better to clean aluminum, copper and steel in dilute vinegar (2 to 3 parts water), rinse, and finish with light solvent wash.  (or beat the rush and clean in solvent).  

 

Soap attacks aluminum.  Ammonia in most soaps cracks yellow metal (gear teeth).   

Soap is only a friend to magnesium (totally avoid vinegar).  

 

metallurgist, corrosion engineer, and licensed PE.  

1 hour ago, MassYak85 said:

is to buy quality bearings if your replacing them or upgrading them.

I buy NMB bearings in bulk from Japan, average cost is $1-$2 each after shipping costs, depending on size and exchange rate.  Specifically the DDR and DDL series which are full stainless.  These are the same bearings Daiwa and Shimano use across their entire product lines, and Abu in the Swedish made Ambassadeur models.  Buying domestically, they run $6-$7 each and nobody gives a discount unless you are buying over 1,000.  Even then, the discount isn't much, maybe 5-10%.  NMB does ship their bearings filled to 30% capacity with a light grease, so they do need to be deep cleaned if they're used for spools.  If they are for spinners, level wind, driveshaft, or pinion bearings, they can be run as is.  I load up a jar with bearings, fill with acetone, and run them in the ultrasonic for one to two hours.  For personal use, I remove the shields, spray with Brakleen, oil them up, and blow out the excess with compressed air.

Just bought a couple new reels, a Shimano Vanford spinner and a Curado mgl caster. Haven’t had new reels in thirty years.

 

Should I oil/lube these before putting them in use?

@Motoboss - getting around to my answer.  

 I opened my up my Zillion the first time to clean (didn't need) and lube after 4 salt years.  

It was pristine inside.  The quality of lubes used today are extremely stable - that is, they don't decompose to wax with long-term use.  You can go for years unless you have an event like dunk.  

That said, I have friends who make cleaning and lube on all their reels a winter priority.  

 

Thank you for your reply @bulldog1935

In the past I have read about folks opening up new reels and the bearings were dry or the gears were without grease, makes me kinda nervous. I have no issues with maintenance but I think I’ll use the new reels as shipped and trust the factory condition as being sufficient. They operate smoothly so I see no need to over lube!

11 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

opened my up my Zillion the first time to clean (didn't need) and lube after 4 salt years.  

From new? Or first time in 4 years meaning you did at least once 4 years ago? 

 

I have a zillion i don't wanna Crack open, but daiwa known for being dry so I'm assuming it holds true hear as well. 

On 5/21/2025 at 8:29 AM, bulldog1935 said:

dilute vinegar (2 to 3 parts water), rinse, and finish with light solvent wash.  (or beat the rush and clean in solvent)

 

Soap attacks aluminum

When you say to just jump ahead and clean in solvent does simple green count? 

 

90%isopropyl for bearings good? 

 

I also did grab an ultrasonic cleaner, did some digging and spent a little extra. Lots of amazon cleaners were just vibrating cases and not actually ultrasonic. 

 

What do it recommend to clean deep rust off a set of pliers?

 

I also went out a little bit more with the hybrid Si3n4 hybrids, wish I ordered more before the tariffs wrecked my life. This is incredible how smooth and relatively quiet they cast. Should I sonic clean them too?

On 5/21/2025 at 10:27 AM, redmeansdistortion said:

buy NMB bearings in bulk from Japan

From where? Ever compare to hybrid ceramic? 

What is DDR and DDL?

hide the simple green in the garage - solvent is mineral spirits and denatured alcohol.  

 

I work on OP's valuable antiques.  May not look like much, but it's 140 y-o and worth $8000.  Made by Julius vomHofe for Spaulding, and the embossed Kosmic model name was a trademark infringement.  

 

 

 

 

Interested in knowing where to buy real NMB bearings as well. Ali has some fakes ones (i assume they're fake because of multiple reviews stating it), and outside of PLAT, i am not sure where to buy quality bearings in case i need em.

24 minutes ago, ABU is overpriced said:

NMB

What even is NMB?

 

34 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

mineral spirits and denatured alcohol.  

What parts do you clean with these or what parts need something different? And do I need ventilation? 

 

Why no simple green? 

9 hours ago, Banned User said:

What even is NMB?

 

 

Brand of bearings daiwa and shimano uses.

On 5/22/2025 at 11:27 PM, Banned User said:

From where? Ever compare to hybrid ceramic? 

What is DDR and DDL?

I buy them right from Japan from The Bearing Store who is very well reputed.  They don't sell outside of Japan, so a proxy service is needed.  You can use Noppin, Buyee, Zenmarket, From Japan, etc. 

