# Reel Smoothness over time



## revsigns (Apr 10, 2013)

Hey guys,

I have a Chronarch and curado, both 51e series. I love them! I primarily wade fish and I'm on the water at least 50 times per year. I was fishing yesterday and something occurred to me. A question rather.

I just assume that reels lose their smoothness over time. The functionality of the reels is great, but it sounds rough when I reel. It's almost like a light sandpaper sound. I can outcast most of my buddies and the retrieve and reeling In of fish is uncompromised, but the noise is present. 

I have almost exclusively used my chronarch for over 2 years and use my curado as a backup. My curado, though, just started sounding the same. 

My question is, is this normal...or am I missing something in my maintenance? Is there anything I can do better as far as maintenance and or upgrades?

I strip down my reels about quarterly if necessary and flush everything and re-oil the bearings and re-grease the gears. I do have the boca ceramic bearings in my chronarch. I flush the bearings more frequently and oil them often as well. 

Any thoughts and or suggestions welcome. 

Thanks!!

Aaron


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## CoralSeas (May 2, 2012)

What oil are you using? A hard fished reel will get the bearings dry in no time and could be the issue. Casting, casting, casting goes through lesser lubes pretty fast.

State of the art seems to be TSI 321 for speed and durability.

If you do your normal with the bearings and the sound remains then they may be starting to pit with wear. Keep in mind that (to my knowledge) ceramic bearings are *less* durable than simple SS ones.

Keep in mind that you also could be having trouble with the AR bearings starting to pit too...that one needs regular oil as well. Also, grease wise, some are more durable and tacky and may be worth a try for your reels in the harsh environment you are in.


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## revsigns (Apr 10, 2013)

Thanks for the response and ideas. I hadn't considered pitting, but makes sense. I have been using Ardent Reel butter, oil and grease. 

I know ceramic bearings will naturally have a bit more sound, but it ses the grinding feel could be due to long term use. 

I will look up that oil and reinspect for damage

Also, what brought this on was going to Bass Pro yesterday and handling new reels.

Thanks!!


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## CoralSeas (May 2, 2012)

revsigns said:


> Thanks for the response and ideas. I hadn't considered pitting, but makes sense. I have been using Ardent Reel butter, oil and grease.
> 
> I know ceramic bearings will naturally have a bit more sound, but it ses the grinding feel could be due to long term use.
> 
> ...


Dawn at smoothdrag or Penn parts sell TSI 321. A lot of info on it's use at Alan Tani's reel repair site and it is becoming our standard when we want speed.

Stay away from the TSI 301 that has non-plastic safe solvents, unless you pull your bearings out of the reel to clean, lube and dry them before replacing them in the reel.

If I was wading I would be sure to use a Marine Bearing Grease on all parts of the reel (especially gears) that do not affect casting.


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## revsigns (Apr 10, 2013)

Marine bearing grease. Had never heard of that! Thanks for the info!!


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## CoralSeas (May 2, 2012)

revsigns said:


> Marine bearing grease. Had never heard of that! Thanks for the info!!


Really? I guess it is not that common among the freshwater guys (which is usually where the Ardent fans and Hot Sauce guys are coming from .

It's been a standard among the saltwater reel techs for a long time now. Nothing is harsher than the environment a bearing in a trailer hub endures. They get submerged in saltwater then get to tow thousands of pounds of boats for hours and hours as their reward.

Marine Bearing greases keep stuff corrosion free submerged in saltwater for months. Guys on the East Coast pack spinning reels with the stuff and then fish the reels underwater when wading. Swap out the grease once a year (messy job to be sure). But reels hold up like this for decades.

See some of the tutorials on Alan Tani's site for plenty of discussion on the different flavors etc.

Any marine bearing grease is amazing good protection. Some thin with Corrosion-X for light spinners that can feel a little sluggish with the really thick stuff etc.

It also discolors a little bit when soggy, and tells you where salt has gotten etc.

Bearings that do not affect casting get packed with it too, especially the bearing under the Main Shaft. It will slow down a spool bearing too much, unless you need more casting brake and people do use it for exactly that.


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## trout250 (Aug 24, 2005)

rt on with the lue marine grease, use it on all bearings that don't affect the casting. use royal purple on those bearings.
Flush your bearings separately and see if you get any rusty looking solvent from them. In will degrease my bearings then flush in clear acetone dry and oil. every once and while i will get a gritty feel to one of my old gold chronarchs and it will be some grit that has gotten on the track .
good luck


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## CoralSeas (May 2, 2012)

Which does lead me to ask the OP just how he cleans his bearings?

Adding more oil is better than nothing, but a proper cleaning may solve the "gritty feeling" too.


