do you tune/ upgrade your baitcasters? 2024
SBFISHING reply :
just wondering if any of yall tune/ upgrade and parts of your baitcasters.
if so what all do you do?
do you upgrade new reals as well as older ones? just curious to see what the general consensus is.
thanks a lot guys!
optimator reply :
I'll replace parts as they wear out. I've never felt the need to upgrade anything. YMMV.
bhoff reply :
As long as you buy decent quality equipment there really shouldn't be a need to upgrade anything down the road. Personally I have never upgraded any of my reels but when you're spending a good chunk of change on something I feel as if you shouldn't need to. If you make it into a hobby then that is a different story but just for general application I don't think it is exceedingly necessary/common.
Stephen B reply :
For me I don't see the purpose of buying a Curado, Chronarch, Metanium, etc and spending more money for upgraded bearings or parts for cosmetics. I'd rather sat the money aside for a new reel,rod, lures, etc.
I had a Curado 70 and put Hedgehog bearings in it and immediately took them out as I didn't think they provided the performance I assumed they would. I much prefer the stock bearings. However, I do buy additional spare spools from the manufacturers (not aftermarket spools).
FishDewd reply :
Nah, on newer reels upgraded bearings and such will only result in more backlashing under most circumstances since suddenly the bearings will exceed what the braking system can do, etc. The only ones I upgrade are the older round reels that don't have the braking systems, like old Abus and Penn reels. I have a penn reel I've upgraded the drag washers and gear sleeve on so that it can provide more drag in case I decide I want to do some salt water fishing or something.
DogBone_384 reply :
I send mine to Mike @ Delaware Valley Tackle and go with his recommendations.
His work and pricing are excellent.
Raul reply :
Nope !
new2BC4bass reply :
From what I have read, Shimano uses good bearings. I have a tuned and upgraded Curado 51E and a stock one. I really don't see enough difference between the two to pay for the supertune and upgraded bearings. One of our moderator's sent a Curado to DVT and said it was a huge improvement. Mike did mine, but I've already mentioned my results. Could be my lack of skill is holding the reel back. 
I almost always have a Carbontex drag installed when I send a reel for cleaning and always when getting a reel tuned and upgraded.
I figure that if I am getting a reel supertuned, then I might as well go for better bearings while the tuner has the reel apart. That way I know I am the limiting factor. Two of my 5.8:1 reels are now faster.....one is now 6.8:1 and the other has a 7.2:1 gear set. I still have a couple with 5.8:1 gears, so not a disadvantage going to the faster gears in those two.
Actually I find it to be the opposite of what FishDewd said....for me. I find I can usually run a supertuned and bearing upgraded reel with fewer brakes on than a stock reel. Not in every case, but most of the time. I don't see a big improvement in distance, but it is easier to achieve the distance I was getting before. Some claim to get a lot longer casting distance. I've not seen that. But...again...it could be me.
I did replace the spool in one in an attempt to turn it into more of a finesse reel than it was....a Sol. I've never replace handles, spool tension caps, etc.
I have had new and used reels tuned and upgraded. TD-Z 105H and Alphas SV105 are examples of each that I have had work done on. The SV105 was backlashing a lot as it came from the factory. Setting it up the way videos show, and how people here told me to set it up didn't help. A tune and upgrades have turned it into a totally different animal.
evilcatfish reply :
I never really understood why a reel would need to be super tuned and have the bearings upgraded, that is, until I had one of my reels get "the treatment." The difference was huge, and since then I've had several reels tuned up. I like TH Kustoms but Delaware and others do great work too
Delaware Valley Tackle reply :
The ROI will depend on the starting point and expectations as well as the users casting ability.
Mike L reply :
Clean and lube once a year.
No complaints
Mike
Eric J reply :
I have two Daiwa reels I use with my ultra light rigs that I have owned for 20plus years or so. They were top of the line when I bought them and with proper care they are still top of the line!
Stephen B reply :
On 7/19/2018 at 4:51 AM, Delaware Valley Tackle said:The ROI will depend on the starting point and expectations as well as the users casting ability.
