# Spinning reel maintenance advice



## Tallboy1985 (Jun 15, 2012)

I was wondering what people do for maintenance for their spinning reel. Like what you use to grease up bearings and gears and what you shouldn't use. I normally don't grease or oil my reels but I happened to drop my reel in the river. Now it doesn't reel as reel. Feels like it grinds a little and my retrieves are not smooth at all. Any info would be great thanks. 


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## GetTheNet (Jun 16, 2004)

What kind of reel is it? There are a lot of info on line that will help you. Here's an example for a Shimano Stradic.

http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=914.0


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## leeabu (Apr 10, 2004)

If it feels grity, it needs cleaned and relubed!!


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Yep..... just like leeabu said, it needs cleaned and relubed. It sounds like you may need to flush the bearings out. Once you have them cleaned out you need to oil them. You don't grease the bearings in fishing reels, you oil them. Grease the gears and depending on the type of drag, you may need to grease the drag washer or washers.


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## Eriesteamer (Mar 9, 2007)

yep I been fixing reels since I was a kid. have every thing to do it best. I have cleaned and repaired reels for so many friends I lost track. best of all I did others reels free if it did not need parts. still do for my fishing friends. so we can fish. you will ruin the reel if sand got in it. so do not use it. you just got mud or what ever in it. takes but 10 mins strip it and clean it. then grease it no oil as it runs out the reel. white grease or regular reel grease as I have is best to use. happy fishing when you are done. LOL


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## promag (Aug 21, 2011)

I was using wd40 to flush and lubricant. But found a better product called Wurth film. It's a little thicker than wd but it reacts better as a penetrant. You can probably find it at a local part store or napa. It sprays on an (bubbles up or fizzes) which draws out the drift from small void like in bearings. Best stuff I've used so far. I also liked assembly lube which is like a syrup like substance used for engine assembly its super slick but is a bit messy.

promag


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

No offense to Eriesteamer........ but you do NOT grease fishing reel bearings. Unless its a drag bearing. You lightly oil the bearings in fishing reels. Usually one small drop is all that's needed. If you end up flushing out your bearings to clean them, you're probably going to need more than one drop to get the bearing fully lubricated. If you put too much oil in the bearings the reel won't cast as well until some of the oil is spun off from using it. For your own piece of mind just Google fishing reel maintenance. There are plenty of articles that will walk you through it.


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## Tallboy1985 (Jun 15, 2012)

Thanks for the advice so far. The type of reel that it is its a gander mountain guide series spinning reel 10 bearing. I ordered this product last night off eBay. I don't if any of you guys used this before or not. 








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## JohnPD (Jun 12, 2012)

I use Ardent's Reel Butter bearing lube and reel grease. Works great. I usually once a year do a thorough cleaning of my reels, and maybe twice per year put a drop of oil in the key reel places, roller bearing on the bail, handle etc. most of the external moving parts that require an occasional oiling. Most reel manufacturers have a recommended schedule for maintenance, and I would follow that if it were me.


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

I tried a number of reel lubricants and found "Hot Sauce" to be what I feel is the best and longest lasting.


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## leeabu (Apr 10, 2004)

The Penn lube will work fine. It was one of the best before the Superlubes eg. Reel Butter, Hot Sauce, Cal's, Rocket Fuel, ect. Search the web for "spinning reel maintenance".
The areas you need to concentrate on are Drag, bail, bail roller, handle, and the bearing under the spool. Also remove the the side plate cover and inspect but do not disassemble. I like to paint the grease INTO the gear teeth with a small paint brush after wiping out any debris and old grease that is visible. A dry Q tip is great for this. I would not recommend spraying WD40 or anything else into the reel body. It will just beak down the grease. One small drop of oil on any bearings and a drop on the drive shaft supports. Less is better!! This goes for grease and oil. 
I like to do all the work in a big flat pan to inhibit loosing small parts. Also the bail spring can sometimes be tricky to to reinstall so be very carefull to watch exactly how it comes apart. Better yet don't remove it if possible.


