Working on some reels (clean up/clean out and relube)

[M1A4ME]

A few months back I grabbed all my river fishing stuff from home and brought it to VA. My younger brother passed away about 4 years ago and I don't have anyone to fish with anymore.

I ordered a couple of Penn reel lube kits (Ebay was about half the price of Walmart, I know, hard to believe) and they came in today.

I took apart one of the old Shimano spinning reels before lunch. I got it apart, got all the old lube/crud cleaned out and start putting fresh grease on the parts and reinstalling them. About 1/2 way through, I was getting to the point of thinking I ought to just throw them away and buy a couple of new ones. Then I finally got it all back together and working. Now's the time to do the second one while the first one is still fresh in my old memory.

Those things are over 20 years old. I need to get into my old Shimano baitcasters next. They are right at 30 years old now.

Anyone else clean up and relube their reels at some point?

[john from md]

I do but mostly only my old Penn baitcasters and Penn 750ss surf reel. The smaller light tackle is basically all plastic so I buy new ones when they wear out. It gives me something to buy in Jan and Feb at the fishing flea markets.

[Turtle135]

My bait casting reels get a "complete" cleaning and lubrication two times per year. I fish down on the tidal potomac a lot for largemouth bass. You can accumulate an obscene amount of dirt and grime fishing down there (compared to fishing a fresh water reservoir in Maryland). Every 3rd or 4th trip I will hit the spool bearings with a drop of oil.

My spinning reels (which admittedly I do not use frequently) never get a complete breakdown and cleaning.