Author Topic: Lubrication for my tip ups  (Read 8159 times)

Offline ConesusPikeCatcher

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 261
Lubrication for my tip ups
« on: Jan 05, 2009, 10:35 AM »
Some of my tip ups are getting kinda hard to spin. I know the fish can feel this resistance. What lubrication do u guys use to make them spin nice and smooth with the least about of resistance. Is there a special product or r u using something like fishing reel oil?

Offline BaitWrangler

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 831
  • It's a trap!
Re: Lubrication for my tip ups
« Reply #1 on: Jan 05, 2009, 10:55 AM »
Some of my tip ups are getting kinda hard to spin. I know the fish can feel this resistance. What lubrication do u guys use to make them spin nice and smooth with the least about of resistance. Is there a special product or r u using something like fishing reel oil?

A lot of guys use the sub-zero tip up lube.. it's either made by beaver dam or frabill, I forgot... I remember someone saying the tube is around $5.

As a side note... what kind of tip-ups are you using?  I have some Heritage knock offs and I was thinking about copying the Heritage setup by putting a tube on the inside of the spool and then nylon washers on the outside to try to keep it water tight.  If I can accomplish it correctly, hopefully they will spin as clean as Heritage tip-up's do.

Offline dkfry

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 2,905
Re: Lubrication for my tip ups
« Reply #2 on: Jan 05, 2009, 11:07 AM »
I bought some Frabill sub-zero lube to try. It works good but it just looks like slightly thinned down white lithium grease. What I did was buy a tub (16oz. I think) of white lithium grease (Under $3 a tub) i thin down small amounts of the grease with WD-40, MM oil, Liquid Wrench 3in1 oil or whatever is handy. Works well and is a lot cheaper than the subzero lube.

Offline RLWagner

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 3,175
Re: Lubrication for my tip ups
« Reply #3 on: Jan 05, 2009, 11:13 AM »
I bought some Frabill sub-zero lube to try. It works good but it just looks like slightly thinned down white lithium grease. What I did was buy a tub (16oz. I think) of white lithium grease (Under $3 a tub) i thin down small amounts of the grease with WD-40, MM oil, Liquid Wrench 3in1 oil or whatever is handy. Works well and is a lot cheaper than the subzero lube.
Ditto!! ;)

Offline pin smelt

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 105
  • Wherever ye shalll be, let your flag fly free.
Re: Lubrication for my tip ups
« Reply #4 on: Jan 05, 2009, 11:21 AM »
Hey Guys.  I'm a chemist.  WD40, liquid wrench, etc. has got a mix of nasty chlorinated compounds that don't degrade once they get into the water.  It also doesn't take much to pollute the water with those chemicals.  Just sayin', two three guys using it once a year probably won't cause serious harm, but, if a bunch of guys use it, well the situation can cause a negative impact.  Try just using less grease or vaseline instead.  Leave the chlorinated solvents for the garage/shop. 
Happy trails to you.......until we meet again....

Offline dkfry

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 2,905
Re: Lubrication for my tip ups
« Reply #5 on: Jan 05, 2009, 11:25 AM »
Vaseline will thicken up in the cold and is too thick at even room temp. I never noticed any chemical residue floating on the waters surface or anything. For the most part the grease stays in the tube. You don't need much wd-40 or others to thin down the lithium.

Offline Ice Shark

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 300
Re: Lubrication for my tip ups
« Reply #6 on: Jan 05, 2009, 12:48 PM »
HT makes a blue grease for ice fishing.  Seen it at Dicks, Gander, Cabelas and Bass Pro.

Offline ConesusPikeCatcher

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 261
Re: Lubrication for my tip ups
« Reply #7 on: Jan 05, 2009, 02:29 PM »
A lot of guys use the sub-zero tip up lube.. it's either made by beaver dam or frabill, I forgot... I remember someone saying the tube is around $5.

As a side note... what kind of tip-ups are you using?  I have some Heritage knock offs and I was thinking about copying the Heritage setup by putting a tube on the inside of the spool and then nylon washers on the outside to try to keep it water tight.  If I can accomplish it correctly, hopefully they will spin as clean as Heritage tip-up's do.

Using polar tip ups. The black ones. Let me know if that works.

Offline dkfry

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 2,905
Re: Lubrication for my tip ups
« Reply #8 on: Jan 05, 2009, 03:35 PM »
I have a few of those HT polars. I replaced the nuts on mine with some nylock nuts because the cheapo nuts that come from factory are not very good. I also epoxied the plastic spools to the nut on the end which helps when taking the tipups apart.(A handle) Had trouble with the spools spinning on the shaft, a little epoxy fixed it up.

Offline highsparks

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 319
Re: Lubrication for my tip ups
« Reply #9 on: Jan 05, 2009, 03:58 PM »
    Frabills sub zero lube is designed to repel water and stay liquid when cold .   I dont know how white lithium will handle water contamination.  If the lithium and water mix it will get very stiff and cause you to miss light biters.  A $5 tube of Sub Zero has done great for me for may years , only takes a small abount to relube a reel.
Its better to be thought an idiot , than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.......

Offline dkfry

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 2,905
Re: Lubrication for my tip ups
« Reply #10 on: Jan 05, 2009, 04:52 PM »
My HT are annoyingly free spinning. Have had my tipups iced in and burryed in snow and they still spun. Doesn't get super duper cold where I am so maybe lithium will be troublesome but I doubt it. The lithium grease repels water pretty decent. All I know is the subzero looks, smells and feels like white lithium. I'm not paying $6 plus shipping for a small tube of subzero grease when my homemade mix works.

Offline ConesusPikeCatcher

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 261
Re: Lubrication for my tip ups
« Reply #11 on: Jan 05, 2009, 06:13 PM »
Used the lithium grease on the tip ups and they are spinning faster then ever. Ready to do some fishing now.

Offline Vt Piker

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 189
Re: Lubrication for my tip ups
« Reply #12 on: Jan 05, 2009, 07:31 PM »
 PTFE in a spray can. Let it dry for 24/48 hrs inside where it's warm. It won't come off in water. It also makes the bottom of the sled a tad more slickery.
  :tipup: :tipup:
<br />img

 



Iceshanty | MyFishFinder | MyHuntingForum
Contact | Disclaimer | Privacypolicy | Sponsor
© 1996- Iceshanty.com
All Rights Reserved.