Shimano Curado Full Reel Cleaning - Part 1- Taking the reel apart

Shimano makes awesome reels, but every reel needs a cleaning once in a while. I fully take apart the reel once a year and clean it before putting it up for the season if I only fish fresh water with it. However when I fish saltwater, it needs to be done more often. This also should be done if the reel gets dunked in water, especially saltwater.
Warning: This is just an example on how I fix my reels, please proceed at your own caution. I am not responsible for you breaking your reel or shimano voiding you’re warranty. Also, do not attempt to take apart DC “digital cast control” reels. Only get a licensed and certified repair person to take those reels apart.
If you like this reel and want to buy one, here is a link for it. amzn.to/2IniQ1w
Here is a list of things you will need and links to where you can purchase them...
Reel oil - amzn.to/2o901GO
Reel Grease - amzn.to/2pIDyQV
Micro Screwdriver Kit - amzn.to/2o9cvOL
Qtips - amzn.to/2yv7bI7

[@mav9898]

Great vid man.

[@McFlyAngler]

Thanks

[@spoaus0002006]

One of the best tools of late is your phones camera, i stripped a Toyota Landcruiser down to a bare chassis and rebuilt it using the photos taken, made it a whole lot easier and i now use it for everything, including Reel Maintenance.

[@McFlyAngler]

I agree, photos help no doubt. This video was actually filmed I believe around 5-6 years ago. Before I got one of the fancy iPhones. Haha

[@clinttoney]

The curved washers are called bellville washers or wavy washers and they help to eliminate thrust.

[@McFlyAngler]

Thanks.

[@tsb1988]

Note that the 201I (left handed version) has left handed threads on the main handle retaining nut . I just learned the hard way 😂 Part #bnt 4906

[@McFlyAngler]

Good to know, thanks! Yeah, I don't own the left hand. I used to clean reels back in the day (about 15 years ago) for a tackle shop. Probably cleaned about 10 a week. But that was many years ago, and technology has changed quite a bit.

[@eddymatchette5521]

Can't believe how much I neglected my curado until I took it apart to clean. Excellent video.

[@McFlyAngler]

Ha! For sure man, thank you!

[@otulp]

Were you ever able to remove the drive shaft at the 13:10 mark? If yes, how? I can't move mines either and I'm hoping the shaft isn't stuck due to rust/corrosion.

[@McFlyAngler]

In the newer shimanos they made that non removable. I had forgotten when I made the video

[@instantjizz]

Does this apply to the curado dc? As i have one and need to take it apart to apply a clicking drag kit.

[@McFlyAngler]

The DC is kinda different so I’d say let a professional take care of that reel.

[@lmbbarnes]

I just got this reel last week and i noticed a small vibration if i just reel in and let it spin by itself(i dont free the spool like while casting i just reel in). It's only once the spool starts to slow down though. Do you think you know what the problem is or should i just see if it goes away after a couple more weeks?

[@McFlyAngler]

I wouldn't know what the problem is unless I had the reel in front of me. Is it new? Or did you buy it used? If its new, take it into the place you bought it and they can exchange it for a new one I'm sure.

[@ombossgt8]

Very very useful informational video. I gave a complete clean up for my curado 201hg and also upgraded the bearings with some ceramic hybrids. Can’t be happier, I notice there is a play in the handle as in I can pull it away from the body a little bit if you know what I mean. Is it normal?? Thanks much for these videos

[@McFlyAngler]

Thanks! I haven't ever had it pull away at all, so probably not normal. Without looking at it though I cannot really diagnose the issue...

[@ombossgt8]

Thank you very much. I just took it apart to take a closer look and found there's a bit of vertical play on the very end of the drive shaft. It's not felt when I normally crank, but if I pull it up side ways from the body I can feel it. Not sure if'm missing a washer or something. Will look it up. Cheers!

