Lithiumn grease

[exp2000]

http://klr6500.tripod.com/grease101.htm

As for a marine grease, if it says lithium, it's gonna retain water and wash out.

DON'T LOOK AT THE NAME BUT THE COMPLEX.

Here is one of the biggest problems that a grease has and many have experienced this..

Ever see a grease turn milky looking? A lot of people have, especially the ones sitting on the side of the road with wheel bearings wiped out...............

The cause, water mixing with the complex. The most popular complex (lithium) tends to do this more than some others. Lithium complex is a soap base and will emulsify with water or retain water in the complex thus the milky color. Of course water has what kind of effect on metal parts? ............

To see what I'm talking about try this.. Take a dab of grease in the palm of one hand and put some water on it. Now with your index finger, mix the water into the grease and see how it turns milky and if enough water milks in, it will start to actually thin out or breakdown...............

These are some of the reasons I will not use this complex myself. Unfortunately most bearing manufactures tell you that lithium is what they recommend and of course it is easier to obtain at just about any parts house..............

if the complex washes out so does your synth oil. Therefore, a lot of wasted money in that case. No, I'm not saying that synth is worthless but with a high moisture application such as a boat trailer or in cooling systems where high moisture is present, using a lithium grease it is.............

 

If you want to avoid water wash out use an aluminium complex grease with moly and it will not mix with water.

 

I have seen other discussions which cited salt water being absorbed by lithium based grease forming a corrosive salt compound. I have seen salt compromised lubes destroy internal zinc alloy gears. Corrosion is the number one enemy of fishing reels so it is my primary focus when servicing. I want my lubes to repel water, not absorb it. As a general lube, I use Corrosion-X products myself because of their superior corrosion resistance.

~

[DesertCatFish]

I myslef am not sold on lithium based greases. Most Mitchell 302 and 402 reels were PACKED with the stuff . I've opened a reel up bought on Fleabay and find some that still had the original litium based grease still in them, and and in places the grease had caked, and where it had not caked it had trapped sand and salt in it.  I have since become part of the Less-Is-More club. I now -- at the moment at least -- use Quantum Hot Sause Grease and Oil, in places I sometimes use a 50:50 mixture of oil to grease -- heavier that the oil, thiner than the grease.  All interior surfaces are given a light coat of grease to prevent corrosion. Hot Sauce lives up to its billing, but it is very EXPENSIVE, and I'm now thinking of switching to Penn's X-1R Precision Oil and Grease. Penn "Blue Grease" is time tested and is well known and prevents corrosion.  Hit some exterior surfaces with something like Corrosion-X and the reel sould be able to take a pounding, not have a ton of lithium base grease traping sand and salt in it, and be relatively easy to clean upon your next servicing -- not having to wipe out globs of lithium grease.  BTW you can still find some of Garcia Mitchell's ORIGINAL Lithium Grease sold, from wjhat I've read after a certain point it becomes too old and should not be used, even if it is un opened.

[handi2]

After almost 40 years servicing reels this is what I use.

 

On small bait casting reels I now use Cal's grease in regular or purple. All the other parts of the reel get CorrosionX. The bearings get oiled with the customers preference. TSI 321, hot sauce, ect.

 

For small spinners I use Penn Precision grease or Cal's. For larger spinners it depends on the manufacturers. Penn reels get Penn grease or Yamaha's newer Auqa colored grease. It's much lighter than their old blue grease. Bearings get a mix of CorrosionX and grease so not to slow them down and the beariings will last forever.

 

Larger conventional reels get the Yamaha grease and CorrosionX products.

 

After you use a reel for a while open it up and check the main and pinion gears. You will see that 95% or more of the grease has benn pushed away from the gear surface. It's that little percent of grease that's left that keeps the gears lubricated.

[blackdogfish]

Lot of options being thrown around.

For old Penn 704/706Z, is the standard Penn Grease considered a good product?

[DesertCatFish]

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackdogfish 

Lot of options being thrown around.

For old Penn 704/706Z, is the standard Penn Grease considered a good product?

When you say "Standard Penn Grease" I assume you mean Penn's "Blue Grease"? I hear it is and excellent grease. Penn now markets a whole line called the Penn X-1R Precision Lubes (Grease, Oil, etc.). Thinking of switching to it as Quantum's Hot Sauce is just a tad bit too expensive. May get a small amount of the X-1R and lube one reel to see if it runs during the AZ summer. For the most part the Hot Sauce stays where I put it, even after a full year of standing in one spot (on the wall) with no use.

[handi2]

XR-1 is the company that makes the grease for Penn Reels. The grease in the tube is the same as their Penn Precision reel grease in the 2lb tubs. This is the grease I use and this is the grease found in all the new Penn reels. Also found in all the Penn reels with greased drags, spinning and conventional.

This is coming from a Penn dealer so I thought I would post it here.