I agree, however, the majority of aftermarket products for the reels are not worth the cost. I recommend just buying a quality reel and and clean it regularly. Then send it to reel techs such as DVT for maintenance when the reel needs repairs or in depth cleaning to keep it working at peak performance.
rippin-lips reply :
Yes, I do. To most people it’s a waste of money or considered pointless. $500 reel with another $300 worth of parts installed. Dumb right... You can’t see the gold Zpi pg spool. Why did I do it? Well, because I can, and it makes ME happy. You can’t take money with you when you die. Spend it on things that put a smile on your face. Cars,fishing gear,guns, ect. This site doesn’t have many that are enthusiasts and feel the need to spend even more money on a reel, but there are a good many of them out there though. @Redlinerobert comes to mind for sure. He basically had a reel built for him by Ian Shields. Who is 110% hands down the best in the business for reel tuning.
MassYak85 reply :
On 7/19/2018 at 4:58 AM, Mike L said:Clean and lube once a year.
No complaints
Mike
This, if there is an obvious issue with something I will replace it but I don't throw 50 dollars worth of bearings in a reel I paid 100 dollars for and casts fine. That being said I can certainly appreciate nice stuff and if I had more to spend I probably would spend it lol.
Angry John reply :
Upgrade is subjective but change yes. A spool change can totally change how a reel performs. Drop a deep zonda spool in a sol or alphas and its amazing how much better you can cast small crankbaits. I could have just bought a pixy spr but I accomplished the same thing with just a spool. Bearings are a feel good thing in most cases and I won't call it a waste but modern quality reels have good enough bearings unless you're turning off the brakes and still need more distance.
I treat a reel like my truck, if I like the look of a new tires or trims I buy them. Same is true for knobs handles or any other part on a reel. I get what I like, and it makes me happy.
Burke reply :
On 7/19/2018 at 5:26 AM, rippin-lips said:$500 reel with another $300 worth of parts installed. You can’t see the gold Zpi pg spool. Why did I do it? Because I can, and it makes ME happy. You can’t take money with you when you die. Spend it on things that make you smile. Cars,fishing gear,guns, ect. This site doesn’t have many that are enthusiasts and feel the need to spend even more money on a reel, but there are a good many of them out there though. @Redlinerobert comes to mind for sure. He basically had a reel built for him by Ian Shields. Who is 110% hands down the best in the business for reel tuning.
Adopt me ! I live nearby.
Awesome tricked out reel you got there.
rippin-lips reply :
On 7/19/2018 at 5:40 AM, Burke said:Adopt me ! I live nearby.
Awesome tricked out reel you got there.
Thank you, sir. I can’t right now. That would be another mouth to feed and body to clothe. You’ll take away from my spending money. I got to buy what I can before getting married soon.
Stephen B reply :
On 7/19/2018 at 5:26 AM, rippin-lips said:Yes, I do. To most people it’s a waste of money or considered pointless. $500 reel with another $300 worth of parts installed. Dumb right... You can’t see the gold Zpi pg spool. Why did I do it? Well, because I can, and it makes ME happy. You can’t take money with you when you die. Spend it on things that put a smile on your face. Cars,fishing gear,guns, ect. This site doesn’t have many that are enthusiasts and feel the need to spend even more money on a reel, but there are a good many of them out there though. @Redlinerobert comes to mind for sure. He basically had a reel built for him by Ian Shields. Who is 110% hands down the best in the business for reel tuning.
I agree that if you have the means, definitely go for it. Different things make different people happy. However in my eyes I would just buy another Steez or Metanium MGL for the upgrading cost to the reel. Your reel looks slick though. ????
a1712 reply :
On 7/19/2018 at 5:26 AM, rippin-lips said:Yes, I do. To most people it’s a waste of money or considered pointless. $500 reel with another $300 worth of parts installed. Dumb right... You can’t see the gold Zpi pg spool. Why did I do it? Well, because I can, and it makes ME happy. You can’t take money with you when you die. Spend it on things that put a smile on your face. Cars,fishing gear,guns, ect. This site doesn’t have many that are enthusiasts and feel the need to spend even more money on a reel, but there are a good many of them out there though. @Redlinerobert comes to mind for sure. He basically had a reel built for him by Ian Shields. Who is 110% hands down the best in the business for reel tuning.