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## cfulbright (Jun 24, 2009)

Might be build up and sand around the spool area. I would pull the spool, wipe it down, and wipe the recessed areas the spool goes into. Its tight in there and just a little build up can make that sandpaper noise.


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## schoalbeast101 (Oct 23, 2014)

I would say the Chronarch is the bearings. The Curado is the anti-reverse Pau, I think it is called. Most people that service reels remove them and the sound while reeling goes away.. Call Brandi at Reel Deal at (832) 316-6460. By the way she did 6 reels for me and they all turned out great!


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## mchildress (Jul 11, 2009)

I use Ronson lighter fluid (Napa) submerge the bearing and shake them with a tooth pick be surprised what falls out of them. I lube em back up with Rem Oil.


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## revsigns (Apr 10, 2013)

Thanks for all the help!! I usually soak my bearings in wd 40 and then transfer over to rubbing alcohol and then let dry. I like the lighter fluid idea!!

I actually took my reels apart yesterday and found that there was some buildup and pitting on the spool rim. I took a light wet sandpaper and worked it smooth. It took some of the noise away!! 

I'm wondering if it's time for a new spool?


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## Dipsay (Apr 28, 2006)

The grinding on retrieve could be corrosion on the pinion bearing and or corrosion on the main gear and pinion gear. We take and polish all that off by hand so as not to damage either. If there is corrosion in the teeth it gives it that rough feel. You can tell a difference before and after. When we get a reel in that's been through the paces we flush the bearings in CLR/Simple green mixture first, then flush through heated acetone, check em and repeat is necessary. On ceramics especially it does a great job bringing them back. I personally haven't had to replace near as many ceramics as I have had to replace steel bearings.. Also as mentioned above check that roller clutch bearing. If it gets rusty it will give the impression of rough retrieve. Hope this helps...Dip


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## revsigns (Apr 10, 2013)

Thank you Dip! And thank you to everyone who has helped out!! I appreciate it. I'm going to try some of these tips and hopefully get my reels back to smooth operators! 

Bearing flush, polish, oil, grease, check gears and clutch for corrosion, etc! 

Thanks again!


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## charliep (May 17, 2011)

Dipsay,
I do reel repair and cleaning for family and close friends, gratis type stuff, and have followed your advice on several occasions. Thanks! In the above post you mention heated acetone. Just curious, how does one heat acetone safely?
Thanks!
charliep


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## Dipsay (Apr 28, 2006)

charliep said:


> Dipsay,
> I do reel repair and cleaning for family and close friends, gratis type stuff, and have followed your advice on several occasions. Thanks! In the above post you mention heated acetone. Just curious, how does one heat acetone safely?
> Thanks!
> charliep


Very carefully...LMAO! I take a couple of shot glasses(one bigger than the other) put the acetone in it with the bearings, then take a regular shot glass wrapped on the outside with Teflon tape and seat in down on top the other. Set it in the cleaner, set heat on and let her rip. Keeps the vapors in. After about 3 cycles the acetone starts to boil, flushes EVERYTHING OUT. Take shotglass out before removing top. take bearings out one at a time and blow out..Hope this helps...Dip


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## charliep (May 17, 2011)

Before I boiled bearings in acetone I would have to use the shot glasses for some Jameson first! And then think about it a while.
Sounds like a neat trick though!
Thanks!


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## Dipsay (Apr 28, 2006)

charliep said:


> Before I boiled bearings in acetone I would have to use the shot glasses for some Jameson first! And then think about it a while.
> Sounds like a neat trick though!
> Thanks!


Works like a charm!


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## charliep (May 17, 2011)

Thanks for the picture Dip. 
Seriously, that is a neat idea. I'll have to give it a try.


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## revsigns (Apr 10, 2013)

Wow! That's EXPERT level stuff right there! Thank you for sharing!


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## bakehook (Oct 14, 2012)

Dipsay, when you hand polish main and pinion gear how do you polish between the teeth? I use Semichrome polish that someone on this site suggested and it does a great job on the flat surfaces but I doubt I am getting between the teeth as clean as is needed.


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## Dipsay (Apr 28, 2006)

bakehook said:


> Dipsay, when you hand polish main and pinion gear how do you polish between the teeth? I use Semichrome polish that someone on this site suggested and it does a great job on the flat surfaces but I doubt I am getting between the teeth as clean as is needed.


Once it comes out of the cleaner, hot rinse and alcohol dip. I separate the brass parts. I get in there with a mixture of the CLR and simple green in a spray bottle and spray em down. All done by hand with a wire brush till the corrosion is gone from the teeth. Then I use a dremel tool for both sides of the main gear. steel wool for the ID of the pinion, then I use polish for those parts


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## bakehook (Oct 14, 2012)

Wow! 
A lot of TLC.
Thanks


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