 

The big thing to keep in mind is NMB is the largest manufacturer of precision bearings in the world.  Their production facilities are in Japan, Singapore, and Thailand.  Full stainless bearings come out of Japan and Singapore while the chromed steel offerings come from Thailand.  These are the same bearings used in precision machine tools, dental tools, and aircraft instrumentation.  Quality control is about the best you'll find.  I'm confident enough that I can install two spool bearings knowing they will spin exactly the same. 

 

The problem with ceramic hybrids is most come from China. Not that it's a bad thing because the Chinese can make a quality product, but in the past I've had to "bin" bearings; spin test them and discard or send back those that didn't spin as well as the others.  That's a quality issue.  I'm not just talking about AliExpress bearings either, but also Roro, Boca, and Ray's Studio.  Having bought and used well over 200 NMBs, I've never once had that issue.  They just work, and work very well.  This is why the big reel manufacturers use them, great performance and consistent quality.  I'd much rather pay $2 for a known well performing bearing than I would roll the dice on a $20 bearing that makes extraordinary claims.

 

That doesn't include the marketing the Chinese bearing manufacturers use.  NMB, NSK, and EZO don't stoop to that level.  If you want to know the tolerances, consult their technical docs.  The NMBs I run are rated P0, the Japanese equivalent to ABEC 1.  The Chinese sell most people on the ABEC rating because of the "more is better" mentality.  ABEC standards don't account internal clearances, ball quality, raceway finish, or cage quality.  They only designate the tolerance of how a bearing fits a shaft or housing.  

 

This is a NMB DDR-1030ZZ, shields removed, degreased, lubed with TSI 321, mixed 6 parts 99% alcohol to 1 part TSI.  TSI is a thin film lubricant, so applying like a standard oil is counter productive.  The alcohol functions as a carrier and evaporates away.

https://i.imgur.com/ZD3zIxf.mp4

Here's a link in case anybody wants to buy them.  They also carry other brands like NSK and EZO.

 

http://zikuuke.shop35.makeshop.jp

 

I will also add, make sure you read the technical docs.  Just because a bearing is labeled a certain size doesn't mean it is going to fit your reel.  For example, DDL-1150ZZ and DDL-1150ZZY04.  The bearing ending in Y04 is 5x11x4, while the other is 5x11x5, so read the docs before you place an order to ensure you're ordering the correct size.

 

https://mkt.minebeamitsumi.com/bearing_catalog_en

On 5/23/2025 at 12:05 AM, Banned User said:

Why no simple green?

Simple Green does work, but also requires a very thorough rinse and it isn't very good with deeply embedded grime.  If it isn't rinsed well enough, it leaves a sticky residue behind.  Mineral spirits and a toothbrush work faster and leave nothing behind and remove grime the first time.  I keep a jar of mineral spirits and a toothbrush on the bench.  

On 5/18/2025 at 12:48 AM, Banned User said:

Did the Abu Garcia Ultra Max tonight

 

Something I didn't even think about was putting back the circled piece in a very particular way. The other reels, at least without thinking, fit into the main shaft snug and just sat on their own flush.

 

In the Abu it was a bite wobbly, but I didn't realize this until the spool wouldn't engage after I put it all back together. 

 

I thought I put it in backwards, which really messed with my head because I was very careful about keeping things in their exact orientation from on to off and back. But I was right, I had placed it correctly. 

 

It just didn't sit in It's subtle indentation to catch correctly, which was easy to spot once I took a closer look. 

 

I'll go back through them all and take closer pics to show some of the differences in detail.

 

You can see here that the Abu is super basic. There's a couple small washers inside the drag star instead of layed out next to it, but you can still see compared to the other pics above the Abu is rather bare. 

 

Also this one kept some dark spots on the gear after scrubbing with simple green and a toothbrush while the others scrubbed clean. Not sure what exactly the discoloration is, but I couldn't pick it out with a fingernail either. Don't think it makes a functional difference, just wanted to mention it since I noticed it.

 

Also it's the only reel that didn't have a carbon fiber drag, what is that? Kinda just feels like a piece of plastic.

 

Should I be soaking and cleaning and greasing these washers?

That part is the ratchet gear. It hits the kick lever that turns the clutch assembly to engage the reel when the handle is cranked. Unless it’s gritty wiping it down is sufficient. The teeth should get greased like the main gear. 

On 5/18/2025 at 10:23 AM, MN Fisher said:

I actually prefer Acid Brushes....nice, short, fairly stiff bristles that let me apply the grease exactly where I want it.