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## grub_man (Feb 28, 2005)

There's nothing wrong with putting grease in reel bearings. The only bearings that are oil only are spool bearings on casting reels. Always check the reels maintenance recommendations for things like roller bearings, drag washers, etc. Some use a light coat of grease or oil, and some don't. Any other bearing used in a fishing reel does not need to operate with minimal friction at high speed. Using grease in bearings those bearings, especially hard to access bearings can make a reel feel smoother and require maintenance a bit less frequently. The problem is that not all bearings have removable shields making properly greasing the challenging at best.

Personally I use Quantum Hot Sauce these days, both oil and grease. I've tried Super Lube and Rocket Fuel in the past, as well as a couple other options. I find the Hot Sauce Oil doesn't get as viscous in cold weather as some other oils I've tried, making my spool bearings operate reliably all year long. I'm sure the Penn products will work just fine for you as Leeabu said.

Leeabu's maintenance advice is good.

Joe


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

I'll defer to Grubman's post as far as grease in bearings. Although I will say that I have never seen grease in any bearing of any reel I've ever taken down. That includes spinning reels. Grease on the gears and drag washers, yes...... never in a bearing.


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## viper1 (Apr 13, 2004)

I also use a light lithium type grease, being careful to keep it off the drags. I use a drop of oil on every other moving parts. Oil wont hold up on bearings long at all. Grease will. Then I clean it all with alcohol that shouldn't use oil like drags. Still have my Dads first shakespeare bait caster and works like new. Kept it clean and lubed all these years. Also incase people don't know. Wd 40 will force water out of places. But will rust guns,reels or anything metal in time. Do not use as an oil! It also tells you on the can it is not a lubricant!


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## thelatrobe33 (May 19, 2008)

It amazes me the stuff people post on here that have no idea what they're talking about. If you want a good starting point I'd look here:

http://tinyurl.com/6l8fvj

1.) Lithium grease and WD40 have no business anywhere near fishing reels
2.) Grease goes in frame bearings and oil in spool bearings. Too much of either will slow bearings down. If you're serious about greasing small bearings I suggest this product: http://www.heliproz.com/prodinfo.asp?number=169165
3.) I use Super Lube grease, Cal's Drag grease and Oust MET oil
4.) It's best to clean bearings in an ultrasonic cleaner, but if you don't have access to one you can soak them in a sealed jar of acetone overnight or brake cleaner if you don't have acetone. Repeat as necessary until they spin free
5.) Be careful with Hot Sauce as it will stain things like cork

Pretty much everything in this thread besides what grub_man and leeabu said is useless drivel.


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## viper1 (Apr 13, 2004)

thelatrobe33 said:


> It amazes me the stuff people post on here that have no idea what they're talking about. If you want a good starting point I'd look here:
> 
> http://tinyurl.com/6l8fvj
> 
> ...


LOL! Funny how your first link says this mr. expert! LOL! I have been using grease since before you was a gleem in the old mans eye!
"Clean and oil levelwind system.
Grease may also be used for high
usage reels to further prevent wear
and tear or corrosion"


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## thelatrobe33 (May 19, 2008)

viper1 said:


> LOL! Funny how your first link says this mr. expert! LOL! I have been using grease since before you was a gleem in the old mans eye!
> "Clean and oil levelwind system.
> Grease may also be used for high
> usage reels to further prevent wear
> and tear or corrosion"


I don't claim to be an expert. I've only been working on reels for about 5 years. I'm just annoyed that there are people that want to "help" a newbie out with misinformation. It is extremely easy to destroy a reel doing improper maintenance or tuning.

When I think "light lithium type grease" like you said previously I think of the stuff in the aerosol can, which has no business on a reel. I never said anything about not using grease in reels. Both oil and grease have their place.

I use Abu Garcia Silicote oil on levelwinds. It's a thicker oil than anything I'd put in a spool bearing. Using grease in a levelwind is a recipe for disaster, as grease will hold on to sand and other debris that will damage your reel. Oil will help flush it out.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

I still stand by my statement that I have never seen grease in a bearing on any reel I have ever torn down. And I tear all of my reels down every winter. There is only one bearing that I can see the rollers or the ball bearings in, and that's the anti reverse bearing on the handle shaft. From what I understand if you grease that bearing it can hinder the function of the bearing. And if you can tell me how you grease a shielded bearing, I'm all ears........ or eyes as the case may be.


