Lubing old Polars

[Blaine]

I still have my original Polars that I purchased at the old Army PX 17 years ago... Yes, I'm old . Last year they finally started having some issues. Water would work it's way up into the shaft and then freeze on real cold nights. I would get hits but the spool wouldn't turn and the bait would get stripped.

I couldn't get my hands on any Blue Lube at the time, so I settled for some white lithium grease. I took them all apart and there was definitely water on the shafts. Everything was cleaned thoroughly and allowed to dry. I lubed them up good (or so I thought) and tried them the next night... Same thing. I bought another set but I still want to get the old ones functional. They have served me well and I almost feel like I owe it to them.

Anyways, I now have some Blue Lube. Does anyone have any tricks, suggestions or advice? Maybe with the real lube this time around I wont have any problems... I was just hoping to hear from someone that has tried this before

[Dan Thiem]

Hey Blaine-

I've never had a Polar apart before, is there some kind of o'ring seal or something?

But there was a mention earlier on this site about some kind of lube called "hot sauce" or something like that. I'm sure somebody will know what to do.

Good Luck!

Dan

[hawkeye43]

Blaine,You are no the only old one out here, I got 10 of them old polar tipups that I got back in the 70's for up on the big pond. They still work, day in and day out what more could we ask.

[Ed Carlson]

Pick up some Frabill SUB-ZERO lube at most any sporting store. It is formulated to lube reels, tip-ups, ice hut poles, ice auger linkages, or whatever. Its rated to –60 and resists moisture, won’t wash off either. Handy stuff to keep around in the winter.

It is the best I have used on winter ice reels and tip-ups.

[RK]

Hiya,

Yeah, I have some old Polars too... Still going strong, and probably will until the moment some clown drives over them...

As to lubing them... Here's what I do:

1.) Take the nut, trip arm and rubber washer off the top of the shaft.

2.) Fire up the tea kettle and boil some water

3.) Wipe down the shaft, then take the kettle and repeatedly pour boiling water through the shaft tube and over the shaft to get as much of the old lube out as possible. Word to the wise: Hold the shaft with a vice grip or you *will* burn yourself. Trust me...

4.) Let things dry out, then squirt lube into the tube, on the shaft, and reassemble. If you have one, a syringe works good for getting lube into the tube without getting it all over everything else.

Actually, this is the same process I use for lubing reels. Use boiling water to get all the factory grease and oil out of them, then lube with blue lube, or the Sub Zero stuff from Frabill (I'm with Backwater Eddy on this one- it's great stuff...)

Cheers,

RK

[Blaine]

Thanks... This exactly the kind of stuff I was hoping for Anyone got any other suggestions?

[Bob_D]

Yeah...send them to me and I'll fix them.