Thinking about replacing the bearings in my Stradic (circa 1995). Dont need too, but im looking for that silky smooth feel again.

Anyone have any experience with the ceramic upgrades? Their supposed to be better? much better?

I.Y.A.C.Y.A.S. '91

Could not comment on the ceramic bearings, as I did not know they even existed, until now.

However, I love those old Stradic spinning reels. I still have three with the wooden grips, and one later one that is several years old. I just get them reworked for a small fraction of the price of a new one. Can't seem to let them go. I am not convinced that those old $114 dollar reels are not as good as the new $179 version.

$20 bucks more but ceramic cant rust. May never even think about replacing them again.

http://www.bocabearings.com/search.aspx?SearchType=StartModel&ProductGroupID=5&MFGSYSID=123&ModelName=STRADIC%204000&Feature=SPINNING%20REEL

Worth it if you are bay fishing. Will take your cast length to a new level. Most of the stud guides you see casting 10-15 yards further than everyone else have ceramic bearings.

How do bearings effect cast distance for a spinning reel?

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How do bearings effect cast distance for a spinning reel?

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really if you want your reel to be more corrosion resistant replace that reel's bearings with nylon or brass bushings...the metal parts of hybrid bearings can still rust...

While it is a good question. It wasn't my question. I know it can't help casting distance in a spinning reel. I just want my silky smooth, "brand new" feeling back. Would ceramics be even silkier?

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I just want my silky smooth, "brand new" feeling back

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if you've lost that loving feeling, the reel doctor says to replace the gearset, not the bearings...

Since we are on topic of reel refurbish, I have a 10+ year old Curado 200 that has spent the majority of it's life in my garage.

I'm fishing a lot more now and would like to refurbish it, so what do I do?

carbontex drag washers...all of like $7

New gearset (get that **** now...parts are becoming scarce). $30

Bearings, if one's not bad, I'd just leave. Otherwise going to have to send that off to a professional to remove the spool bearing under the pin and upgrade. $40 or so for this as the bearing go about $20 and the shop will likely charge you 20 just for opening your reel up.

At the end of it all, congratulations, you will have spent more than the reel is worth...JK, but not kidding.

I'd probably stick to the drag washers and gearset (assuming its lost original smoothness).

Thanks for the fast response. It's still pretty smooth, I obviously haven't fished with it a lot.
A good cleaning and lube and it will be fine I'm sure. I was just curious and looking for something to do.

Recently replaced spool bearings on 2 of my curado 200E7's with Boca ceramics. Absolutely amazing results.... Much smoother feel and increased casting distances of ~ 15-20 yds.

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15-20 yds.

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Bovine feces...

And I hit my driver 10 yards further everytime I get a new one too...

i'll believe 15-20 ft. 15-20 yards i'll have to see.

Oh, and the spool bearings on the 200E are MUCH easier to upgrade than the 200B.

On the E you need to remove 2 little clips and then both bearings are 3x10x4 bearings (you only need to replace the tension cap and palming sideplate bearings).

But on the 200B, the handle side bearing is behind the spool pin, and you need a special tool to able to remove it. Also the palming plate bearing is 3x10x4 while the spool bearing is 5x11x4.

aggiegolfer03, where would one get a gear set? I cant find anything on the web.

shimano may have them, southwesternparts.com is always the last resort (they charge $10 for shipping no matter what it is).

There's a guy out of conroe who sells a lot of reel parts as well. I buy stuff from him all the time.

http://store.dadsoletackle.com/shimano-reel-parts/drive-gears-pinion-gears

Smoothdrag is the best place to get the carbon fiber washers (and they have them for almost any reel. The carbontex washers they sell are universally recognized as the best drag washers you can buy.)

smoothdrag.com
Best to just call them and order though (Ph: (760) 949-0271). I think the washer set on a Curado 200B runs about $7-$8 shipped (totally worth it, as the stock washers are garbage).

The part #'s on the gearset for the Curado 200B (6.2:1) are

BNT 1587 and BNT 1325.

[This message has been edited by aggiegolfer03 (edited 4/4/2012 2:12p).]

[This message has been edited by aggiegolfer03 (edited 4/4/2012 2:13p).]

If you want to cast further, push all your brakes in and let it fly.

you better be out of punching/grabbing and stangling distance of whoever you give that advice to...

[This message has been edited by aggiegolfer03 (edited 4/4/2012 4:34p).]

Just got off the phone with the guy at Boca Bearing Co.. He was very informative. basically said that as long as my drive gear was in good shape and my drive shaft was in good shape and not bent or scratched that it was probably crud in the bearings making it feel alittle "gritty". said that any new bearings would help with the smooth feel, and that the ceramic are lighter, faster and of course won't rust. He said you can even use them "dry" (no oil) but they tend to make alittle noise when they are dry and most people don't like that.


He said that you would definitely pick up some distance though on baitcasters.

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basically said that as long as my drive gear was in good shape and my drive shaft was in good shape and not bent or scratched that it was probably crud in the bearings making it feel alittle "gritty".

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he's also a bearing salesman...

I've had NUMEROUS reels that feel like sausage grinders and as soon as you pop in a new gearset are as good as new. Also you very rarely see wear on the gears, you really have to feel it to know they're worn. If your reel doesn't make excessive noise on casts and feels a little gritty it's the gears.

I've fished HUNDREDS of reels in my life time and have had literally 1 bearing go bad in my life. It just isn't as common for the bearings to be shot as people say (unless they get corroded).

On those old curados sometimes the drag washers get warped (VERY hard to see) and affect the feel on retrieves as well.

Not saying he's necessarily wrong, but bearing problems are not as common as fisherman think.

[This message has been edited by aggiegolfer03 (edited 4/4/2012 4:47p).]

OK, but again, im using a spinning reel. How am i going to feel the bearings on a spinning reel? They have nothing to do with it.

my bad...forgot where we were on the thread...

replied like we were talking about the Curado 200B...

yeah, spinning reel's gears have less of a tendency to wear than baitcasters...may be the bearings.

You don't need ceramics in a spinning reel though...nothing spins fast enough to need them.

damn, I ****ed this thread all up...

I replied to everything after CT's post about wanting to rejuvinate his Curado like we were talking about casting reels.

no, i don't NEED them, but they were less than $10 more and i'll never have to worry about them rusting again.

Now, next week (if this all turns out well) i'll do the same to my Adu Garcia C3 5501. Which i know has a bad gear cuz i've seen the rust on it.

BTW, He did give the smoothdrag website also. if i wanted to redo the drag also.

[This message has been edited by Kjodie (edited 4/4/2012 5:06p).]

the races of hybrid bearings are still stainless steel (and thus still susceptible to corrosion).

They CAN rust...

OK, replaced the bearings. Feels like a new one!!! (which is what i wanted).

Now for the Abu garcia 5501!

I want to do the same on my abu garcia USA 500 from the 80's when I was a kid.. I can't find any bearings for it though.

Anyone know?

i used bocabearings.com . Ask for Larry Aubain. He is the fishing reel specialist.

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really if you want your reel to be more corrosion resistant replace that reel's bearings with nylon or brass bushings...the metal parts of hybrid bearings can still rust...

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hahahah....best thing I ever did for my Ambassadeur 6500 C4's.....turn them back into 6500 C's...or as close as I can get.