fine tuning a reel

[CHRIS_aka_GWH]

if you've never done it - DO IT !!

When the weather was shirty a couple of weeks back, I followed an article in a back copy of B'nB about tuning overheads (basically breaking them down, cleaning, then reconstructing using the correct light oils etc in minimum preferred amounts.

What a bloody difference. The reel in question was a small DAM baitcaster that in the last few years I stopped using cause it seemed to be casting like a cow compared to my ABU's. On Monday chasing flathead at the pin in that crap weather it was casting the equivalent of my spinning reel - I'm impressed.

It's worth doing guys.

chris

[jaybee]

I do mine religiously every six months, (Does that make me a Christian?) always have, hey it passes the time while having a beer
cheers

[Bushbasher]

I do a full strip down and service at least once a year and a partial pull down to clean and relube bearings whenever I feel the reel isn't casting to it's potential.
I guess I'm just a perfectionist when it comes to reel function cos whenever I see someone cast a reel that's obviously in need of a good service I can't help myself and have to say something and often end up giving the owner a crash coarse in reel maintenance and function

[Slates]

Yeah, me three - I've pulled a few apart and oiled them up with lighter stuff too and they cast a heap better now.

Ditto that about the frosty ale too Jaybee!

Cheers *clink* Slates

[PG]

I own an Abu 6500 C3 and although a bit weather beaten has served me well. I give it the once over whenever I think it needs it and it comes up trumps every time. What kind of oil do you guys use? I've been using singer sewing machine oil and some Inox on all the fast parts and a small smear of grease around the crank gears. A mate suggested I pull out the drag washers and make them bone dry too which I did on the last service..man what a difference that made. I found some oil or grease on them and now they are dry the drag is sooo much smoother.
Again...ditto on the ale or a rum n cola
Paul.

[Bushbasher]

Your mate is correct Paul , Abu drags are designed to be dry and work sooo much better if kept that way . As for oils and such ,I use Tri-Flow on the axles that the gears rotate on ,saltwater resistant reel grease on the gears and at present I'm using the Abu oil that came with my reels for the bearings but I'm in the process of tracking down some Rocket Fuel oil so I can maximise my casting distances.
Just remember that less is more when it comes to lubing your reel.Too much grease and oil will slow things down plus the resulting excess can make it's way back into the drag and you already know the result of that happening.

Cheers
Bushbasher