# Bearing grease removal



## bobo33 (Aug 22, 2011)

If I wanted to remove the grease from the spool bearings of a reel, how long should they soak in lighter fluid. Would you use lighter fluid or something else?

A long time ago back in the mid/late 90's I would soak my bearings in lighter fluid and then soak them in a low viscosity weight oil. I can't remember how long I saoked them in Lighter Fluid.

This never had any ill effects but I was religious about taking care of the bearings back then. Of course with time I lost interest in the regime.

My story goes over the weekend, I had a decent redfish see my boat and make a last run, I had a loose grip on the rod and the red pulled it in the drink... The reel is a Abu Orra SX, the next Monday the real was gritty and I had to do a full tear down and cleaning of the reel. When I saoked the bearings in Abu oil it reminded me of my old ways. Just the cleaning and oiling got the reel back to normal but I thought it would be nice to enhance my casting distance a few feet.

Or should I just order some dry boca orange 7's?

I cast Abu REVO STX, Abu ORRA SX, Abu RVO3 SX


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## Drundel (Feb 6, 2006)

Do you have an ultra sonic cleaner? Depending on what the bearing is lubed with, I do a combo of simple green and sometimes CLR if they look rusty, then after that, a cycle or two with acetone to make sure there is no residue left behind.

Pretty crazy to see how dirty the water looks after cleaning a "clean" bearing.

Search on here for Dipsays post about it, he has pictures of it.


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## cva34 (Dec 22, 2008)

WD 40 is a good solvent...Melts grease real well ..As for lubricant not so good


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## Pocketfisherman (May 30, 2005)

WD40 leaves a film that can slow fine bearings. I'd avoid it always. Ultrasonic cleaner with the mix they sell for cleaning guns works great and only takes about 2 minutes for a batch of bearings. If you don't have an ultrasonic, Gun Scrubber or Brake Cleaner spray solvent works very well too. But use them both outdoors, or with good ventilation and watch where the overspray goes as it can eat some plastics.


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## bubbas kenner (Sep 4, 2010)

Paint thinner but be very very safe with it I soak them for about an hour and spin them dry with air.


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## V-Bottom (Jun 16, 2007)

I don't use gasoline or anything like that when cleaning any kind of bearings...kerosene or cleaning solvent....bearings contain their own oil, you'll suck that oil slam out of a beasring using gas etc. related liquids.


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## trout250 (Aug 24, 2005)

_acetone (sp)_ thats what you want to do is suck the grease out of them(the bearings) after through cleaning then you relube it either with grease in the case of most larger offshore type reels or a lightweight oil on casting reels. This gives you more casting distance, it also requires that you oil the bearings more frequently. I degrease then flush out with a cleaner dry and then oil, working the oil into the bearing, you will feel it smooth out, set it aside go to the next bearing, lubeing all bearings before i start reassembly of the reel.
good luck


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## Dipsay (Apr 28, 2006)

Drundel said:


> Do you have an ultra sonic cleaner? Depending on what the bearing is lubed with, I do a combo of simple green and sometimes CLR if they look rusty, then after that, a cycle or two with acetone to make sure there is no residue left behind.
> 
> Pretty crazy to see how dirty the water looks after cleaning a "clean" bearing.
> 
> Search on here for Dipsays post about it, he has pictures of it.


 X2, I have taken brand new bearings from Boca that are supposed to be "lube Dry" and they didnt seem to spin quite as free as Id like. Ran em through and the amount of grease that came out turned that glass milky..


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## Pro Reel (Jan 3, 2010)

Just soaking a bearing will never get it clean inside. It will dilute the grease or oil somewhat, but it wou't get it out. US cleaners work god becasue the soundwaves cuase an agitation inside and that causes bubbles and air pockets which allows solvent to move through the bearing. If you don't have a US cleaner, you need to force solvent through the bearing. Spray cans of brake clean work decent if you press the extension nozzel against the gap and spray the solvent into the bearing.


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## fabian31268 (Jul 31, 2005)

go to boca bearing the have special bearing cleaner and oil


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## george.maness86 (May 29, 2012)

Acetone either in an US cleaner or if you have a dremmel with a wand attachment you can also spin them on a dremmel, while the bearing is open, to remove everything. While spinning it creates a vortex and sucks the acetone through the bearing while spinning to clean everything out.


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## FISHROADIE (Apr 2, 2010)

Spray them down with carb cleaner in a can it works great.


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## DirectDrive (Dec 17, 2009)

Now, none of the following is officially recommended but I have been doing it since the mid-eighties with good results...

Pull the shields if possible. I use a fish hook point to grab the keeper ring and work it out, allowing the shield to fall out. This exposes the ball bearings for more effective cleaning.

Soak in white gas (Coleman fuel). Safety issue here...don't burn up.
I use a small, shallow glass jar.
I'll take a chop stick, sharpen if necessary, grab a bearing by its center and swish it around in the gas bath.

Blow out with compressed air (canned air). Not recommended because, supposedly, a bearing can be over-spun and damaged with compressed air.
I have never experienced this.

I will sometimes put them on the taper of an old-school lead pencil and see if they spin freely before declaring them done/clean.

Use very thin oil on these like Shimano oil or Google the Fishing Reel Lube Chart and pick something similar in viscosity.

Also, strip a Q-Tip to the correct O.D. and scrub the pinion bore and be sure to clean the spool shaft where the pinion lives.
I used to lightly oil this area, but lately I've been leaving it dry.
I believe that the infamous "Curado Squeal" happens when this area gets gummed up.

Next time you get the "Squeal" try that Q-Tip trick on the pinion bore.


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## Muddskipper (Dec 29, 2004)

I use house hold alcohol 

It's safe and better for the environment 

It evaporats up nicely too

The shimano guys showed me this


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## BFI (Jan 11, 2006)

*degreasing bearings*

I have used most all of the aforementioned methods and then some.The best quick spray type de-greaser for bearings I've used is ether aka starting fluid. It will flush the grease out immediately, evaporate and leave no residue.


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