# Packing reel with grease



## Guest (Nov 25, 2016)

Can packing a new reel with grease have any adverse effect?
I've read that packing a reel with marine grease to the brim may increase its water resistance there is less voids for water to get in, so less water/sand gets in than with the normal measily amount of grease shipped from the factory.

Now is there any common adverse effect to the mechanism from overpacking with aluminum oxide (marine) grease?


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## Jollymon (May 21, 2015)

The first thing that comes to mind is that when contaminated with saltwater it's just more work to clean out all that extra grease and it all has to go,The other thing is it will dampened the movement of the reel , I myself wouldn't do it . Cleaning reels is just part of the deal.


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## BigWillJ (Jan 21, 2001)

Where did you read that?

Jm is right on. It will affect (clog up) the inner workings of any reel, conventional or spinning. As a rule, much more grease than just a little will affect mechanisms.

And ditto on the cleaning. Shouldn't avoid it.

If you don't have a user manual instructing on how and where to grease or oil, a common tip is to use grease on gears, and oil on bearings, and other moving parts. That's not gospel, it's simply a long standing tip on lubing a reel in a way that will get you between 
cleanings with little to no grief, even if one doesn't know what they are doing.


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## IPNURWATER (Aug 20, 2013)

With Penn's reels You might not notice to bad since they come with lots of grease from factory. Most takes some out but Shimano you will notice.You don't need to pack the reel with grease but line all openings and internal housing with grease when rebuilding the reel.once you screw everything back together it will make a better seal, then stock. If you pack it you are adding more weight and more work when water does get in . packing it will also make the reel,really sluggish and slow. Marine grease is not my choice it doesn't stay put where you put it inside the reel and will clump up in one spot inside the reel.plus marine grease goes in blue and comes out a nasty black mush. Most anyone servicing a reel uses cals grease.

Now Shimano reels are a little different they have more moving parts and use the fluidyne system with is basically oil not greased.if you grease a stradic it will never be the same smoothness. Ask me how in know .I have tried.

Most oils and grease dont mix well. 

Bearings are oiled gears and reel housing are greased.


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## NC KingFisher (Nov 20, 2011)

Yamaha marine grease works pretty good, bout the same as Penn grease and alot cheaper. Corrosion X is good on bearings, for speed TSI is hard to beat just pricy


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## ez2cdave (Oct 13, 2008)

NW-Caster said:


> Can packing a new reel with grease have any adverse effect?
> I've read that packing a reel with marine grease to the brim may increase its water resistance there is less voids for water to get in, so less water/sand gets in than with the normal measily amount of grease shipped from the factory.
> 
> Now is there any common adverse effect to the mechanism from overpacking with aluminum oxide (marine) grease?


I recommend against even thinking about packing a reel with grease . . . A little more info below !

*http://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/waterproof-reel-by-packing-grease_topic90169.html*

Tight Lines !


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## greg12345 (Jan 8, 2007)

i'm no alan tani but i "pack" all my SURF spinners with marine grease as soon as they get taken out of the box. by pack i mean coat all internal moving parts and then also screw holes/threads. surface of bearings too. drag washers get a very light coating of cal's drag grease. as long as the reel never gets dunked i never do more maintenance other than mist with salt-away and freshwater rinse after every outing. i have fished my battles hard for years this way without any major breakdown/maintenance (hate doing this/lazy) and they are still as good as new mechanically, if a reel gets dunked (happens very rarely) then i will do a full breakdown.

just my 2c. conventionals another story. alan tani has loads of information on packing reels (and bearings) with grease


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## DaBig2na (Aug 7, 2011)

You are not packing wheel bearings.

A reel packed with grease has too much "drag" on the smooth operation of the internal parts. Especially on colder days! I tend to go with what the maufacturer does. I've yet to see a reel packed full of grease... It's just not necessary.

You don't need much grease. Coat everything really well and just a bit extra.. Friction and heat cause excessive wear repeated use, not so much. You are not going to create, if any, friction by normal operation .

If your reel gets dunked in salt water disassemble it as soon as you leave the beach and clean it thoroughly with fresh water and mild soap, dry what you can with a paper towel. Spray everything down with a water displacing lubricant like WD 40, Liquid Wrench, or PB Blaster. Reassemble using a good Marine Grease like Yamalube, however any blue Marine Grease will do.


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## MSRIEF (May 21, 2007)

Haven't packed one yet. Lubricate yes, pack no.


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## twidpa (Apr 13, 2009)

good info


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## Guest (Nov 28, 2016)

Thanks all for the feedback. I should have asked here before packing one of my reels with grease. So far I can't tell any difference but I'll keep an eye on it.


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## ASK4Fish (May 4, 2005)

"packed" reels will feel slow, and tight, as the higher viscosity of grease will bind smooth running parts. As stated above, thin coatings of grease will provide all the lubrication that a reel needs, and varied viscosities of oil for tuning bearings to run at desired speeds. Packing bearings in larger conventional lever drag reels is necessary for heat displacement and smooth operation under tremendous load, that kind of stress just won't be seen in a smaller conventional reel or spinner, lest you hook up to flipper or a yahoo's bow rider... Pack your reel with grease then go trout fishing in December, let me know if you can turn the handle, lol.


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