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## viper1 (Apr 13, 2004)

thelatrobe33 said:


> I don't claim to be an expert. I've only been working on reels for about 5 years. I'm just annoyed that there are people that want to "help" a newbie out with misinformation. It is extremely easy to destroy a reel doing improper maintenance or tuning.
> 
> When I think "light lithium type grease" like you said previously I think of the stuff in the aerosol can, which has no business on a reel. I never said anything about not using grease in reels. Both oil and grease have their place.
> 
> I use Abu Garcia Silicote oil on levelwinds. It's a thicker oil than anything I'd put in a spool bearing. Using grease in a levelwind is a recipe for disaster, as grease will hold on to sand and other debris that will damage your reel. Oil will help flush it out.


You said
1.) Lithium grease and WD40 have no business anywhere near fishing reels

Now not arguing your logic, But grease is thick and won't spray. Lithium liquid might. Oil is thin. I always watch oil because it has a way of migrating into other places not wanted. Grease has to get awful hot to run. I was a auto mechanic for years. And oil will not stand up to friction or dirt lie grease. Oil sucks the junk in and grease it sticks mainly outside. Thats why they use it on any car bearings. Wasn't putting you down because of age just thought you did me. Like I said been fixing and taking care of fishing gear since i was small. And also the best thing to clean bearings or any surface on one is the same we always used. Kerosene! It does leave an oil coating so don't use where oil would hurt. otherwise safe for anything i've tried yet.Oh yes I know a lot of guys who used Petroleum jelly for grease also. But i prefer regular bearing grease.
Oh and thanks for the links! A lot of good info there.


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## viper1 (Apr 13, 2004)

Bassbme said:


> I still stand by my statement that I have never seen grease in a bearing on any reel I have ever torn down. And I tear all of my reels down every winter. There is only one bearing that I can see the rollers or the ball bearings in, and that's the anti reverse bearing on the handle shaft. From what I understand if you grease that bearing it can hinder the function of the bearing. And if you can tell me how you grease a shielded bearing, I'm all ears........ or eyes as the case may be.


Not all bearings are shielded as you say. And normally when they are you cant oil them either. So by simple logic I guess I mean the ones you can?  All depends of reels and brands. And yes I like to do all mine every winter too!


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## grub_man (Feb 28, 2005)

bassbme,

You aren't likely to find grease in the bearings of many if any bearings from the factory. Using grease in bearings is one of the options in the tuning process. Some saltwater guys even use grease in spool bearings where long casts are not of concern, trolling reels, and deep drop reels. The reason being that as soon as you fling out the oil in the bearings, saltwater can begin to make its way into the bearing and start corroding it.

It's a lot easier to flush a reel bearing with oil than it is with grease. Rod and reel companies want you to change your gear often. Rod manufacturers use the 3 year mark as the typical useful lifetime of a rod. Some get upgraded sooner, others stay in the arsenal for much longer, but 3 years is about the standard. I imagine reel companies use a similar figure, but have never read what figure they use for the average lifetime of a reel. A reel in stock form can easily last a casual angler a number of years without maintenance. For those who like to tinker and upgrade their reels, grease in the frame bearings is one of the many options available to tune your reel and to increase the lifetime of a few wear points.

As far as removing shields, here is a video.



Some shields can be removed and replaced, others cannot. I think all the bearings in my Shimanos have removable shields and one has ARB bearings with no shields.

Joe


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## viper1 (Apr 13, 2004)

Bassbme good video and info. These days mostly just deal with baitcast reels I use for perch and level wind trolling reels. Close as i can figure I have 16 of them to do this year. I do have 5-6 spinning rods which I let others use for perch who don't have a pole. So they'll be done to. Actually I prefer kerosene to flush out dirt ,oil and grease. Then use compressed air, being careful not to blow the cages up or out of shape. Seen a few you could but not many. Then I use my fingers to push grease in to the bearings after exposing them. But didn't think it would be a good idea to do it on the sealed ones. Now I wonder may be ok. I like the kerosene because of the light film it leaves to protect metal.
I don't really disagree with you but I do think like most things there is many ways to do things. This is just mine I developed over the years and it works good for me. When I fished bass I use to tear them down two to three times a season. I know overkill, but never had one fail me either.  And I won't even tell you how many times I respooled a year.