Exactly, well said!! Brian.
fishwizzard reply :
This is as far as I have gone cosmetically, but I do like the odd splash of color these days. I am all for performance upgrades, I have a few spare spools to swap around. Most of my reels take 34mm spools now so I have a ton of options.
Angry John reply :
A dash of color really looks nice imo
tander reply :
I like my Lew's reels just as they come but if upgrading makes you happy, go for it !!!
BaitFinesse reply :
Yup, it's fun. Winters can be long. Current projects:
UL finesse casting Black Max 3 on an UL casting rod. I've got a cheap 9.5 gram shallow spool and micro bearings in but need to track down a cheap carbon handle.
Alphas Ito Ai. These are unpainted naked aluminum Dawa Alphas with clear side plates. I picked up a rough looking but smooth one cheap and have cleared the yellow off the clear plates and dropped in a red shallow spool. I need to polish the aluminum and swap out the gold line guide for a red one for a polished/red motif.
Megabass Monoblock racing milano. I nabed one for a good price and intend to convert it to a 103 reel and drop in a Megabass honey comb spool. Got the conversion parts in the mail.
Abu Revo 3 IB braking converaion. These are high end versions of the platform with a drag clicker and dual aluminum plates. I got centrifugal brake spool for it but I need to track down the externally justable centrifugal race to swap out the Doyo dual brake. Bunch of blue color parts on the reel to match the Fanatista Deez rod it is paired to.
Urban camo painted Megabass IS 73. Got urban camo Eva knobs on and am waiting on a brass 7.9 gear set to replace the geary aluminum gears. Swapped the mag brakes and spool from an SS SV to make a dedicated dock skipper. Need to build a custom MH or H powered dock skipping rod with urban camo eva foam grips.
Steez LTD with tick in the retrieve. Got a brass 8.1 gear set coming as a replacement. Uses a 1010 spool. Paired to a MB Orochi XxX BE2 as a jerkbait combo.
Megabass LIN 10 Mars. Need a faster gear set to replace the 5.X:1 it has stock. Paired to an Orochi XX EMTF JPN red as a jig rod. Waiting to see if the new micro mod gears of the new Ryoga are compatible.
Pixy Silver Mica. Got a Pixy Airy Red spool, TFZ line guide and a Ray's carbon handle. I need to order clear cork RCS I style knobs for it then it will be done.
Jelvas reply :
The only thing that i usually upgrade in most of my reels are the handles and, sometimes, the knobs. I like longer handles in most cases and big knobs on the reels that i use for bigger baits...
burrows reply :
I really like the way some reels look customized but I just maintain mine clean lube and grease.
.ghoti. reply :
I used to. No longer. All my reels except one have been "improved". None have any parts added just for the sake of appearance. Everything I did was for performance enhancement, nothing was done for looks.
i used to do service, repair and tuning for other people. At one time, I was doing over a hundred reels, that were not mine, every winter. I quit that nonsense. It turned into a real PITA!
I keep my own reels maintained, and that"s all.
puddlepuncher reply :
@rippin-lips I've never understood people tricking out expensive reels solely for sake of appearance until now. That is a beautiful reel. I wouldn't even fish with it. I bought a 3rd Met that sits on my desk and is purely for stress relief during the day.
As far as performance the biggest difference I've seen from an upgrade is carbon washers. IMO no upgrade can replace just plain good maintenance that keeps them running smooth with higher end reels.
new2BC4bass reply :
On 7/19/2018 at 2:45 PM, puddlepuncher said:@rippin-lips I've never understood people tricking out expensive reels solely for sake of appearance until now. That is a beautiful reel. I wouldn't even fish with it. I bought a 3rd Met that sits on my desk and is purely for stress relief during the day.
