How long should I soak bearings? Let’s say in a new reel if I want to use ZPI oil afterwards?

 

Hours? Days?

 

I’ve read that on this model, cleaning new bearings helps. (Daiwa tat 100) But no details were given.

soak, check them, repeat if any rough spot or they don't come to a smooth stop. 

2 minutes ago, iabass8 said:

soak, check them, repeat if any rough spot or they don't come to a smooth stop. 

Thanks

Swishing them around speeds up the process. You’ll see what looks like white flakes floating in the solvent. That’s the old grease. Change the fluid and repeat until it stays clean and the bearing spin easily and quietly and don’t come to an abrupt halt. 

My ultrasonic cleaner shortened my soak time to 10 minutes in acetone. 

I do not soak spool bearing.  I place them in a tiny food strainer, step out doors and blast them for a few seconds with CRC Electronic Cleaner with the red tube in the nozzle, then give them a short bath in lighter fluid, then blow dry.   It cleans out oil and grease really fast, dries really fast and leaves no residue.  Brake Klean also works well. No foul odors and you will never accidently blow your self up. Long ago I cleaned the oil/grease from my pinion and crank shaft bearings and now dip them in TSI 301 (a solvent with TSI  321 lubricant.   There are anglers (mostly salt water) who dip their spool bearings in TSI 301, for the benefit of the TSI 321 lubricant, which can also be purchased in a separate container.