[@McFlyAngler]

From my recollection there is a plate that goes over the shaft and screws to the bottom to hold it in place, could be wrong though on that specific model. If there isn’t any plate then it’s the one that clicks in, and that from my memory on working on these in the past, I remember a few had loosened up, or got streatched out. I remember it wasn’t an easy fix and was almost as expensive in parts as a new reel. However if there is a plate to screw in over it, then make sure it’s screwed down tightly, and if it is, then maybe try replacing just that plate.

[@McFlyAngler]

But again, this is from a quite a few years ago working on these at a tackle shop. So I can’t say for sure. In all honesty, anything more Than just a cleaning I need to recommend taking the reel to your local shop for them to look at it.

[@ombossgt8]

McFly Angler really appreciate you taking the time to respond. So I know what you mean by the plate under the shaft. I may have misplaced it or may be not since it’s not on the schematic. I’ll try to cut a makeshift shim washer and see if that’s going to help. I’ll let you know how it goes.

[@vanxuanxt]

hello sir, Did you ever figure out how to take off the drive shaft? I removed the two screw on the metal plate but is unable to pop it out. Thanks

[@McFlyAngler]

I haven’t tried since on this reel. I haven’t been conventional fishing in years

[@sweetp2202]

I’m new to bait casters and the cast control knob is stuck on my shimano caenan so I can’t fit the side plate on so I was wondering if taking it apart than cleaning it or fixing it is needed or if their is a simple solution

[@McFlyAngler]

Cast control knob, so the knob under the handle? And did you already remove the whole side plate? Just can't put it back? Not sure how you removed it if its stuck though... Please clarify, as im having a hard time understanding what is actually the issue.

[@justinm.3594]

Hey! I was curious, i know this video is from 2016 but I have to ask because I'm currently taking apart my Curado to correct a wobble in the star drag, leading me all the way down to the drive shaft and retainer. Please if you can respond it would be highly appreciated. My question is, should the driveshaft wiggle at all? If not I've got a problem 😂

[@McFlyAngler]

No, it shouldn’t... at least that I noticed whenever I’ve done this to mine.

[@McFlyAngler]

There should be a cross bar type piece that has two screws on either side of the shaft at the bottom “below all the gears” check if they are screwed in all the way. If so, check if that piece is bent. If it is, you could be fine with just replacing that bar. I think you can get parts at some local shops. Shouldn’t cost too much. Hopefully this fixes it.

[@DavidC-ut3kk]

Hi man, really helpful video series. At around the 12:17 mark of the video , the entire spool release system pops off, including the pinion gear (part 4923 in the schematic/manual). When I disassembled my reel, everything came out except for the pinion gear, making it impossible to put the rest of the spool release system back on. Any insight on how to get this part out?

[@McFlyAngler]

Ok

[@parkeranderson7086]

skip to 4:38 for actual content.

[@daffamaulana6794]

I'm using Shimano scorpion DC right now..and i'm confused to choose what oil that will match to my reel because Shimano oil to much expensive for me

[@McFlyAngler]

This is Definitely not a DC reel breakdown. It’s for the curado and other similar baitcasters. I do believe they require a specific oil for the DC reels.

[@troutdaddy3600]

Thanks, I just jammed my Curado K with sand, but the bullet weight on the fluke though?

[@McFlyAngler]

I’m sorry, hope this video helped. And what about a fluke?

[@troutdaddy3600]

McFly Angler oh it’s just that most people rig flukes weightless for a better retrieve. It’s really the way that you work it, and weightless may not be better for you. It’s really your choice, and I guess this works for you. I just always see people rig flukes weightless to imitate a fleeing baitfish more. But this video really helped my Curado K was jammed when I recently went to South Padre and it works great now. Thanks

[@McFlyAngler]

Oh, yeah this video was not about flukes or fishing them, personally I think fishing them weighted or non weighted purely depends on the fishing situation.

[@troutdaddy3600]

McFly Angler yep

[@ericethridge8334]

My shimano 50e is lockup on the brake side. Any idea how to get it off.