[DesertCatFish]

Quote:

Originally Posted by handi2 

 

XR-1 is the company that makes the grease for Penn Reels. The grease in the tube is the same as their Penn Precision reel grease in the 2lb tubs. This is the grease I use and this is the grease found in all the new Penn reels. Also found in all the Penn reels with greased drags, spinning and conventional.

This is coming from a Penn dealer so I thought I would post it here.

Thanks handi2, I'll keep your words of wisdom in the back of my mind. After 40 years of servicing reels I suspect you know what you are talking about. Too bad I can't buy Penn's X-1R prodcuts at my local Big Box store (you would think you could, but you would be wrong). In this respect Quantum was smart to make their Hot Sauce products easy to buy,  I'm going to be forced to buy on line in order to buy the Penn products, which is a giant PITA. I'll probably service one of the two reels I plan to take with me to FL next year with the Penn X-1R products and leave the others with the "Default" Hot Sauce products then check both reels just before I leave and right after I return at which point both will be serviced regardless if they need it or not -- an Oz of prevention... or in this case a lube job... is wortha pound of cure ... and a ton of money. Probably the only NEW thing I plan to add to my box for sure is CorrosionX and/or  ReelX. Still dreaming of Catching the BIG FISH that snagged two complete rigs that my friend owned to Davy Jones Locker. Ay Capt Ahab. ...

Best Fishes

[sytheteacher]

For years I have been using petroleum jelly right out of the jar. 

[handi2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DesertCatFish 

 

Thanks handi2, I'll keep your words of wisdom in the back of my mind. After 40 years of servicing reels I suspect you know what you are talking about. Too bad I can't buy Penn's X-1R prodcuts at my local Big Box store (you would think you could, but you would be wrong). In this respect Quantum was smart to make their Hot Sauce products easy to buy,  I'm going to be forced to buy on line in order to buy the Penn products, which is a giant PITA. I'll probably service one of the two reels I plan to take with me to FL next year with the Penn X-1R products and leave the others with the "Default" Hot Sauce products then check both reels just before I leave and right after I return at which point both will be serviced regardless if they need it or not -- an Oz of prevention... or in this case a lube job... is wortha pound of cure ... and a ton of money. Probably the only NEW thing I plan to add to my box for sure is CorrosionX and/or  ReelX. Still dreaming of Catching the BIG FISH that snagged two complete rigs that my friend owned to Davy Jones Locker. Ay Capt Ahab. ...

Best Fishes

 

With spinning reels just remember to fill the handle opening and the other side opening with grease. When I get a reel in here with bad bearings it's usually one of the side bearings. I buy the CorrosionX by the gallon and give each person a little bottle of it with their reels. It's around $100.00 a gallon but it goes a long way.

It's really worth it. All my reels look new and they get used allot in the offshore salt water. Just a little on a paper towel and rub down the outside of the reels. My Tiagra trolling reels look like new and they get blasted with salt spray.

[DesertCatFish]

Quote:

Originally Posted by handi2 

 

 

With spinning reels just remember to fill the handle opening and the other side opening with grease. When I get a reel in here with bad bearings it's usually one of the side bearings. I buy the CorrosionX by the gallon and give each person a little bottle of it with their reels. It's around $100.00 a gallon but it goes a long way.

It's really worth it. All my reels look new and they get used allot in the offshore salt water. Just a little on a paper towel and rub down the outside of the reels. My Tiagra trolling reels look like new and they get blasted with salt spray.

 Thanks. Me?!? I'm an Oldie-but-Goodie Fan: I use a Mitchell 302/402 Reel, only one bearing. One thing you can either confirm or correct me on: I read you can get CorrosionX in a spray can and that you can simply spary the outside of the reel, including the mono, and it will not hurt the mono. I'm thinking AFTER I go fishing NEXT year (Notice I am being VERY OPTIMISTIC here) the plan is to come home, strip, clean and re-lube the reel, button it up and then it the exterior with a spary of CorrosionX -- the interior is clean and re-lubed. and all the external parts that might be subjected to rust, corrosion, etc., are now protected from assault from external forces by the CorrosionX. Good plan?!?

[handi2]

Well I have to say when you use the spray can it sprays ALLOT of CorrosionX. I would get a dedicated cloth to wipe it back down and keep it in a ziplock bag.

[DesertCatFish]

Thanks. Will do.New Year's Resolution #1......

[gimmeejoe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sytheteacher 

 

For years I have been using petroleum jelly right out of the jar. 

I might try that...when I run out of the BMW motorcycle driveshaft spline grease I've been using. That choice was not complicated. I had to grease the reels. The spline grease was on the bench. It is grease. Works just fine, and it's a lovely shade of crimson. 

[handi2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gimmeejoe 

 

 

I might try that...when I run out of the BMW motorcycle driveshaft spline grease I've been using. That choice was not complicated. I had to grease the reels. The spline grease was on the bench. It is grease. Works just fine, and it's a lovely shade of crimson. 

And it's probably one of the best greases to use. Where it's applied on the motorcycle that's an area the needs complete protection from wear and the elements...

It could be Inox Grease which is excellent expensive grease. I have some too.