The Best Reel Lubricants? 2024
Micro reply :
I'm wondering what the best reel lubricants are. I've been using Abu oil and grease for years, but am wondering if this is the best lubricants to use. The oil is rather thick, but it has a relatively high viscosity. Would a lower viscosity oil (used more frequently) result in significantly better spool bearing performance. The red oil that came with my Daiwas seems significantly thinner than the Abu oil, but the manual recommends a drop on the spool bearings after each outing.
So, I'm wondering what oil you folks use for your bearings, and while you are at it what grease you use for your gears.
ILfisherman reply :
I use Ardent Reel Butter on my Shimanos and Daiwas. I find that it lasts longer and performs better than the Shimano stuff.
As for grease, I just use regular old silicone grease.
burleytog reply :
Do you want performance or longevity?
The lower viscosity oils offer better performance, but do not last as long.
Jimzee reply :
QuoteDo you want performance or longevity?The lower viscosity oils offer better performance, but do not last as long.
Yep, if you're wanting some killer rpm's on your spool check out Friction Zero grease and oil. The Daiwa oil is a good middle of the road oil to use but I still have to apply it about every two fishing trips for good performance. Also check out The Rocket Fuel line of lubricants.
There is a few more but I have not tried those, I hear good things about them also.
Gotta go, the game is back on. ;D
Pantera61 reply :
QuoteQuoteDo you want performance or longevity?The lower viscosity oils offer better performance, but do not last as long.
Yep, if you're wanting some killer rpm's on your spool check out Friction Zero grease and oil. The Daiwa oil is a good middle of the road oil to use but I still have to apply it about every two fishing trips for good performance. Also check out The Rocket Fuel line of lubricants. There is a few more but I have not tried those, I hear good things about them also.
Gotta go, the game is back on. ;D
x2 on the Friction-0
NitroMan reply :
I prefer to use Quantum's Hot Sauce It has worked great for me in the past and all of my reels are still in fantastic shape. 
CWB reply :
QuoteI prefer to use Quantum's Hot Sauce It has worked great for me in the past and all of my reels are still in fantastic shape.
X2
roadwarrior reply :
Well, I'm not challenging any one's "opinion", but we have two
professional reel service men on board: Reel Mech and Bantam1.
For my money, I'd take their recommendations.
p.s.
Although Bantam1 only addresses Shimano products,
Reel Mech services the "wrong brands", too!
8-)
Bass Tracker reply :
I service my own reels, use Reel Mechanic's oil and grease. I have used his products on several reels,and like it very much. Works alot better than Hot Sauce that I was using on my Quantum I used to own. His grease stays put, does not break down like Hot Sauce, which tends to break down and leach that red dye out.
bassripper2000 reply :
Reel Mech's products...
Sewing machine oil works well in bearings as well.
Reel Mech's is Gold Lithium Grease and the oil I am not sure about, but it is very much like Shimano Oil....
Pantera61 reply :
QuoteWell, I'm not challenging any one's "opinion", but we have twoprofessional reel service men on board: Reel Mech and Bantam1.
For my money, I'd take their recommendations.
p.s.
Although Bantam1 only addresses Shimano products,
Reel Mech services the "wrong brands", too!
8-)
That is an excellent criterion upon which to base your choice of advisors. There is also the possibility, however, an individual may have engaged in an occupation in the past but pursues it now only as a hobby.
roadwarrior reply :
No doubt, and no offense intended.
8-)
Pantera61 reply :
QuoteNo doubt, and no offense intended.8-)
None taken!
J Francho reply :
QuoteReel Mech warned against using Hot Sauce, I will go with him!I use the ABU oil and grease also.
I've got Hot Sauce in a Daiwa for about a year. I've also used it in a couple of Quantums. I've seen no negative effects other than it actually stains brass gearing. It is fast stuff, and easy to apply since its RED. I've found better products, some are more suited to high end bearings, and offer no gain on typical OEM bearings. Its always easiest to stick with Shimano for Shimano, Daiwa for Daiwa, etc. but one weird thing - I've never seen a Quantum come off the shelf with Hot Sauce in it. I wonder why?
