Reel grease

[FenderBender]

What do you think is the best reel grease to use on spinners? I have my Dad's Penn 4/0 and 6/0 conventionals where he used petroleum jelly on the gears for decades and they still run smooth.

[Ditch Jigger]

Most of the shops use a blue grease similar to Penn's "Muscle Grease". I'm sure someone can give you the brand name. I use the waterproof grease sold by The Surfcaster, have for many years and am very satisfied with it For my conventionals, I use Super Lube grease.

 

I tend to grease the spinning reels more heavily than the conventionals. I pack the housing on spinners, to help keep water out. On conventionals, excess grease will find its way onto the drag washers, so I go very thin.

 

You could probably spit onto the gears of a Senator and the darn things would just keep on running I'm not so sure I'd use Vaseline to grease a reel that might be a tad more tempermental with respect to maintenence, however.

 

Nothing like those classic Penn tanks for reels that take a licking and keep on grindin'

[2finger]

Sounds like your dad changed lube quite often but a word to the wise. Vaseline will jel if let alone for a long period of time. As Ditch Jigger points out not fun to clean.

[FenderBender]

Hey 2Finger,

You're right about the gelling. My Dad used to repack the reels annually but, several years went by between his passing and the time I decided to crack the reels open and restore them. I re-packed them with Vaseline again. I use them only for wreck fishing and they are SMOOOOOOTH! Sounds a little like you may be implying that Vaseline may be a good lube? As far as I know, that was all the old guys used back then. Do you think it it may still be good today? Got any suggestions? (:

[Wishing I was Fishing]

I used to use Penn's blue grease. it worked fine for me.Switched to Surfcasters grease a while back.Again no problems>I don,t pack my reels. USed to abuse them a lot.TWo trips a day,sometimes 3. Often with the reel getting dunked.Never had any problems.Washed them off,sprayyed them with WD 40 and back into the car they went.Every 2-3 weeks would clean them up and re-grease .

My the way, they were Penn 450's and 550,s

[surfrat]

I concur with Ditch the surfcasters grease works for me...

[nano]

I used to use grease from the reel manufactures, then I started to use grease Shimano sold for their bike gear. Now I find the best deal is the grease they sell in automobile parts store (e.g. Pepboy). I figure if it works for car it should work for reel. After I disassemble the reel and clean it up, I use a grease gun and just fill it up. So far it works great. I have reels used for >10 years and still works well.

For light lubrication, I use engine oil. I save a few tens cc when I change my engine oil, last for a long time.

[2finger]

Fenderbender... the difference between all these lubricates is their viscosity and there resilience to moisture.

 

Vaseline is a heavy grease. It's uses are endless. A great barrier against water. Once the product is run through the gears it smoothes out and performs quite well. In cold temperatures it will thicken making turning the handle on a reel a minor task. It's a tough job cleaning any item that has alot of Vaseline on it. And... again left alone over time it will gel.

 

Personally I use Penn reel lubricant. It's a much lighter grease than Vaseline. I'm very satisfied with their product.

 

I'm no expert. Using Vaseline is up to you. A little bit will go a long way. If you use it apply it sparingly.

 

[This message has been edited by 2finger (edited 02-24-2001).]

 

[This message has been edited by 2finger (edited 02-24-2001).]

[gonefishing]

I'd agree with Ditch on Super Lube. I also pack my reels - Penn 450, 550 and Fin-Nor Megalite 4000 just to keep the water out. The Super Lube doesn't mix with the water as much as other greases do. I'd do the same to my VS if I could get the cover off.