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## thelatrobe33 (May 19, 2008)

The link I posted below is a great product for adding grease to sealed bearings without removing the seals:

http://www.heliproz.com/prodinfo.asp?number=169165

I do not remove seals/shields from any bearing except the Boca orange seals I use on casting spools. They're too hard to get lined back up properly and can hinder rotation.


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## grub_man (Feb 28, 2005)

Nifty tool, and I think I've seen at least on other for greasing small shielded bearings. Over the past couple of years, I haven't had the need to service my reels often enough to justify the cost of a dedicated tool for greasing bearings. All of my casting reels that see regular use are Shimanos with only 1 frame bearing to service. It only takes a few minutes to remove and replace the shields on a bearing, so dealing with them is still manageable. 

While I like to tinker with and upgrade my reels on occasion, I'm still quite utilitarian about it. My tinkering and upgrading has been centered around keeping the older reels that I like in service. I haven't tried the orange seals yet, but I'm quite fond of the ABEC5 ceramic hybrids though. They fit my budget and perform better than stock when I decide to upgrade/replace spool bearings. I'm sure there is a bit more to be gained by going to orange seals, but I haven't felt the need for it yet.

Joe


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

viper1 said:


> Not all bearings are shielded as you say. And normally when they are you cant oil them either. So by simple logic I guess I mean the ones you can?  All depends of reels and brands. And yes I like to do all mine every winter too!


I think there is a misunderstanding. I didn't mean to imply that all bearings are shielded in every reel. I know they're not. But they are in all of the reels that I use. I use all Shimano reels..... Curados, Castaics, Citcas, Symetery's and Saros'. And you can oil shielded bearings. I do it all the time. They aren't sealed.... they're shielded. 

Grubman..... it definitely makes sense for saltwater guys to use grease for the corrosion protection that you cited. What it comes down to is that I shouldn't have said you don't grease fishing reel bearings, because from the number of posts I see that there are companies and people that do use grease. I'll happily apologize for, and amend my earlier post to say that "I" never put grease in any of the bearings of "my" fishing reels. I've been doing it the same way for more than 20 years, and have never had a reel fail me because of a bearing problem. 

I'm wondering how well a reel with greased bearings works in 50 degree weather...... a little sluggish I'll bet..........


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## grub_man (Feb 28, 2005)

bassbme,

I didn't mean any ill will, but wanted to point out that grease in a reel bearing can have its benefits. Until the last couple of years, I hadn't really used grease in reel bearings either, but now that I've tried, I like the results.

I couldn't imagine casting a reel with greased spool bearings in the cold, but with frame bearings, the lever arm that you use at the handle is 10-20 times larger than the lever arm where the force from the extra viscosity acts, so it becomes much less of an issue.

Joe


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

grub_man said:


> bassbme,
> 
> I didn't mean any ill will, but wanted to point out that grease in a reel bearing can have its benefits. Until the last couple of years, I hadn't really used grease in reel bearings either, but now that I've tried, I like the results.
> 
> ...


Oh I know you didn't mean any ill will kind sir. My original posts were based on my maintenance practices with the equipment I use. I thought the people that were saying to put grease in the bearings were....... for the lack of a better term....... crazy. lol Now I know better. 

For those that may not want to grease the bearings in their reels ........ just buy reels that have shielded bearings......... you only have to oil those 

I'm kidding !!!! LOL


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Since we are on the subject of bearings, and we have guys posting that quite evidently know more about them than I do..... I have a question....