Maxximus Redneckus reply :
i use rem oil for my bearings... though i have to put it on um often and i use garcia silicone grease on my gears .both do fine and i cant amagine any more perfermance then what i have unless i go to ceramic or hp bearings
Micro reply :
Thanks for the responses.
BARON49_Northern NY reply :
QuoteQuoteReel Mech warned against using Hot Sauce, I will go with him!I use the ABU oil and grease also.
I've got Hot Sauce in a Daiwa for about a year. I've also used it in a couple of Quantums. I've seen no negative effects other than it actually stains brass gearing. It is fast stuff, and easy to apply since its RED.
At the recommendation of a qualified reel mechanic and tech I started using Hot Sauce and have to say I am impressed. I get 180+ days a year on the water and have been using Hot Sauce oil and grease on my Quantum and Revo reels with no problems at all. In fact, the first thing I do when I buy a new reel is to take it apart and relube it with Hot Sauce. It holds up in hot and cold weather and especially under the stress of throwing swimbaits and crankbaits all day long.
Micro reply :
I guess if I want the same oils and grease that my Daiwas came lubed with, I should call Daiwa and order it. I'd guess it's probably best to stick with their stuff, at least until the warranty runs out.
cart7t reply :
For the Hot sauce users, try raspberry jam. It works even better. Make sure to pick out the seeds first.
Muddy reply :
QuoteQuoteQuoteReel Mech warned against using Hot Sauce, I will go with him!I use the ABU oil and grease also.
I've got Hot Sauce in a Daiwa for about a year. I've also used it in a couple of Quantums. I've seen no negative effects other than it actually stains brass gearing. It is fast stuff, and easy to apply since its RED.
At the recommendation of a qualified reel mechanic and tech I started using Hot Sauce and have to say I am impressed. I get 180+ days a year on the water and have been using Hot Sauce oil and grease on my Quantum and Revo reels with no problems at all. In fact, the first thing I do when I buy a new reel is to take it apart and relube it with Hot Sauce. It holds up in hot and cold weather and especially under the stress of throwing swimbaits and crankbaits all day long.
Can't argue with that kind of experience. Especially from someone who is not selling an alternate product.
fish-fighting-illini reply :
a big x 2 on the warranty aspect
One member was about to get burnt on that very recently. Shimano ( I think it was ) denied his warranty because he used "Hot sauce". He did the lube deal as right out of the box the reel had a noise. He tried to lube it to save the hassle of taking it back. In the process he voided the warranty.
roadwarrior reply :
Quotea big x 2 on the warranty aspectOne member was about to get burnt on that very recently. Shimano ( I think it was ) denied his warranty because he used "Hot sauce". He did the lube deal as right out of the box the reel had a noise. He tried to lube it to save the hassle of taking it back. In the process he voided the warranty.
Technically correct, but I believe the issue was resolved and the reel
replaced. Shimano's customer service is very user friendly.
8-)
Muddy reply :
Can't say anything bad about the Holy Shimanos around here ;D
lubina reply :
QuoteCan't say anything bad about the Holy Shimanos around here ;D
J Francho reply :
QuoteQuoteQuoteReel Mech warned against using Hot Sauce, I will go with him!I use the ABU oil and grease also.
I've got Hot Sauce in a Daiwa for about a year. I've also used it in a couple of Quantums. I've seen no negative effects other than it actually stains brass gearing. It is fast stuff, and easy to apply since its RED.
At the recommendation of a qualified reel mechanic and tech I started using Hot Sauce and have to say I am impressed. I get 180+ days a year on the water and have been using Hot Sauce oil and grease on my Quantum and Revo reels with no problems at all. In fact, the first thing I do when I buy a new reel is to take it apart and relube it with Hot Sauce. It holds up in hot and cold weather and especially under the stress of throwing swimbaits and crankbaits all day long.