[@McFlyAngler]

What do you mean? Please explain further

[@dkat1108]

Is this reel big enough to handle say 30 lb lingcod. I see people fish lingcod with baitcasters and I am worried they cant hold up to the riggers of big weights say 8 to 16 oz?

[@McFlyAngler]

+D Kat how deep are you fishing? I would say a curado 300 would be fine with the weight, but would rather a tranx... this won't hold enough line to get deep enough for most rockfish fishing... I've caught plenty of inshore species with this reel though! Calico bass, small yellowtail/durado, redfish, specks, snook, etc... it has enough oomph to bring cod in, just would be tiresome to drag up a 16oz lure from the depths of davey Jones locker... also the reel holds very little line.

[@dkat1108]

Oh about 30ft to 120 ft and I like 40lb mono.

[@McFlyAngler]

Yeah its not going to hold 120 ft of 40lb I don't think. The tranx probably will though....

[@dkat1108]

OK I think I will go back to a conventional reel just a smaller size like the Okuma Cold Water 20 or 30. What do you think?

[@McFlyAngler]

If it holds enough line, and has decent internal parts, then yes thats a good idea. I don't know Okuma too well, so I'm not familiar with that reel. I used to do a lot of deep water fishing with a Calcutta 700, and a Trinidad 20. Again I'm more of a shimano guy. I tend to think their internal parts are more simple but better than some others. I generally recommend Shimano, Diawa, or Abu Garcia. Another few great reels for what you are looking to do is a simple Penn Jigmaster, Shimano Speedmaster, or Diawa Sealine 20...

[@jackfoster8344]

I tried removing the reverse bearing exactly like you did in this video and completely destroyed the bearing and can’t take it out fully to replace it. Any advice?

[@McFlyAngler]

Oh sounds like there was a problem with it. Maybe even it got almost glued in from muck and grime? How dirty was the inside when you opened it? Or maybe it’s a newer model? I haven’t taken any open since 2017 and maybe they have glued in these bearings since?

[@jackfoster8344]

McFly Angler I did manage to chisel the broken bearing out of the plate so I’ll be able to replace it no problem. The inside wasn’t too dirty and the wall surrounding the bearing was smooth, and the bearing itself was clean as well. Perhaps the plate itself was slightly warped or defective making it so tight on the bearing. Either way it should be good to go so long as I don’t need to take out the bearing again! Btw awesome video!

[@McFlyAngler]

Glad you like the video, and really happy you got it fixed.

[@jackfoster8344]

McFly Angler so I got the replacement clutch bearing from shimano Installed it perfectly but the bearing is squeaky? Any way to get rid of that?

[@McFlyAngler]

Are we talking about the bearing that is the single direction bearing? The anti-reverse bearing? Like where you put it in upside down and it won’t reel? Or are we talking about another bearing?

[@daffamaulana6794]

Have you ever had problem when using another oil to Shimano oil...help me please

[@McFlyAngler]

Not with the non DC reels. I didn’t get many in to fix before, as shimano recommends sending the DC’s in for them to work on only. I don’t recommend you doing anything other than fish the DC. Send it in to shimano to clean.

[@anythingadrenaline9984]

I have 5 curados . Do you offer a tune up/ cleaning service?

[@McFlyAngler]

Oh no, not at all man, sorry. I just don’t have the time lately. I work about 100-120 hours a week. Haha

[@anythingadrenaline9984]

McFly Angler 120hrs. Jeez buddy. What's your day job?

[@McFlyAngler]

Website development... I do that about 50-60 hours a week, and this channel I do about 40-60 hours a week. Editing takes forever bro! Lol. My fly fishing show I do on here takes me 20-30 hours of editing each episode. Then I’ve got the other 2-3 videos to work on. This channel actually has become a job. Still enjoyable though!

[@drumandball]

How different is this from the curado 70?

