting John. It's nice to have someone that's good with a camera and computer as well as knowing what he's talking about.
noway reply :
Some know all, all know some.
Dave T. reply :
On 12/24/2011 at 1:17 AM, Delaware Valley Tackle said:Dave, when you say main ring are you referring to the flat top main gear that drives the pinion when the handle is cranked? If so, I do not mark them but make sure they are seated, meshed properly and smooth before buttoning it up.
Where are you again in NEPA? We'll have to get together sometime.
DVT,
That's exactly the gear(s) I'm talking about... thanks. I thought because of the wear pattern, it might be advantageous to keep them aligned in their current line up. However, as you say, if it feels smooth... I guess that's all that matters.
I'm up by the Wilkes-Barre area, and would love to get together sometime. I'm thinking about having a custom rod built for my son, and may stop down to talk to you about it. Plus, I could bring some of my reels.
Grey Wolf reply :
On 12/23/2011 at 3:56 AM, LgMouthGambler said:Highly recommended by every angler Ive ever met, I use it for all my reels, and they perform better than new after. I clean my reels at least twice a year, due to I use the hell out of them. If you dont like it, than im sorry, but I have nothing but good to say about this product. Maybe its how you clean your reels? I dont know, but Im very thorough, and my reels last me, and this product has proven me no wrong.
Very bad results with the red crap , wouldn't use it again if you paid me. You must not have met many anglers. 
QUAKEnSHAKE reply :
It gets confusing cause one site's respected "pro" uses product A while another site's respected "pro" uses product B & one "pro" blasts the other "pro's" product. And another site's repected "pro" uses product C.
J Francho reply :
I don't mark gears either. I suppose that would be more critical with low end gear. Wider tolerances would attribute to uneven wear.
J Francho reply :
On 12/24/2011 at 11:23 PM, QUAKEnSHAKE said:It gets confusing cause one site's respected "pro" uses product A while another site's respected "pro" uses product B & one "pro" blasts the other "pro's" product. And another site's repected "pro" uses product C.
There is no right and wrong, only best practices when considering the application. Is that Alphas Ito Ai going to get used lightly, and sit on a display, or is it going to be subjected to living in a rod locker and fished in 20 tournaments? Because the setup is different. Add in whether it's for light finesse, or heavy cover, or even used with moving baits, and the solution becomes complicated. There are also personal preferences, like whether to use slow grease in knob bearings or fast oil. Each has their own set of pros and cons.
Minty fresh Ito for display?
Or tear down for HD use?
Either way, it catches!
LgMouthGambler reply :
On 12/24/2011 at 8:19 AM, J Francho said:I thought I'd show you guys something HS related. This is a TD-Z Big Bait Special,, previously lubed with HS. Click the image for a full res version, and use the scroll bars to center on the main gear. What you are seeing is staining. After the the lube has been in the reel, it breaks down. It eventually ends up tacky, and mud brown to black. What it leaves behind on metal parts is almost impossible to get rid of without some serious chemicals.
Coincidentally, this reel also comes with a perfect example of why folks in the biz, like DVT Mike and myself hesitate to just let anyone open their reels and do the work themselves. Here, the last person before me to open this reel stripped the screw head. It's a common blunder, but this was a pro. Normally, I would extract it and replace the screw with one of the many I have on hand, but I wasn't willing to risk it with the magnesium framed reel. There is access to lube the bearing from the other side. Just one of the MANY things that can go wrong.
As with Mike, I am always here to help you guys out, especially if your favorite reel is in parts. But don't sit there and tell I don't know what I'm talking about just because my experience differs with your opinion.
The problem showed is due to the fact that when useing Hot Sauce you have to get rid of the factory oils and greases due to the different bases in the lubes, they will fight against each other and produce that sludge/blackish buildup. Hot Sauce is a Synthetic lubricant. Most supplied lubes in reels are more of a mineral oil type(like Shimano), even though Shimano doesnt use their own grease and oil in their reels from the factory. To properly use the Hot Sauce you have to clean the bearings and metal parts that are lubed and greased with Acetone. Plastic parts need to be cleaned with Simple Green (or equivelent). Thus before when I said that I am very thorough about cleaning my equipment, I should have said VERY Anal, and all dirt and grease is removed before applying new lubrication. Once all is cleaned PROPERLY, you may then apply Hot Sauce, and enjoy the increase in performance of your said fishing reel.
FL_Sharpshooter reply :
Not to start a war, but I'm sure JF is very thorough on cleaning his parts, so I think you may be mistaken there. I also don't think he would be on here giving tips to other people if he didn't know what he was doing. Also, quantum hot sauce is not 100% synthetic, it is a BLEND. I'm glad I did buy into the stuff, that's all I'm going to say. Everyone just has different opinions on the stuff, that is all.
J Francho reply :
So, hand scrubbing and then an ultra sonic bath isn't enough? What sort clean were you referring to?
Dude, the stuff is terrible. You're fighting an uphill battle here advocating its use. Yeah, it's slick, fast, and easy to buy and apply, but it doesn't hold up to rigorous use. Heck, even Quantum doesn't use it as OEM in their reels.
