How To Service Reel Handles on Fishing Reels

Fishing Reels, Fishing Rods, and Casting Videos
Improving baitcasting reel performance couldn't be easier. It's as simple as servicing the reel handles. Here's how.
Transcript

What is happening, fishing friends? My name is Devin coming to you today on behalf of KastKing and BassResource. Welcome to another video. What is happening, fishing friends? Welcome to another video. What's the first thing you do when you pick up a baitcast? You probably give it the old spin test, right? See if it's good or not? See how long it'll spin? But after that, after you determine, "Yeah, it spins real good and free," you usually spin it slow, right? And part of what's gonna make that slow spinning comfortable are your handle knobs. So what makes those spin freely inside? What happens if you get dirt in there and need to access it? 

Well, luckily, the KastKing Baitcasters are easy to get into on the handle knobs. You'll see they have a little slot there for a straight head screwdriver, or if you're out on the water and you really needed to open it up, you can use a penny. But today, let's pop this open with a straight screwdriver and see what's inside. There's a little cap that comes off. On the inside, you will see that there is a small Phillips screwdriver. Now, it does also have the flat slot. So you can use the same flat screwdriver to remove that inside small screw, or you could use a Phillips screwdriver if you so wish. It's your choice. Gently lift up on your handle knob, and it slides right off.

Now, inside there, you will see that there is a bearing. That's what makes the handle knobs smooth on the reel. There's also a bearing back here. So if you ever get anything in there...it's just not feeling right, it's not as smooth, good reel...put just a small amount of grease right on the shaft, or if you really need to, you might need to pop your bearings out. Now, they're easy to pop out as well. I'm gonna use a small Phillips screwdriver. Stick it in there, and it should come right out.

So that's one of the small bearings inside the reel. Again, there's a bearing there. So if you've had it for a long time, or if you've dropped it on a whole bunch of dirt and sand, you could have an issue with dirt getting in there. If that's the case, not a big issue. You can take your bearings out. Clean them. There's videos on how to clean your bearings, degrease them and put new oil in there or regrease them. They are sealed bearings, so you notice when you look at those bearings, on the outside of them, you don't see a bunch of little balls. They are sealed inside there.

So that's all there is to taking off the handle...or, excuse me, the knobs of your handle. Goes back on very smoothly. Just make sure that when you put the knob back on top, that that bearing is seated inside there nice and flush. To put it back together, you'll just go in the opposite order. Put your screw back in there. Screw it down until it's snug. You don't need to go super duper tight. Just go to a decent tightness. The cap goes on very easy as well. Put that on. Tighten it up. Don't overtighten.

That's all there is to it. That's all that you need to do to get inside your handle knobs in case they get dirty. You know, maybe your bearings went bad. You've had it for, you know, five, six, seven years. Bearings do go bad, so maybe you need to replace one or you just want to get in there and grease it up. That's all there is to it. I hope this video helped you out. Until next time.