[@McFlyAngler]

I think the internals are similar, just different size.

[@LilMOMMAson]

Helpful hint: the reel handle can be used to loosen the drag nut.

[@McFlyAngler]

Ok good to know

[@WayneTheSeine]

Where is the click detent that I think is supposed to go on the star drag. Mine fell out and I lost the small spring. Can't really determine how it is supposed to go in but it really doesn't seem to need it. Maybe you lost yours as well on a previous tear down. See parts 2122 & 2123 in parts diagram. It appears to go somewhere on the star drag.

[@McFlyAngler]

I still have it. Yeah don’t loose that man... just mine didn’t pop out, and I didn’t need to clean it this time around.

[@WayneTheSeine]

I think I found the problem but have not addressed it yet. I think the detente goes under the plastic disc that is held in place under the pentagon shaped clip on top of the star drag. Apparently the spring is still in place as I still feel the clicking. I just can't imagine how it could get out of the detente disc. All I did was take off the star drag but did not disassemble it.

[@McFlyAngler]

I’ll review this tonight when I’m not just on my phone. Hopefully I can help ya.

[@Xng88]

No point to take everything off when you can just lube the important parts clean, lube, n back onto the rod that's it.

[@McFlyAngler]

Not true, you can’t Lube the important parts without taking apart.

[@FishnTv]

Negative ghost rider...if you want a deep clean especially on these curados you need to take em all apart. Which is why I'm watching this video cause im hoping he takes off the one part I cant figure out how to take off lmao.

[@christianmyrick1971]

I caught one in my castnet on the bottom of the lake, can i just lube and put it back on the rod? Hahaha

[@banjopete]

Good idea putting things in order, don’t let the cat jump up!

[@McFlyAngler]

LOL! Yeah for sure, luckily I don’t have a cat, never have, never will. Not a fan of those evil little things. I always joke around about it. One of my jokes is that God allowed Satan to make 2 creatures, and he created the spider and the Cat. LOL!

[@xersrt]

Would this be the same if I did it on a curado dc

[@McFlyAngler]

No

[@reeltimefishing4115]

Is the curado k built the same at this one?

[@McFlyAngler]

To be honest I have not opened up the K, but I imagine it would be similar unless they come out with a DC version of it which would be different for sure. I really don’t know 100% though without opening one up. They might have changed up some of the features and insides over time. I haven’t had my hands on any new baitcaster reels since the one in this video.

[@The_Great_White]

Damnit I’m afraid to attempt this lol.

[@McFlyAngler]

Lol if it seems like too much, definitely don’t do it then. It’s not too expensive to take it for a cleaning at your local fishing shop

[@brandons2079]

That’s a good spot for flounder in the first minute of the video.

[@McFlyAngler]

Ya? That hurricane changed everything down there man. Lol

[@brandons2079]

McFly Angler lol I live there dude, I fish it all the time.

[@brandons2079]

Also, I’m taking apart a curado while watching your video, followed it to a t...up until I realized there’s a random spring unaccounted for lol.

[@McFlyAngler]

Awesome man! Jealous! What I meant is that, this video is like 3 years old, it was made before the hurricane. That spot wasn’t a place I would have went for flounder before, but I cane down after the hurricane and everything was different. So I believe you that it’s good for flounder because all my regular spots had changed after the hurricane. As for the spring, whatcha mean? Like the spring was not in my curado? But it’s in yours? Is it the same year curado? What does it look like, maybe I could help you find where it goes? Like what size?

[@McFlyAngler]

Better yet. If you could find me on Instagram we can send pics back and fourth. I’ll be able to look at a pic of the spring and tell ya.

[@fernandomiron7557]

👏

[@McFlyAngler]

+Fernando Miron thanks!

[@mimproductions1837]

Spool release won’t come off, 12:11 ?

[@mimproductions1837]

Never mind, mine had two screws in there holding it down. Got it. Now to figure out why the spool release won’t click/release....