I get out about the same, and you don't have to tell me. I just don't like the staining aspect. Otherwise, it works great.
J Francho reply :
QuoteI guess if I want the same oils and grease that my Daiwas came lubed with, I should call Daiwa and order it. I'd guess it's probably best to stick with their stuff, at least until the warranty runs out.
Get their grease, and the TD-Z oil for the bearings. Can't go wrong with that combo.
Muddy reply :
QuoteQuoteQuoteQuoteReel Mech warned against using Hot Sauce, I will go with him!I use the ABU oil and grease also.
I've got Hot Sauce in a Daiwa for about a year. I've also used it in a couple of Quantums. I've seen no negative effects other than it actually stains brass gearing. It is fast stuff, and easy to apply since its RED.
At the recommendation of a qualified reel mechanic and tech I started using Hot Sauce and have to say I am impressed. I get 180+ days a year on the water and have been using Hot Sauce oil and grease on my Quantum and Revo reels with no problems at all. In fact, the first thing I do when I buy a new reel is to take it apart and relube it with Hot Sauce. It holds up in hot and cold weather and especially under the stress of throwing swimbaits and crankbaits all day long.
I get out about the same, and you don't have to tell me. I just don't like the staining aspect. Otherwise, it works great.
iF YOU WOULD WASH YOUR HANDS BEFORE GOING TO THE jOHN, THIS MIGHT NOT BE SUCH AN ISSUE!
J Francho reply :
Ha ha! Fix your caps lock old man.
UBA reply :
I like the shimano grease and oil for my baitcasters and superlube grease for my spinning reels.
.ghoti. reply :
I've been cleaning and re-lubing my reels for a long time. After all this time, using almost every kind of lube available, what I'll say is, they all work just fine.
What's important is getting the parts clean first. Doesn't matter what kind of oil you put in a bearing if it still has some crud and corruption in it.
What's also important is regular cleaning. Once every three years ain't enough. Unless, of course, you only fish a couple times a year.
I used to follow the "standard" wisdom; Shimano lube for Shimano reels, Daiwa lube for Daiwa reels and Hot Sauce for Quantums. I decided that was silly, and just a bit anal, so I went with one brand for everything. What I wanted was a low viscosity oil for bearings, a "sticky" grease that would stay where I put it, and to be available off-the-shelf. For me, that turned out to be Ardent Reel Butter oil and grease.
I have no problem with Hot Sauce in terms of performance. It does a good job, as far as I ever noticed. But it does stain everything it touches. Get it under you fingernails, and it's there a while. Get it on your clothes, and it's there for a long time. Get it on the wife's new tablecloth, and domestic tranquility is lost.
lubina reply :
I also take care of mine, 90 % Daiwas.
My best results over the past 3-4 years have been with RM Golden Lithium Grease and oil ( Shimano ).
For ceramic bearings I found TG Rocket Fuel works best. Daiwa red is great for longer casting but doesn't last much.
Jimzee reply :
QuoteGet it on the wife's new tablecloth, and domestic tranquility is lost.
I have to agree with this 100% ;D
the real man reply :
OILS AINT OILS TRY BALLISTOL THE UNIVERSAL OIL,WORLDS MOST USEFUL TECHNICAL LUBRICANT PRODUCED BY FW KLEVER GmbH, GERMANY I HAVE USED THIS ON ALL MAKES AND MODELS FOUND IT TO BE VERY GOOD BOTH ON BEARINGS AND ON THE FRAME SIDE PLATES ETC
ONLY OIL I HAVE USED PAST 5 YEARS
GIVE IT A TRY
RGDS
Grey Wolf reply :
Welcome aboard.
Introduce your self and give us some back ground.
Bantam1 reply :
Normally I stay out of topics like this but I will give our opinion.
