Daily beater Curado

A friend went snakehead hunting sometime back and decided that it's about time to service his super reliable daily beater of Shimano's Curado. This reel hasn't been serviced for a while and only grease top up was done way back too.

The outlook of this reel is a no frills, straight to business type of reel. No fancy trickery, just awesome value. There aren't any issues with this reel, it just keeps going. A quick crank and drag test says that it's very well used, well integrated mechanical functions. Smooth, light and no hiccups. It should be a straight forward service.

Ready to be dissected, cleaned, re-lubed and put together.

1 ball bearing for each handle. Lock nut doubles up as a washer bearing. No rust, just works. Can definitely spin better, creamier and smoother with new packing of marine grease.

1 ball bearing for each handle while the lock nut doubles up as a washer bearing.

Clean exterior, no gunks around external fasterners. Light stains around the body and that's about as dirty this reel gets.

Spool's out, peeking through is RP Custom hybrid ceramic bearings. Main shaft is super clean with no signs of grease too.

Both RP Custom hybrid ceramic bearing looks to be in excellent condition. Spins freely without grit. Best left as it is.

One way bearing's clean too, no rust, no grease. Gearbox is a little dry. Drags too.

Apart from a dry gearbox, the drag system too is a little dry. Needs simple contact cleaning and re-lubed with drag grease to restore its smooth and full stopping power.

The first sign of grease top up, possibly mixed with original factory grease. Ultrasonic cleaning in the cards together with some mixed grease bearings.

Mixed grease combo to spanking clean surfaces in minutes ready for new layer of marine grease.

The crank case and cover's brushed down, contact cleaned and ready for a new coat of marine grease to displace water.

As value reel goes, there aren't many ball bearings installed. Marine grease pack some of them, re-coat all internal surfaces and the reel's ready for reassembly.

Top left, one way bearing's contact cleaned with a new application of one-way bearing oil. Top right, a few bearings to be packed with marine grease. The remainder gears and drag discs awaiting their respective lubrication coating.

Gears are all in excellent condition with no damages. Stock drag discs are also in excellent condition.

A typical rebuild layering lubrication in between parts installation.

Ready for more daily beating with minimal fuss.

This truly is a fire and forget reel. Strong alloy based body, simple mechanical functions, ball bearings loaded where it mattered reducing chances of mechanical failure of premature rust damages.

The difference before and after this service is that it's slightly tighter, smoother and creamier to crank. Drag take is also slightly smoother. It should serve the owner many more years to come.