Nothing is more frustrating than to prepare to go fishing only to find your reel is in need of repair or maintenance. Although reel repair and maintenance is best left to professionals, if you’ve got time on your hands and are not willing to wait for a professional, you can do it yourself. There are some specific steps that you need to take, and a great deal of caution that needs to be exercised.
Preparation
As with any other project, preparation is crucial to the success of your reel repair or maintenance project. Start off with a very large work area – you’ll want to make sure that you have sufficient room to lay down each part of your reel as you remove it. In addition, you’re going to want to either hand-draw a diagram or use a digital camera to document each piece of your reel so that you can put it back together when you’re done cleaning and repairing it.
Take it apart
Nearly all reels come apart in the same manner, since they are put together in a comparable way (although some reels may vary somewhat). This step is the most imperative time to photograph or map each section as it is removed, so that you can assure that you will be able reassemble the reel later. Make sure that you cautiously detach each piece and place it in some type of order (or bag in a labeled Ziploc bag). Be sure to be particularly careful with very tiny pieces, like screws, springs, and like objects. Each piece has a valuable purpose, and every one has a specific place in your reel.
The Tools
The tools that you use for repairing or maintaining your reel are crucial to your success. Make sure that before you get started you have all of them close at hand so you do not need to start looking for something you missed. The tools that you need include assorted sized screwdrivers (both Philips and regular), pliers, ratchet (and appropriate heads), clean and absorbent rags, reel grease and reel oil. The final piece of your equipment will be a small brush – most find that a small toothbrush works just fine.
Starting The Disassembly
Your first step is to take the reel apart slowly, taking great care with each piece, to decrease the likelihood of losing or breaking important parts. Next, you can proceed carefully with cleaning the reel case. Locate the nut that holds the reel handle in place and remove it. Turn the drag star counterclockwise and place it to the side. Carefully remove the side plate, and make sure to keep the four screws holding it on in a safe place. Separate the main gear assembly. Remove the spool from the reel case. Use a rag to remove sand, dirt, and/or old grease. Grease the whole mechanism. If the reel uses a worm gear, you have to turn the level wind (inside the left plate) to make sure this gear is greased properly. Next, you should use a small amount of reel grease to grease all teeth. Clean the spool. Oil the endpins. Finally, you can replace the spool in the end case.
Main Drive Gear Assembly
Cleaning the main drive gear assembly is one of the most critical aspects of the cleaning and maintenance routine, and failure to exercise proper caution could result in your reel not working properly later. Follow each step carefully and pay close attention to details. Carefully remove the screws attaching the main drive gear assembly. Some will be screwed into a mounting plate, but others will be able to be lifted out. Locate the main gear assembly. Use your rag to remove sand, dirt, and old grease, making sure there is no trace of the residue remaining to ensure smooth function later. Grease the gear assembly thoroughly.
The next portion of your cleaning and maintenance will involve the main drive gear assembly. Each step must be followed precisely to avoid problems.
The small parts
The main gear has washers within the top. After taking them apart, you can photograph or map the placement of every one. Then resume with the cleaning. Cleanse each washer with a cloth. Lubricate, being careful to manipulate the clean grease into each washer. Get rid of leftover grease with a clean rag. Finally, when the washers are totally dry, you should return them in the correct sequence.
Locked bearings can be a huge setback for some reels, so be sure to carefully lubricate every bearing down all sides or swap the bearing. Do not try to take the bearing apart, or you will end up cleaning BBs from your workplace!
Putting it all together
Place the spool back inside the reel casing to begin to reassemble your reel. Position the right side plate and gear assembly over the endpin. Line up the screw holes, making sure each side is aligned properly. Screw in each screw into the side plate. Next, you should screw the drag star back on. Finally, you can mount the reel’s handle. You are almost done!
Testing
Using your photos or diagrams, make sure that each part is back where it originally came from. Test your work by making sure the reel is well anchored together.
Summary
Although the process is tedious and time consuming, you can easily perform these simple maintenance steps and save money. However, you need a steady hand, and most find that either a magnifying lens or good eyesight is very helpful. No matter what type of reel you are using (conventional or bait-casting), these simple steps can help avoid having to wait for and pay a professional to keep your reel working smoothly. Since many fishermen are particular about who touches their reels, simply utilizing tools such as these can help prevent mistakes and/or repair bills. Keep your reel clean and properly maintained, and you will virtually guarantee long life for your reel.
There are many great reels out on the market, some of the most popular include: Shimano Reel and Penn Reels.
