Curado 50E

[Real Pudd legend]

Just picked up a few and was wondering besides changing the spool bearings, is there any other upgrades performance wise that I can add? like a bearing where a bushing is? Thanks for your time guys.

[Bantam1]

Not really. There is no way to add a bearing to the worm shaft. You could swap handles to gain a couple of bearings.

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

I just changed the bushings out of the knobs to bearings nice low dollar upgrade. A hobbyshop had the bearings that fit.

[fishingandfords]

Not really. There is no way to add a bearing to the worm shaft. You could swap handles to gain a couple of bearings.

swp handles? I also just added bearings to the stock handles

[Real Pudd legend]

Thanks for the helpful tips guys much appreciated. I have a 50E and a 200E7 they are new but feel a little dry......

[fishingandfords]

Thanks for the helpful tips guys much appreciated. I have a 50E and a 200E7 they are new but feel a little dry......

just toss some abec 7s in them

[bassninja]

The typical performance upgrades for a Curado E would be bearing swap, carbontex drag, polish internals, carbon fiber handles. If you want to finesse then Shimano BFS shallow spool.

[Bantam1]

I would like to see a true measure of the upgrades people do. Casting distance confirmation, drag performance at several settings and of course durability after all of the mods. I'm not trying to call you out here, well kind of. I read about all these "improvements" on the internet every day. There is no evidence to back it up really. One persons perspective is not what I would consider a true test of the measured performance gains. I am not calling these people liars. I think tests need to be done with a properly serviced new reel and then one that has been "supertuned" to see how much improvement there is.

[fishingandfords]

I would like to know you, spool bearings I agree might help but i'm not sold on changing the drag since I don't have a need where I live and polishing I don't know much about. but adding bearings to the paddles it a quick upgrade on the 50E

[Strewth]

I would like to see a true measure of the upgrades people do. Casting distance confirmation, drag performance at several settings and of course durability after all of the mods. I'm not trying to call you out here, well kind of. I read about all these "improvements" on the internet every day. There is no evidence to back it up really. One persons perspective is not what I would consider a true test of the measured performance gains. I am not calling these people liars. I think tests need to be done with a properly serviced new reel and then one that has been "supertuned" to see how much improvement there is.

Dan, I upgraded the bearings in my Curado 200E7 to ZPIs and measured about 10-15% extra casting distance compared with the stock bearings (flushed and oiled with Friction Zero). Using 30lb braid and casting lures 3/8 oz and up. The heavier the lure, the smaller the gain for straight casting (no flipping or pitching). This gain indicates that it is hardly worth the effort for me, as I can get plently of distance without upgrading. I have never felt the need to upgrade the stock drags in Shimano reels when new. The stock drag capacity is fine for my targets of barramundi, small tuna, trevally, queenfish, threadfin salmon, snapper, kingfish, etc with fish up to 15 kg. I grease my drags with a very light smear of Cals and they typically last for 3-4 years with twice yearly maintenance.

I tried various bearing upgrades in my Scorpion XT1000 and the casting improvement was minimal - same line and lure weights as above. This reel, and presumably the Curado 50E which is almost identical, is capable of handling very nice fish with a stock drag.

Bearing upgrades have a bigger benefit for throwing lures weighing 1/4 oz or less, but I don't do this often.

[bassninja]

I presume it would be like driving a sports car. Sure, the engineers at whatever might have put together a nice car, and it would drive fine just the way it is. But swap in a bigger turbo, some upgraded brakes, some bling on the wheels and your factory tuned sports car just purrs a little louder. But that's just my take on it. Like Bantam1 says, the reel works just fine right off the shelf. Also, a lot of good info in the maintenance and super tuning forum.

[fishingandfords]

I also blame cabin fever and TT for doing upgrades

[Bantam1]

A bigger turbo and upgraded brakes are very different than some bearings and a drag washer on the Curado.

[facelessnewsouth]

As stated by strewth and implied by bantam1, I don't think you're gaining a signifigant amount of performance with a bearing upgrade or drag upgrade over new, stock bearings and drag. There might be a slight increase in performance, and maybe even a percieved signifigance, but nothing huge and amazing, at least for throwing 3/8 and up, for bass.

Now if you throw in some high dollar ceramics, a BFS spool, and this and that, and throw 1/4 and less, you've got a completely different animal. So are upgrades worth it? Depends on what you're doing, and also depends on how it makes you feel. Personally, I think the performance of my 50e's are great. Only thing I'm changing is dropping in a 7:1 gearset in one for flipping/pitching/frogging this spring & summer.

*Note: If you want improved bearing performance, just clean your bearings out, and lube with a good quality oil. Shimano's bearings are sweeeeeeet when lubricated just right!

[sway630]

As stated by strewth and implied by bantam1, I don't think you're gaining a signifigant amount of performance with a bearing upgrade or drag upgrade over new, stock bearings and drag. There might be a slight increase in performance, and maybe even a percieved signifigance, but nothing huge and amazing, at least for throwing 3/8 and up, for bass.

Now if you throw in some high dollar ceramics, a BFS spool, and this and that, and throw 1/4 and less, you've got a completely different animal. So are upgrades worth it? Depends on what you're doing, and also depends on how it makes you feel. Personally, I think the performance of my 50e's are great. Only thing I'm changing is dropping in a 7:1 gearset in one for flipping/pitching/frogging this spring & summer.

*Note: If you want improved bearing performance, just clean your bearings out, and lube with a good quality oil. Shimano's bearings are sweeeeeeet when lubricated just right!

X2
I see no difference between cleaned and oiled stock bearings over Abec 7's. Every shimano I have gets cleaned and relubed before it hits the water.