Some of the Shimano Castaic's that I have are the older model (the big clunky ones) that they first came out with. I use those for pitching 1/4 oz. and heavier jigs or Texas rigs because they don't have the Super Free bearing supported pinion gear like my newer ones so they don't pitch lighter baits as well. I am looking to upgrade the spool bearings to ceramic hybrids from Boca Bearings. I'm probably going to end up getting the orange seal ABEC 7. I read an extensive three part article on bearings on Tackle Tour's website, but I was somewhat confused. The article said you don't have to lightly oil ceramic bearings. I assume they meant completely ceramic bearings. Since the ones from Boca have the stainless steel race, I assume I have to lightly oil those......... is my thinking correct? Also..... the article mentioned some noise with ceramic bearings.... even with the ABEC 7 spec bearings. They attributed the noise to higher spool speeds and seemed to blame it on lower quality spools more than the bearnings......... any thoughts?

And Grubman? How much of a performance difference did you see with the switch? I'm like you.... I love the reels I have, I just want them to work close to like my Super Free versions do.

Thanks for the education guys.

Oh one last thing....... if anyone has been thinking about buying a Shimano Castaic reel, (the one with the two way thumb bar) you'd better get them now, because Shimano is discontinuing them. I think it's stupid of them to do so....... but that's just me


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## stak45dx1 (Jun 21, 2011)

i think this guy got way more than he bargained for when he started this thread....lol.


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## grub_man (Feb 28, 2005)

I see a noticeable difference by going to the ceramic hybrids. The spools start up easier, and spin longer. Most of my reels are older Citicas (200, 100DSV), Curados (200B, 100B), and even a couple Coriolis reels from back in the day.

The Coriolis reels were my first step to a decent reel when I was in high school, and I've always liked them. They have served as my test reels for bearing swaps and tune ups. A number of years ago, I replaced the spool bearings in the Coriolis reels with ABEC5 steel bearings, and saw no improvement over the stock bearings. The last time I ordered bearings, I decided to put the ceramics in the Coriolis reels, and they started casting like my Citicas and Curados with stock bearings. The Coriolis reels have magnetic brakes that always provide some resistance during the cast, a bit more than the reels with centrifugal brakes and 2 brakes on. With ceramics, the Citicas and Curados cast even better.

I won't give you any fanatical claims about casting distance, because with stock bearings, I can outcast my ability to set the hook anyway. But, it does take less effort to cast the same distance with upgraded bearings, and you can push the lower limits on your reel a little easier. I think the ABEC5 ceramic hybrids will likely put you close to if not better performance than your SF models. If you try the orange seals, let me know what you think. I'm sure you will see even greater improvement.

By the way, if you haven't done so already, those older models are great candidates for super tuning, by polishing the spool shaft ends, copper piece under the spool tension cap, the inside of the pinion gear, and the ring for the brakes. A google search on super tuning will have you reading for a while, and there are some great tutorials out there for those older Shimanos.

I usually oil my ceramic spool bearings. You can run them dry, but I haven't really tried it for any length of time. One thing to be careful with, if you use too much oil with the ceramics, they will slow down until they spin out the excess oil, because the balls have less inertia than steel balls.

Joe


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

lol Stak....... you're probably right. I know I learned some things. 

And Grubman..... your report on the bearing upgrades you did is the kind of stuff I was hoping to see. The easier spool start up, and the lower drag of the bearing is exactly what I need on those older Castaics. It sounds as if it will allow me to pitch smaller jigs and Texas rigged baits. I like reading that you used the spec 5 bearings and got that kind of improvement. One thing I forgot to ask was what kind of line (fluorocarbon, mono, braid?) and what # test line you're using on your reels with the spec 5 bearings. 

I normally use 17 lb fluorocarbon and I can pitch a 4" finesse worm with a 1/8 th oz. bullet weight 25' with my SF reels with no problems, but if I want to use something that light on my older non SF models I'm stuck to flipping only. That's why I was planning on using the spec 7 bearings. I may order one set of the 5's, and one set of the 7's and see what the difference is before I do all of my other reels. I'll be sure to let you know the outcome after I do. 

Thanks again for the education from all of you guys. That's whats so good about this site..... even old dogs can learn new tricks.


