Set it and forget it reel

Reels are the hottest topic for TackleTour. Everyone wants to know what the latest and greatest is and how they compare to the old guard. What's the best for light stuff, or what's your suggestion for heavy cover. Do we really need different retrieve ratios? It's all in here.
new2BC4bass
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Posts: 648
Joined: Sun Feb 27, 2011 5:53 am

Re: Set it and forget it reel

Post by new2BC4bass » Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:17 am

Sh402 wrote:
Tue Sep 14, 2021 4:38 pm
Well guys I got a chronarch 8 gears coming in the mail had a bunch of bass pro gift cards. Do you guys usually just run stock bearings? I think I read somewhere Shimano uses high quality ones.
A moderator on another forum said he was thrilled by the results of supertuning done on his Shimano by a sponsor. Don't remember if that included upgrading the bearings. Said the reel was way better after the supertune. So I sent the sponsor 2 stock Curado 51Es. Had one deep cleaned and the other supertuned and upgraded to ceramic bearings. I was disappointed. I couldn't tell the difference between them. Could be because I am not nearly as experienced as the moderator.

I've read the same thing about Shimano bearings.

DirtyD64
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Re: Set it and forget it reel

Post by DirtyD64 » Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:29 am

new2BC4bass wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:17 am
Sh402 wrote:
Tue Sep 14, 2021 4:38 pm
Well guys I got a chronarch 8 gears coming in the mail had a bunch of bass pro gift cards. Do you guys usually just run stock bearings? I think I read somewhere Shimano uses high quality ones.
A moderator on another forum said he was thrilled by the results of supertuning done on his Shimano by a sponsor. Don't remember if that included upgrading the bearings. Said the reel was way better after the supertune. So I sent the sponsor 2 stock Curado 51Es. Had one deep cleaned and the other supertuned and upgraded to ceramic bearings. I was disappointed. I couldn't tell the difference between them. Could be because I am not nearly as experienced as the moderator.

I've read the same thing about Shimano bearings.
If you treated your reels well and they were not in particularly bad shape, super tuning does less. A super tune is most felt for a reel that is desperate of a cleansing and has some rough bearings or grit in rotational areas. It is possible that your reels were just in pretty good shape already and the tune took them from a 8/10 to a 10/10. The mod could have been brutally rough on his reels and sent them in when they were 3/10 level.
I keep my reels decently clean and rarely feel a difference when giving them a good cleansing, flushing bearings, re lube, etc. Just feels very, very slightly better than before... And I probably only notice that because I know I cleaned my reels.

new2BC4bass
Elite Angler
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Joined: Sun Feb 27, 2011 5:53 am

Re: Set it and forget it reel

Post by new2BC4bass » Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:55 am

DirtyD64 wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:29 am
new2BC4bass wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:17 am
Sh402 wrote:
Tue Sep 14, 2021 4:38 pm
Well guys I got a chronarch 8 gears coming in the mail had a bunch of bass pro gift cards. Do you guys usually just run stock bearings? I think I read somewhere Shimano uses high quality ones.
A moderator on another forum said he was thrilled by the results of supertuning done on his Shimano by a sponsor. Don't remember if that included upgrading the bearings. Said the reel was way better after the supertune. So I sent the sponsor 2 stock Curado 51Es. Had one deep cleaned and the other supertuned and upgraded to ceramic bearings. I was disappointed. I couldn't tell the difference between them. Could be because I am not nearly as experienced as the moderator.

I've read the same thing about Shimano bearings.
If you treated your reels well and they were not in particularly bad shape, super tuning does less. A super tune is most felt for a reel that is desperate of a cleansing and has some rough bearings or grit in rotational areas. It is possible that your reels were just in pretty good shape already and the tune took them from a 8/10 to a 10/10. The mod could have been brutally rough on his reels and sent them in when they were 3/10 level.
I keep my reels decently clean and rarely feel a difference when giving them a good cleansing, flushing bearings, re lube, etc. Just feels very, very slightly better than before... And I probably only notice that because I know I cleaned my reels.
One reel was brand new. The other used, but looked like new. I couldn't remove the cover to set the brakes on the used reel. I didn't want to force something and damage the reel so I sent it out for repair and cleaning. Turned out the pin was bent. The used reel only got deep cleaned.

I baby my stuff. However, I don't like tinkering so I send my reels out for cleaning and any other work I want done...other than changing spools. Even I can do that. :laugh1:

Three things keep my reels looking nice. 1) I don't get out often anymore. 2) I have too many reels and like to rotate them so all get used occasionally, and 3) I learned the hard way to keep a cover on my reels whenever they aren't in my hand. A mint Chronarch 101A now has a bad boat rash spot on it. :sick: Lesson learned.

John G
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Location: Dunedin, Fl.

Re: Set it and forget it reel

Post by John G » Fri Sep 24, 2021 1:11 am

Sh402 wrote:
Tue Sep 14, 2021 4:38 pm
Well guys I got a chronarch 8 gears coming in the mail had a bunch of bass pro gift cards. Do you guys usually just run stock bearings? I think I read somewhere Shimano uses high quality ones.
My opinion is higher end Shimano's come equipped with great bearings and there is no need to upgrade to a loud set of ceramics unless you have some money burning a hole in your pocket and you want to waste it.

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