As far as performance the biggest difference I've seen from an upgrade is carbon washers. IMO no upgrade can replace just plain good maintenance that keeps them running smooth with higher end reels.
You know...that is a good idea. Plenty of stress here. I have a Limited Edition Tatula Type R that I should bring in and set on my desk. Too pretty to fish with. 
J Francho reply :
Every reel I use, if it's not for review/evaluation purposes, gets a Carbontex drag before I even think about fishing it. It doesn't even matter if it has some carbon drag from the factory. After that, I may mess around, add knobs, or a Hawgtech handle, but the drag upgrade is the most important to me.
Preytorien reply :
I use all Shimano reels, and the "local reel cleaning guy" advises with Shimano to never open them until you have to. They're good enough out of the box that they don't need aftermarket parts or tuning.
That said, I tried some Boca's in my Chronarch MGL - immediately reinstalled the factory bearings. They need no replacement.
The only thing I have done in the past is send in my wading reels for cleaning every other year since they end up getting much wetter than my others.
NYWayfarer reply :
No upgrades or tuning to reels I already have.
To me an upgrade is purchasing a more expensive reel from the same manufacturer's I like. I would do that before fiddling with the internals of a reel I already own.
I do like the looks of some of the tricked out reels I have seen out there. I have resisted the temptation to start doing the same.
trouttracker reply :
I just recently replaced stock bearings and bushings in a new Calcutta CT300D, 4 handle bushings with 4 bearings, 5 internal bearings (spool bearing replaced stock bushing). Unfortunately, I can't tell you if it was better because, after I reassembled the reel, the spool clutch no longer was functional and the spool/gearing was noisy. After many attempts taking apart and reassembling with no change in performance, I went ahead and sent the reel off to a reel repair shop in Interlochen, MI. I asked them to detail what I did wrong so that I would not repeat error on the next maintenance cycle.
I guess the moral to this story is "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"
rippin-lips reply :
On 7/19/2018 at 2:45 PM, puddlepuncher said:@rippin-lips I've never understood people tricking out expensive reels solely for sake of appearance until now. That is a beautiful reel. I wouldn't even fish with it. I bought a 3rd Met that sits on my desk and is purely for stress relief during the day.
Not everything is just for appearance. That particular reel is only cosmetic except the spool swap but I have a lot of others that have internal parts polished, different gears, fast worm gear upgrade, along with cosmetic parts. I have no shelf queens and I fish all of my gear. That’s why I bought it so I get enjoyment out of using it. I do have some fishing lures at work that I keep around to look at and dream about fishing haha.
DINK WHISPERER reply :
On 7/19/2018 at 5:26 AM, rippin-lips said:Yes, I do. To most people it’s a waste of money or considered pointless. $500 reel with another $300 worth of parts installed. Dumb right... You can’t see the gold Zpi pg spool. Why did I do it? Well, because I can, and it makes ME happy. You can’t take money with you when you die. Spend it on things that put a smile on your face. Cars,fishing gear,guns, ect. This site doesn’t have many that are enthusiasts and feel the need to spend even more money on a reel, but there are a good many of them out there though. @Redlinerobert comes to mind for sure. He basically had a reel built for him by Ian Shields. Who is 110% hands down the best in the business for reel tuning.
I couldn't agree with you more! I don't leave anything stock in my life. Vehicles are all tricked out, house, guns and fishing gear is no different. It makes things unique to your own style. Does one of my tricked out, color matched fishing combos work any better then anyone else's stock combo, of course not. Does it put a big ol smile on my face and make me enjoy using it that much more, absolutely!
crypt reply :
all of my Ambassadeur's get faster gears,sometimes a better handle,ceramic line guide pawl. levelwind gear bearing upgrade. shallow spools on some models. upgrade bearings when needed. that's about it.
craww reply :
I like to tinker, and will swap parts around, add a bearing to a handle knob or install a longer handle on occasion. I enjoy making performance improvements but it's always been tough to justify the cost of what some of these aftermarket parts go for. I can appreciate it but I always can find other things I'd rather spend my play money on LOL.