[@flyninja9985]

U did this for a living?

[@McFlyAngler]

No, I worked at a tackle shop and would work on people’s reels when they asked me to. I did many other things at that job than just clean reels

[@shadeshiest22]

how do i get that curado sparkle back? my reel use to sparkle like a bass boat!

[@McFlyAngler]

wipe it down after every trip... If the paint is fading, then nothing... That shouldn't happen though if you take care of the gear from the beginning...

[@bhmsupra]

is this a serious question?

[@ramonramirez9914]

My reel is does not reel in when I turn my handl

[@McFlyAngler]

Needs cleaning or if you already cleaned it you didn’t get it back together correctly

[@abramhouse8233]

I broke my Curado reel trying to clean it because of you

[@McFlyAngler]

Because of me? Lol. So how did you break it?

[@rayray2438]

What broke?

[@bhmsupra]

LoL

[@tombrockhoff3081]

My gears don't come out. The big main gear

[@McFlyAngler]

Hmmm, is it the same reel? Curado?

[@tombrockhoff3081]

McFly Angler it's an older model chronarch

[@McFlyAngler]

I think it should come out. But depending on how old, It might not. Im pretty sure it does though. Ive seen some that basically solder themselves to the shaft because of too much gunk. That could be a possibility also if its never been cleaned before, or just been a long time. If you can't get the off, just do your best to clean around them.

[@josephtousignant7318]

For someone with so much reel cleaning experience, I expected better and cringed every time I saw you popping out a precision bearing using a small steel screwdriver! Sorry man,...but polymer rods or wooden hardwood dowels in various sizes make more sense and much less likely to damage seals and bearing cages. Even your screwdrivers were too small in handle to have proper grip, .....an accident waiting to happen slipping off the screw heads and gouging the reel or your hand. And the monstrous wrench,...well,...they make those in more appropriate sizes. I have a small 4 inch long crescent wrench I pack in my bicycle tool kit, that works great on some of my reels too. Small open end wrench's aren't rare either..... The bigger problem is a youngster sees this and thinks that's all OK,... but it's not if you want to do your best and I think you know that overall. Better to wait on a video until you have the right tools , and pass along good work habits than teach youngster's to be reel abusers. You get a "time out" for your transgressions! :-) Oh,..on reels with so many parts, budding reel techs might consider taking closeup digital photos along the disassembly process, to add it getting all the parts back properly.

[@McFlyAngler]

Too long didn’t read... well except for the very beginning part. As for the metal screw driver. I don’t have the wooden ones on me, and I’ve never hurt a bearing before doing it this way. And if I do, they aren’t expensive to replace.

[@josephtousignant7318]

@@McFlyAngler "Too long and didn't read",....? Really,..... I sat through your entire LONG 15 minute reel take down process,..... and you couldn't be bothered to take 2 minutes to read what you might learn from,... which I might add is just plain common sense! Probably explains why you still use a sharp steel bearing removal "tool" :-) For what it's worth, a bag of 100 or so 12 inch bamboo kabob sticks is just a few dollars at most any Supermarket,...a lifetime of more appropriate tools for bearing removal.

[@McFlyAngler]

I’m not doing the channel anymore my friend. Working 6 days a week, 12-16 hours a day. So yeah, I don’t have time to even take lunches at work, let alone read anything. Lol. Anyway, god bless, hope all works out for you. Take care my friend.

[@josephtousignant7318]

@@McFlyAngler Been there, done that for a LONG time too (35 years!) ,... 70-80 hour 7 day weeks (the last 8 years in a Mall setting) as a Bench Jewelry repairman / Diamond Setter. It gets OLD after awhile, as do we.... :-) Good luck to you also, and I hope you realize I was offering constructive criticism and hop you weren't offended. Cheers, Joe T

[@McFlyAngler]

I’m selling cars, I don’t get offended. Hahaha. No worries brother