These or cheap craft brushes work and you likely have some laying around. You want the grease to get in between the teeth but you don’t need to pack them. Excess just gets squeezed out and makes more mess for next time. It’s more important to remove contaminates like grit and sand than obsess over greasing technique. 

On 5/19/2025 at 11:40 AM, redmeansdistortion said:

I use these brushes for applying grease, comes out to 8 cents each.  https://www.amazon.com/Brushes-Classroom-Acrylic-Watercolor-Supplies/dp/B09LH2QL51/

 

For greasing gears, I trim them down to stiffen the bristles and they do just fine.  I get no stray bristles either.  I used to use acid brushes but no matter what, I'd get a stray bristle or two at times.

 

For cleaning, I do mineral spirits and an extra firm toothbrush, goes faster than waiting on an ultrasonic cleaner to finish.  Plus firmly embedded grime sometimes doesn't not come off with the ultrasonic and I have to scrub them anyway.  Bearings get hit with Brakleen.  

Those harsh chemicals work well and are probably safe enough for occasional diy use but be conscious of your safety and health. Ultrasonic cleaning is way over rated and definitely not a requirement. It was touted way back when they were hard to get and expensive to make it sound like shops were doing something super high tech 

Y'all should try an electric toothbrush to clean things on a reel. With some Dawn on it, it cleans so much faster and better than a standard brush. No need any ultrasonic cleaner or anything, it cleans bearings to perfection.

I think it was @redmeansdistortion or @bulldog1935 posted a link of a mini bearing washer and packer. 
It works great and packs bearings that want greased.

I tried to post and picture but couldn’t. 

53 minutes ago, GRiver said:

I think it was @redmeansdistortion or @bulldog1935 posted a link of a mini bearing washer and packer. 
It works great and packs bearings that want greased.

I tried to post and picture but couldn’t. 

This is the one. https://www.plazajapan.com/4958489690679/. Looks to be out of stock everywhere.  Alan Tani also makes a bearing packer with a zerk fitting so you can use a grease gun to fill bearings.

Since I'm here, I'll add about ultrasonic cleaner.  

Use water in the bath.  Put your cleaning solvent and parts in the smallest glass beaker that fits.  

Cover with a watch glass - you can order a cheap beaker + watch glass set on Amazon.  

You use very small quantities of reagent-grade* (if you want) solvent.  Spent solvent goes into a plastic jug, and if it's not filthy, you can dip a q-tip or paper-towel slosh for non-critical cleaning chores.  

(spent vinegar and soap goes down the sink)

Fumes are nonexistent this way, and you use very small quantities of your quality solvent.  

 

Nothing hype, ultrasonic is a tool that's like a million tiny toothbrushes that get places you can't.  (You should see what comes out of a bicycle chain.)  

You soak a bearing in solvent - the solvent doesn't change color - ultrasonic the bearing and the solvent turns opaque with the grease it dissolved.  

 

*the reason to use higher solvent grades (distilled), I've found through lab alloy digestion analysis that technical-grade solvents contain production cataylsts like cesium.  If you're using it properly, a pint of lab grade solvent should last you several years.  

1 hour ago, bulldog1935 said:

ultrasonic the bearing and the solvent turns opaque with the grease it dissolved.  

And with exceptionally filthy bearings, a layer of sludge will settle to the bottom of the jar.

On 5/26/2025 at 8:44 AM, bulldog1935 said:

Use water in the bath

You mean fill ultrasonic cleaner tank with water and put the bearings in a glass and then put that in the water? 

 

 

I would do it the other way - loaded beaker first, then pour in the same level of water as the solvent level in the beaker.  If your beaker becomes a boat, it will capsize.  

Would this be good to clean bearings? 

 

And @bulldog1935 after I clean should i rinse with isopisopropyl alcohol? I've seen some people mention it elsewhere 

Probably dont want a call for every turd you can turn up on the internet. 

There's a really good recipe at the top of this page that covers just about everything.   I just cleaned 60-y-o polymerized motor oil from the gears and especially shaft freespool sleeve on this reel

using mineral spirits,  chased with denatured alcohol wash.  

Isopropyl sucks water from the air, and always leaves water on your parts. Denatured alcohol (isoethanol) always flashes dry.

A good way to see if a solvent leaves residue, put a drop on a pan and wait for it to evaporate.  I use stainless steel dental tool trays to place my clean and dirty parts.  Leaving a bearing to dry, after cleaned with acetone, always leaves a haze behind.  That is residue and it's most likely still on the balls, raceways, or cages.  Doing the same with denatured alcohol leaves virtually nothing behind.