We recommend our lubricants for our reels. Every manufacturer makes their own lubricants for their reels as well. I suggest that you use Brand X grease/oil for Brand X reels. Use our lubricants for our reels.
We spent a lot of money to develop the correct lubricants that macth our expectations for the reels. They have to deliver consistent performance with changes in temperature. They also need to prevent corrosion and protect the metals used from wear. I'm sure all the manufacturers will tell you the same thing. We believe that our lubricants are perfect for our reels. We offer a few different styles for different reel models such as spinning reels.
Now there are some good aftermarket lubricants on the market. I just cannot endorse one over the other. I can say that some are too thick and will make the reel feel sluggish. Some will cause premature wear in our products. Some work very well and others just simply do not last long enough to make it worth using.
We never deny a customer their warranty due to an improper lubrication. We will repair the reel one time for free and then educate the customer as to why the problem occured if it was due to the lubricants used. The situation brought up earlier in this post was denied at the dealer level and not by us :
J Francho reply :
Bantam, can you give some alternate recommendations of your products for extreme cold weather use? What I mean is, parts such as worm gears come factory lubed with grease, but this part usually performs better when a single drop of oil is used. Same for roller bearings. I know you have mentioned that what you use is an evolving science, but is there an optimal temperature range for certain lubrication aspects? It would be great to hear it from the horse's mouth, sop to speak, since a lot of us northern guys are using 300DSVs and Calcutta Bs for winter steelhead.
burleytog reply :
QuoteOILS AINT OILS TRY BALLISTOL THE UNIVERSAL OIL,WORLDS MOST USEFUL TECHNICAL LUBRICANT PRODUCED BY FW KLEVER GmbH, GERMANY I HAVE USED THIS ON ALL MAKES AND MODELS FOUND IT TO BE VERY GOOD BOTH ON BEARINGS AND ON THE FRAME SIDE PLATES ETCONLY OIL I HAVE USED PAST 5 YEARS
GIVE IT A TRY
RGDS
Why are you yelling?
Muddy reply :
He is just being considerate of the Team Depends Members, we have trouble reading the small print :
Bantam1 reply :
QuoteBantam, can you give some alternate recommendations of your products for extreme cold weather use? What I mean is, parts such as worm gears come factory lubed with grease, but this part usually performs better when a single drop of oil is used. Same for roller bearings. I know you have mentioned that what you use is an evolving science, but is there an optimal temperature range for certain lubrication aspects? It would be great to hear it from the horse's mouth, sop to speak, since a lot of us northern guys are using 300DSVs and Calcutta Bs for winter steelhead.
We developed a grease called Perma Lube for the spinning reels. From what I can tell it appears to be silicone based. I am not 100% positive that it is but just going from past experience from the auto repair industry. This grease will not freeze or thicken in cold weather. I know our drag grease can get thick in extreme cold weather, but it doesn't seem to hinder the performance on casting reels like it does a spinning reel. This is not a grease to use on the drag washers as it does not perform well in that application. It is solely for the gears.
When I used to repair reels here I used the drag grease on the worm shaft until we came up with Perma Lube (spinning only). The grease provided better protection under severe loads than the oil in my findings. This is now what we use in all the spinning reels from the factory and in our repair department. For baitcast reels I used oil on the worm gear as it does not see the same pressure as the spinning reel worm shaft will see. There is a lot more weight on this shaft because of the spool and wet line.
As far as optimal temperature ranges? Well I do not have the specific data. I do know that the Perma Lube works in all temperatures that we are likely to fish in and what the reel will operate in. The drag grease excells in high temperatures and down to about 30 degrees before it becomes thick.
Roller bearings are touchy with lubrication. They need a minimal amount to prevent corrosion and to provide smooth operation. Too much and the rollers will slip. The repair guys actually mix thier lubricant using drag grease with our oil to make the perfect blend. Its taken years to develop this blend and we do not sell it. The ratio is about 100:1 oil to grease.
jignfule reply :
Why is Shimano's lub so hard to find? I've never seen any at BassPro, Cabelas, Sportmans Warehouse, Joe's, ??? Where do you get it ?? Do you have to go through Shimano???