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## grub_man (Feb 28, 2005)

bassbme,

I tend to fish with lighter line, most of the time I'm using 8lb. or 10lb. mono. On the MWCD lakes where I fish most, I don't see the need to use anything much stouter in line than 10lb. XT. The Coriolis reels that I've tinkered with are both spooled up with McCoy Mean Green 10lb. mono at the moment.

I spend a lot of time casting 4" worms in the 30'-60' range, usually Zoom C Tails with 1/8oz. weight. The casts can reach out to the 100' or so range when needed (test casting with a 3/8oz. bullet weight only on most of my casting rods between 6'6" and 6'10" resulted in 130'-140' max casting range with that weight, depending on the rod, reel, line combo). Because most of my fishing is done with smaller lures and lighter weights, I gravitated toward the 100 sized reels over the years, but I think you'll be quite happy with the upgrade in the Castaic.

By the way, take a look at Boca's rewards programs. The last time I bought bearings I used their referral program, and saved a few bucks. They also send a pretty nice little care package of promotional materials and other goodies.

Joe


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## thelatrobe33 (May 19, 2008)

Bassbme said:


> lol Stak....... you're probably right. I know I learned some things.
> 
> And Grubman..... your report on the bearing upgrades you did is the kind of stuff I was hoping to see. The easier spool start up, and the lower drag of the bearing is exactly what I need on those older Castaics. It sounds as if it will allow me to pitch smaller jigs and Texas rigged baits. I like reading that you used the spec 5 bearings and got that kind of improvement. One thing I forgot to ask was what kind of line (fluorocarbon, mono, braid?) and what # test line you're using on your reels with the spec 5 bearings.
> 
> ...


If I were you I'd spend the extra few bucks and get the OS7 bearings. They really shine with lighter baits. I run OS7 bearings in EVERY casting reel that I have. Your typical casting reel comes from the factory with bearings in the ABEC 3 to 5 range. The only disadvantage is you do have to add oil to them a bit more often to keep them from squealing. Also, I remove the orange seals from all of mine and run them without shields (part of the reason for more frequent lubrication). 

If you go with the Boca bearings buy the ones with LD at the end of the part number. It stands for "lube dry" meaning there's no lube in them from the factory. It allows you to add your lube of choice without cleaning them first.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

thelatrobe33 said:


> If I were you I'd spend the extra few bucks and get the OS7 bearings. They really shine with lighter baits. I run OS7 bearings in EVERY casting reel that I have. Your typical casting reel comes from the factory with bearings in the ABEC 3 to 5 range. The only disadvantage is you do have to add oil to them a bit more often to keep them from squealing. Also, I remove the orange seals from all of mine and run them without shields (part of the reason for more frequent lubrication).
> 
> If you go with the Boca bearings buy the ones with LD at the end of the part number. It stands for "lube dry" meaning there's no lube in them from the factory. It allows you to add your lube of choice without cleaning them first.


Thanks for the advice on getting the 7's TheLatrobe. Especially the tip on getting the ones that have the LD at the end of the number. I usually oil my reels pretty regularly throughout the year so having to oil them isn't a problem. But I am curious........ is there a reason you remove the orange seals? Do you do that because it makes them easier to oil? Or because it throws off the oil easier in case of over oiling them? And is it something that's pretty easy to do? Like take a needle and just peel it out? 

Thanks again for the tips. Much appreciated to you and all the guys that have contributed to my bearing education


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## thelatrobe33 (May 19, 2008)

Bassbme said:


> Thanks for the advice on getting the 7's TheLatrobe. Especially the tip on getting the ones that have the LD at the end of the number. I usually oil my reels pretty regularly throughout the year so having to oil them isn't a problem. But I am curious........ is there a reason you remove the orange seals? Do you do that because it makes them easier to oil? Or because it throws off the oil easier in case of over oiling them? And is it something that's pretty easy to do? Like take a needle and just peel it out?
> 
> Thanks again for the tips. Much appreciated to you and all the guys that have contributed to my bearing education


The orange seals are really easy to remove. Take the point of a hook or exacto knife and pop them out. I leave them off because they're trickier to get back on and I don't want the seals to interfere with the balls or races in the bearing. If you get one uneven it will slow the bearing down, and you want them spinning as free as possible.


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