# At what cost are reels worth getting serviced?



## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Scott

I just had A TLD 15 serviced that took a severe trashing at SWR earlier in the year (knocked it out of the rod holder on the AI with the sail and dragged it 100 metres along the sand bottom at 6 knots). It cost $ 45 at Tackle Warehouse.

Two others that also copped a trashing cost close on $ 200 at Sandgate Tackle, but these were worth it cause they are expensive reels.

Might be worth getting a quote off Jones's Tackle at Chermside as well.

trev


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## Guest (Aug 27, 2012)

I've always found the blokes at Jones's Tackle do a good job on a service. But it's been a while since I've put a reel in there myself so I couldn't tell you what cost is involved. A quick phone call would sort that out though. I bought some Cal's grease and tend to do my own servicing now. The TLD should be a little workhorse and will go for many years if given a proper service. I can't speak for the others.


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## Murdoch (Aug 25, 2010)

Tackleworld here in Mackay do services from $35 up depending on reel. They probably charge more if it's difficult or a higher end reel.
I had my Shimano Tyrnos 10 done recently for $45 and that was a full service and a bearing replacement. Really happy with it and you know it's been done properly.

That being said I have serviced some of my other conventional reels myself and found it pretty easy, but these are cheaper Abu's etc... and the schematics are a breeze to work through.

In attempting to service cheaper spin reels I have managed to destroy them :? . Gave up after the second, and when I get another spin reel it's getting serviced at Tackleworld.


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## arbe (Dec 27, 2006)

Bluebottle fishing down in Sydney are pretty good and give AKFF members a 20% disc. Spiro is the guy to talk to... Just had 2 Calcuttas serviced, cleaned and bearing replaced for $66 [mailto:[email protected]]


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## avayak (May 23, 2007)

That's a good value reel service from Blue Bottle. 
Apart from cost, servicing your own reels has some benefits.
If you dunk your reels you can eliminate the damage caused by corrosion waiting for the reel to be serviced.
I know of a couple of cases where waiting for weeks to get a service effectively wrote the reel off.
Saltwater, aluminium gears and stainless components can become a mess in less than a week.
Even if you don't feel confident stripping a reel down it is good to be able to open a gear case and give the insides a spray if your reel has been swimming. 
For stuck screws you can try a couple of methods. Start by giving it a spray with inox and let it soak a while, with a good fitting screwdriver on the screw head give the screw driver a sharp tap on the end to break any corrosion. If the parts can take it a quick burst on the screw head with a jet lighter works pretty well.


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## stitcho (Jun 29, 2007)

Scott,

Had the same drama with my Ballistic, after 3 or 4 trips it started to stiffen up. A few blobs of the daiwa real 4 grease on the gears and seems a new reel, a lot smoother than when purchased. Almost like it was under lubricated at manufacture. Bit of a pain in the arse to take apart if your used to stradics but a lot easier and cheaper than sending it away.

Cheers,

Damien.


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## Ubolt (Dec 8, 2009)

Just had my Diawa tierra serviced after a dunk and roll in the sand. Not happy with it though didn't get all the sand out. Took it apart as much as I dared and got a heap more sand out. Bloke said it was so bad lucky I took it there that day or it would have seized. Don't know what to do now still a bit crunchy. Only paid 20 for service might take it elsewhere


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## Feral2 (Jun 14, 2012)

Reels sub $200 not worth it. Use em to they die. 2 or 3 services pays for a new reel.
If your using reels in really bad conditions, consider really cheap reels - not joking, a very cheap reel with only bushes and no bearings is able to take a lot of crap before dying. Used to buy $20 shimano's (probably 30 or 40 dollar reels these days) for my kids, the hell those reels took before finally dying was unbelievable.


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