Bantam1 reply :
Its a phone call away 877-577-0600. We also do not have any cool names for the lubricants like everyone else. Maybe we should call it Sake Grease or Katana Oil then people would stock it.
Tackle Warehouse also sells it
http://www.***.com/descpage-SHRG.html
guitarkid reply :
I used the Bones Bearing speed cream that I had from my skateboard bearings, I thought it worked good, but very thin.
I also used White Lithium Grease on the gears.
Did this affect it or is it ok. If not it was kind of a "junk" reel anyways so... uuumm
-gk
SirSnookalot reply :
QuoteOne member was about to get burnt on that very recently. Shimano ( I think it was ) denied his warranty because he used "Hot sauce".
I had the identical expierence from Shimano, my warranty was voided for using a brand other than theirs.
At present I'm using corosion x, simply the best I have ever used.
Muddy reply :
I use multipoly-dura-teflon-denatured-deionized-hexacarbonic-mentolated-supracolgenic-bilateral Lubrication, dipensed from high capaicty and multivelocity capable spray containers!!
ABU OIL AND GREASE, works for years, and no big deal.
Another way to charge fisherman 50 bucks for something 5 bucks can take care of :
When I change lines I give each reel a shot of REEL MAGIC, keeps em clean longer and adds a little Zip
I never use any line treatment as I never had line that got sick, :
ROCbass reply :
QuoteNormally I stay out of topics like this but I will give our opinion.We recommend our lubricants for our reels. Every manufacturer makes their own lubricants for their reels as well. I suggest that you use Brand X grease/oil for Brand X reels. Use our lubricants for our reels.
We spent a lot of money to develop the correct lubricants that macth our expectations for the reels. They have to deliver consistent performance with changes in temperature. They also need to prevent corrosion and protect the metals used from wear. I'm sure all the manufacturers will tell you the same thing. We believe that our lubricants are perfect for our reels. We offer a few different styles for different reel models such as spinning reels.
Now there are some good aftermarket lubricants on the market. I just cannot endorse one over the other. I can say that some are too thick and will make the reel feel sluggish. Some will cause premature wear in our products. Some work very well and others just simply do not last long enough to make it worth using.
We never deny a customer their warranty due to an improper lubrication. We will repair the reel one time for free and then educate the customer as to why the problem occured if it was due to the lubricants used. The situation brought up earlier in this post was denied at the dealer level and not by us :
Excuse me for playing devil's advocate here, but I have a question that I am curious about. If reel company x and reel company y both build reels of similar quality with similar tolerances out of similar materials (i.e. brass gears, SS bearings), What can possibly be so different that company x's lubes will cause problems in company y's reels and vice versa? Even if company x makes their lube specifically with their reels in mind, the reel itself is similar to a brand y reel, so it seems to me the lubes should also be similar.
Muddy reply :
OH, Oh x and y, we are now moving this thread to the ALGEBRA section ;D
guitarkid reply :
good point shaner
-gk
KYntucky Warmouth reply :
QuoteQuoteReel Mech warned against using Hot Sauce, I will go with him!I use the ABU oil and grease also.
I've got Hot Sauce in a Daiwa for about a year. I've also used it in a couple of Quantums. I've seen no negative effects other than it actually stains brass gearing. It is fast stuff, and easy to apply since its RED. I've found better products, some are more suited to high end bearings, and offer no gain on typical OEM bearings. Its always easiest to stick with Shimano for Shimano, Daiwa for Daiwa, etc. but one weird thing - I've never seen a Quantum come off the shelf with Hot Sauce in it. I wonder why?
My Energy was sauced in box
hawgchaser reply :
I use hot sauce on all of my reels regardless of brand.
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