[jaysen]

so i have used my shimano sustain 2500 fg for 2 seasons now and love the reel. it has always been very strong and smooth and puts up with lots of fishing. i caught 10-20lb carp, 10lb striper, many bass, and even a 15lb cownose ray with it. i was fishing last week at a saltwater spot and when i got home i rinsed it like i always do. now i feel slight resistance and grinding with it. i pulled it apart to regrease and clean it up which helped a little, but it isnt the quiet smooth reel i have adored. i feel resistance at specific points when winding it slowly.
anyone have any experience here? is it the ball bearings or is it another part that needs replacing? the bearings are sealed but maybe they need to be reopened and greased(just not sure how). i also hear a squeek when i wind the reel but cant imagine what it could be coming from since i regreased and oiled the reel so carefully.
all help is appreciated, i would prefer not to send it back to shimano for repair.

 

[bucktailnick]

I have had problems with this on my shimano Sahara recently. The reel is 7 years old and fished hard evert year. The reason why it does that is because it is caked with salt. Even though you rinse it every time you use it, it doesn't get all the salt out. You might have to take the whole reel apart to have some parts changed that might have corroded out. Otherwise shimano grease and shimano oil should get the reel back in working condition.

 

[HookI]

Buck's probably on here w/ your solution , Salt /Sand , I don't have the puzzle patience to take reels apart ..sent it to Shimano , I have about a doz. Shimano reels which I never taken apart just routine maintenance all work fine , the only time I sent it out was when the reel was dropped in the sand.

 

[Jighead61]

i was fishing last week at a saltwater spot and when i got home i rinsed it like i always do. now i feel slight resistance and grinding with it.

Therein lies the problem.... the water pressure from a hose or faucet can force salt (and sand) into the reel. As such, my suggestion to my customers (in between annual cleaning) is to do as follows:

- Wipe down reel with a solution of WARM water (cold water does NOT break down salt) and soap (I prefer Dawn).
- Completely dry down the reel and spay with a coat of WD-40. Let sit for several minutes and wipe down excess with a cloth. This process helps displace water.

The bottom line is that saltwater causes havoc on your gear, so your reels will require an annual full service cleaning/breakdown (or more often depending on frequency of use).

 

[jaysen]

thanks for the help. the issues is that i took it apart and cleaned it meticulously but it still feels rough. i soaked it in water as well. if there was sand and salt in there, it is highly unlikely now. it says it is $25 for repair at shimano and i can afford that but want to know how to take care of my reel inside and out.

 

[Jighead61]

the issues is that i took it apart and cleaned it meticulously but it still feels rough.

I’m not trying to rub salt in the wound (no pun intended), but apparently you didn’t clean it as meticulously as you thought.

i soaked it in water as well. if there was sand and salt in there, it is highly unlikely now.

Soaked it in water? Why? All that sand and salt permeated into the AR and frame bearings. Game over!

 

[IRJ]

I wade fish in saltwater daily. Shimano reels will whine after coming in contact with salt, but its not the end of the world. I have cleaned my Sustains and Stradics myself, and I have taken them to Shimano Service Centers to have them cleaned. They always seem to develop a slight whine, but it doesn't harm the performance of the reel. Even my Stella has a slight wine to it, but that reel is a smooth as a baby's bottom.

Soaking in water is a bad idea. If you aren't familiar with servicing shimano reels, I highly recommend that you take them to a shimano service center. Shimano spinning reels have a very tight tolerance. I think its a bad idea to say I dont have the $25 to service a $300 reel. You could damage the reel and be out alot more than $25.

With all that being said, I have found Daiwa reels to be the most rugged reels on the market. I wade fish and dunking reels is just a part of life when it comes to wade fishing. I have Daiwa Capricorns that I have dunked over 100 times and are still in great shape. Whenever you fish saltwater always carry a water bottle with you so you can rinse your reel instantly after it gets splashed or dunk. That alone will save you a ton of headaches

 

[jaysen]

appreciate the help and advice. apparently when i first got the reel it wasnt smooth and after a few times out it broke in and became as smooth as sustains are. the same thing happened again. i feel that the grease needs to be worn in. right now it is back to normal. i have no problem sending it to shimano for servicing but the issue is i want to be able to service it on my own. i guess i just want to be confident with the reel.
i was always told to rinse a reel in fresh water after use in saltwater but you are showing me that may have been flawed. so how do you all clean the reel after use in saltwater?

 

[swensodts]

You may want to check this out, I had a similar issue with my shimano not a top of the line but still a nice reel, it began making a clicking sound and resistance as you describe at certain points, bottom line was there is a piece of plastic in there which flips the bail, it was rubbing, I flip my bail by hand anyway, so I cut it out of there and smooth as butter again. Not sure if the nicer reels have a different system but worth a look.

 

[phil stinson]

I been fishing for many years, all my reels are are Shimano... Down rigger, Carp, Bass, Muskie every year i take them into my Local tackle shop and have them sent to Shimano for proper cleaning ands adjustments... for $25.00 its well worth the piece of mind that your reel wont fail when you have the new PB ...or a tournament winner on your line... let the experts do it!!

 

[snipe1959]

Excellent service from Shimano !

 

[Misfit138]

Ive sent my sustain in for a deep cleaning after kicking it overboard and diving 8 ft to get it. They had it back to me in 13 days . Send it in

 

[jaysen]

i will be sending it in. i just had a bad experience with them last year when i bought a brand new cumara and the reel seat slid out of place. they said it was a new release so they had no replacements in stock. i sent it to shimano mid july and got it back in late december. i dont want to risk losing my favorite reel for the rest of the season so i will deal with it until mid november.
i appreciate all the help here.