I have over 300 reels pass by my bench each season, in addition to my own collection of 40 or so reels that I maintain. I think I have a little experience with this stuff than you. I tried to be nice, but twice you've impugned my credibility, and insulted me as well. You are recommending a product that not too many fisherman here will agree with.
LgMouthGambler reply :
On 12/25/2011 at 2:40 AM, J Francho said:So, hand scrubbing and then an ultra sonic bath isn't enough? What sort clean were you referring to?
Dude, the stuff is terrible. You're fighting an uphill battle here advocating its use. Yeah, it's slick, fast, and easy to buy and apply, but it doesn't hold up to rigorous use. Heck, even Quantum doesn't use it as OEM in their reels.
I have over 300 reels pass by my bench each season, in addition to my own collection of 40 or so reels that I maintain. I think I have a little experience with this stuff than you. I tried to be nice, but twice you've impugned my credibility, and insulted me as well. You are recommending a product that not too many fisherman here will agree with.
Im not impunging your credibility or insulting you, you just seem to take things the wrong way. Either way, my way may be different than yours, but maybe its you that seems to have an issue with things. Im just stating the way that Quantum recommends to properly clean your reels as to get the proper performance out of them. To avoid the chemical reaction you have to clean them this way. Im sure that you are very good at what you do, Im not saying you are not. Do what you do with your reels, but im gonna give people an option, thats what a forum is for. Its not YOUR forum, everyone has a say in what is questioned on this website I do believe. So please, enough with the attitude, its not necessary.
BASSclary reply :
I agree with J 100%.
coolbreeze52 reply :
WD40 isn't good for cleaning reels, it will break down plastic parts in your reel. Try Ardent reel oil & reel butter. They'll really improve a reels performance & last a long time.
.RM. reply :
On 12/22/2011 at 10:21 AM, Missouribassman95 said:Okay I'm thinking of cleaning my reels, but I really don't know how. What should I use? I was thinking of WD40, but I don't really even know where to put it. How often should I be cleaning them? Thanks
What make are these reels ???
Missouribassman95 reply :
I have Two Diawa's, and a Shimano. The fourth one I'm going to replace so it doesn't really matter.On 12/26/2011 at 10:01 PM, .RM. said:What make are these reels ???
Kevinator1 reply :
Wow, I've just read through all of the posts on this subject and man J is getting a little edgy on this. That's not necessary. We all have opinions and experience so giving your opinion is fine but no need to get angry about it. Let's all remember that even Einstein was wrong occasionally. I clean reels for tournament guys in my area and a couple of them only want me to use Hot Sauce on their reels. I personally use a different lube but I haven't seen any major issues with Hot Sauce. Just my two cents worth.
Professional Overrun reply :
Anybody ever tried superlube oil and or grease? I wont use anything else in my reels and have found it superior to all factory grease. The blue grease that abu uses is a total joke imo and one of the most important things to do with a fresh abu reel is to remove the factory grease and replace it with a quality teflon, synthetic, or just high quality lightweight grease or high performance oil. Somewhere i found viscosity tables for most of the oils available to use for reels, and it was interesting what was reccomended based on viscosity. Tri-flow actually was one of the least viscous, most fluid lubricants available, whether or not to use it one your reels is up to you. I think its important to know where to use an oil and where to use a grease, like ,say, not to use grease on spool bearings, but definitely use it on sprag or one way bearings. Just my 2¢…
Professional Overrun reply :
Also, doesnt zebco own quantum? Sorry, but, that grease and oil aint goin on my reels.....
BASSclary reply :
On 12/27/2011 at 6:42 AM, Professional Overrun said:Also, doesnt zebco own quantum? Sorry, but, that grease and oil aint goin on my reels.....
Yes, but it seems everybody is owned by somebody else.
J Francho reply :
Using hot sauce will give you thin skin, lol.
Like I said, if you like it then use it. NOTHING will change my mind about that junk. And if you look real hard, you might even find some initial positive reviews from yours truly. Not any more. Sorry if you don't agree.
hookset on 3 reply :
On 12/27/2011 at 6:40 AM, Professional Overrun said:Anybody ever tried superlube oil and or grease? I wont use anything else in my reels and have found it superior to all factory grease. The blue grease that abu uses is a total joke imo and one of the most important things to do with a fresh abu reel is to remove the factory grease and replace it with a quality teflon, synthetic, or just high quality lightweight grease or high performance oil. Somewhere i found viscosity tables for most of the oils available to use for reels, and it was interesting what was reccomended based on viscosity. Tri-flow actually was one of the least viscous, most fluid lubricants available, whether or not to use it one your reels is up to you. I think its important to know where to use an oil and where to use a grease, like ,say, not to use grease on spool bearings, but definitely use it on sprag or one way bearings. Just my 2¢…
Superlube grease and oil with PTFE (read Teflon) is all I've been using for 4 or 5 years. So, I'm curious as to their viability, as well.
Thanks, hookset on 3
Delaware Valley Tackle reply :
The Super Lube grease is a fine product but can not be used on drag washers. A drag grease like Cals or Shimanos on gear saves having to keep another container around and works just as well.
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