Courtesy of Jack Erskine's Precision Reel Engineering, Cairns, Australia
Smoothies should be installed dry as they are treated with a dry lubricant. Xtreme Smoothies and Carbontex can both be installed dry OR with a VERY LIGHT coating of Cal's Universal Reel and Drag grease. This is the only grease we recommend. It can be used on the drags and everywhere else in the reel grease is desired. All old grease should be cleaned out of the reel before re-greasing with Cal's grease. A VERY LIGHT coating of Cal's grease on the Xtreme Smoothies is recommended if you are likely to get your reels very wet, it will help waterproof the drag system. Very light means you should be able to leave a finger print in the grease on the surface of the drag. When it comes to drags more grease is NOT better!
When incomponents in the drag system are thoroughly cleaned with a specialist cleaning solvent such as white sprits, dry cleaning solvent, disc brake parts cleaner (auto supply) or any totally evaporating agent that leaves a dead dry and metallic oil free surface. ( Do not use Kero, metho, diesel or acetone, etc.) Insure that all metal surfaces in gears & metal drag washers that come in contact with friction drag washers are smooth, polished & burr free. If any components are damaged or in doubt it is better to replace at this stage. Make sure metal drag washers are flat and not cupped. If reusing metal drag washers polish them up with #600 fine sandpaper, or crocus cloth.
Once installed & after extended use, if the Xtreme Smoothies show any sign of irregular performance or drag "shudder", etc. you can bet that oil, grease or water or a combination of both have worked their way into the drag system. It is imperative with all reel servicing that only a small amount of the correct reel grease and reel oils are applied to the reel components. Over lubricating is possibly the biggest cause of poor drag performance. The major offender in most bait casting reels is the anti reverse needle roller bearing (one way clutch bearing), which is always over lubed and ultimately excessive lube migrates down into the drag system. Also only lightly coat the teeth of the reel gears with the correct gear grease, and remove any excess. However it should be noted that the bore in the hub of the main gear is sparingly lubricated to ensure that proper lubrication is offered between the main gear hub and the main gear shaft on which it rotates, again sparingly is the key word.
Xtreme Smoothies can be returned to their original performance value, if lube or water contamination occurs by removing them and cleaning thoroughly in the cleaning solvents as previously mentioned, ensuring that all other drag components are cleaned likewise.
Also ensure that you install all of the drag washers supplied in the replacement kit. Some anglers neglect to replace the drag washer located beneath the main gear between the main gear and shaft carrier base plate. This washer is an extremely important part necessary to ensure proper drag performance. Lubricate very lightly.
