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Reel Maintenance Question


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Question:How do you clean your reels after a session?Normally I will wipe down the rod, reel and eyes with a clean wet cloth but I am finding that it is very hard to get into the fiddly areas and I am still getting little patches of green corrosion, especially with my Baitcaster. Is it okay to just spray your gear with a hose as I see some people doing? I was always under the impression that it was bad for a reel to do it this way.

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If you're going to spray, tighten the drag right up to stop water ingress, then a light sprinkle, not full pressure, just enough to wash the salt off. When dry I wipe down with WD40 or similar if they're going to be stored for any length of time. If you're getting corrosion then as 4THA said, toothbrush & mild detergent, if that doesn't get it try a strip down to get at the fiddly bits.

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having serviced many many reels over to many years i have found the best method is a spray bottle ( one of the sort with the trigger handle on it) full of fresh water, spray the reel with this then use a wet clean cloth & wipe over the reel, let dry out of the sun. Then comes the labourios task of oiling the reel spray can oil are ok for an emergency but reel oil from a droplet style bottle is a much better way to lubricate.level winds on baitcasters tend to be the most negleted these need a drop of oil notice on drop of oil on the spiral bar & cover before & after each trip.I also take the side cover of my baitcasters this is important if it has been used in saltwater & clean the frame of the spool & the frame where the spool spins while the cover is off I put a drop of oil on the bearings.Much the same for spinning reels take off the spool oil the main shaft put the spool back on but do not tighten the drag knob. take off the handle put a drop of oil between the cover & body on to the bearing each side give the reel a couple of turns & replace handle put a drop of oil in the handle Knob & your done.

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I'd be careful using those sprays as they penetrate so well they can displace grease and oil on vital moving parts :ohmy: :ohmy: :ohmy:A handle on my favourite egg beater went this way with over zealous use of a particular singin' dancin' spray product that every one raves about :dry: I'd follow Joe's advice to the letter as he is one of the best if not the best, reel (real) mechanics I know and I can vouch for his work on reels of mine in the past B)B)B)

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UglyI use a slightly more "intense" method than projoe`s, but has worked for me so far. Mind you, this is after a protracted trip, although a fortnightly/monthly going over in this manner for frequently used stuff could be the go too?Set up a garden hose through the back of an outdoor plastic chairBe prepared to cop a little spray...Set the nozzle to a fine, repeat fine, mistTap cracked open just enough to generate the mist, certainly not fullboreA small, soft bristled paintbrushGo every surface and nook and cranny that you can think ofReels brought inside, on a towell on a tableRotate/reposition every few hoursOne or two days later, spot-oil the requisite bits as previously suggestedDrag adjustment hints as statedRods get the same hose/brush treatmentHanky wiping used on the unobstructed bitsGrips get "hand-wrung"A hanky pulled through every runner a couple of times, obviously only partially for the tiny onesLet dry standing in a corner for a day butt downReverse butt up for another day, having repositioned the locking ringsAs I said, works for me...and more therapeutic and constructive than watching Idol...oh, a warm and sunny day is preferred... :laugh:

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Tighten Drag upTake your reel in the shower with youWipe it down with your handsTake it outside and give the handle a few turns and wipe it down with a dry clothSquirt the rod with your garden hose and wipe it down with a dry cloth then squirt it with a bit of Inox and wipe it down againPut the reel back on the rodBack the drag offStore the rod/reel horizontally.When stripping the reel down, use drag greese for the drag, reel greese for the gears and reel oil for everything else. DON'T USE WD40 or INOX or CRC on the internals of your reels. It reacts with the greese and oil.

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light wipe down' date=' WD40 , as main ingredient of WD40 is Fish Oil ..... yes Fish Oil[attachment=9755']wd-40_uses.pdf[/attachment]

Never said to spray internals, just a light spray from outside and wipe, reel, rod, runners , reel seat etc .....Nearly all of my fishing gear is over 20 years old... and still in very good condition..
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Hahaha my missus thinks i'm crazy but I now go to a fair amount of trouble to keep my gear cleanTo do the reels though I tighten the drag up and squirt it with a water bottle with a tiny amount of detergent and hot water. Even if you don't dunk your reels the salt spray and wet hands not forgetting the water than is thrown off the line when you reel in all get into places where you don't want it :( So i squirt all the screws to remove any residue and give an overall quick wipe over.After the reel has dried I check to see if there is any salt (in which i clean the area again) and then wipe over the entire reel with a very small amount of wd40 sprayed on a rag. I use just enough to leave a very thin film on the entire reel. Since I started doing this i discovered it is a lot harder for things to stick to the reel and keeps it cleaner.When all of this is done I lightly oil the screws for added protection next time i head out as that is the first place salt begin to build up. A quick drop to the line roller, handle bearings and in the maintenance port. I then remove the handle and store in a ziplock bag and loosen the drag off completely and store in a felt bag back in its box. Keeps my reels in working order and they still look mint :)Rods get a different run. They come into the shower and get a scrubbing with a toothbrush around the eyes and where anything has stuck. Paying special attention to the grips as they get filthy with bait juice etc. Dry it with a towel and then i wipe it over with the wd40 rag so there is a very thin film on it which again stops things sticking and helps keep the salt out.Tools i've used all get soaked in the sink with hot soapy water then cleaned and dried. Wiped over with wd40 then oiled where needed.Lures, hooks and rigs i have used all get soaked in hot water and then left to dry on a towel. Then the next day i put them back in the tackle box. The esky is emptied and hosed out then scrubbed with hot soapy water and wiped over with spray and wipe and stored in the shed.Over the top I know but NO RUST, NO SMELL, NO GRIME and my gear keeps brand new :)

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If you're going to spray' date=' tighten the drag right up to stop water ingress, then a light sprinkle, not full pressure, just enough to wash the salt off. When dry I wipe down with WD40 or similar if they're going to be stored for any length of time. If you're getting corrosion then as 4THA said, toothbrush & mild detergent, if that doesn't get it try a strip down to get at the fiddly bits.[/quote']Exactly what I would've said. However, I'm more of a fan of Inox rather than WD40 on fishing gear.
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