My experience with actually tuning and polishing is that many current reels offer little to no tangible evidence and a whole lot of it is hookum/placebo effect. At one point there could be a dramatic difference. But things like brass discs under the cast control cap/sideplate, Spool shafts that don't disengage from the pinion, rough gears that need to be "broken in", less generous implementation of bearings etc, were areas that could be tangibly tweaked in the past. These days not so much. I've even noticed that the Korean BPS reels and such seem to have better bearings in them, MUCH improved drags than they did 10 years ago. Even Daiwas, which were the first reels to get drags upgraded have improved greatly in that aspect.
I mainly just keep my spool bearings flushed and lubed with a lightweight oil. All my reels get torn down initially and I remove all of the excess Grease, as I like a reel that offers a little less resistance then what the factory offers. Once a season, (unless a real gets dunked) I tear the whole thing down and clean and relube. Try to keep an eye on things like the level wind along the way.
diehardbassfishing reply :
Really appreciate cork on my rods, and cork reel handle knobs. I'm big on cork knob upgrading. I play with hybrid and full ceramic bearings. Not a big deal here - don't see any real performance benefit. Mainly for the option of very light lube or no lube operation.
My favorite mod is bearing shield (usually one side) removal. Makes flushing and oiling so much more effective.
Karl
papajoe222 reply :
I've switched out bearings on all my Daiwa Sols and Fuegos, added swept star drags and carbon fiber handles to the Sols and switched out gears on two of them. I do it mostly to keep from buying new reels, It's cheaper to do an $80 upgrade than dish out $200 for a new reel that I don't really know if I'll like.
junyer357 reply :
I do a deep clean and degrease the bearings on my reels when i take them out of the box. I have found several that came with too much grease, at least for my liking, from the factory. I then re-oil and grease them and spool them up. Then its a deep clean before each spring, and oil as needed on worm gear and other parts.
Mbirdsley reply :
What is the Ball park figure for up graded bearings For spinning reel? Or does it depend on the reel? I have a favorite spinning reel that I’ve have had for 8 years and noticed this spring that the bearings on the oscillating shaft had some rust in them. The reel works fine but, I’m wondering if this winter I should replace them?
J Francho reply :
I don't see any reason to change bearings on a spinning reel, unless one is shot.
SBFISHING reply :
do yall have any specific places you buy parts from? iv searched around on hawgtech and some others as well. just wondering opinions.
J Francho reply :
On 7/20/2018 at 9:41 PM, SBFISHING said:do yall have any specific places you buy parts from? iv searched around on hawgtech and some others as well. just wondering opinions.
Hawgtech, Hedgehog Studios, Smooth Drag, direct from the manufacturer. You can also find stuff on eBay and Amazon.
Mbirdsley reply :
On 7/20/2018 at 9:01 PM, J Francho said:I don't see any reason to change bearings on a spinning reel, unless one is shot.
I was just thinking of changing the rusty bearings out before it locked up on me while on the water. Factory replacement ones are very little money.
rippin-lips reply :
On 7/20/2018 at 9:41 PM, SBFISHING said:do yall have any specific places you buy parts from? iv searched around on hawgtech and some others as well. just wondering opinions.
Hedgehog Studio
The Tackle Trap
PLAT
Japan Tackle
Direct from ZPI
Leciel Style
OnthePotomac reply :
Bantam1, who some may know is the long time Shimano rep has always said that no bait caster spins at an RPM high enough to realize any improvement beyond an ABEC 5 bearing and that carbon fiber drags do not increase drag value, but do improve drag efficiency.
Stephen B reply :
On 7/20/2018 at 9:41 PM, SBFISHING said:do yall have any specific places you buy parts from? iv searched around on hawgtech and some others as well. just wondering opinions.
Whatever aftermarket parts (ZPI, Hawgtech, Hedgehog, BOCA, Spool Speed, etc) you decide to go with try to order/buy directly from them.
related Fishing Rods Reels Line Knots topic
most viewed Fishing Rods Reels Line Knots topic
© 2024 - fishing.qciss.net. All Rights Reserved.