Baitcaster Play

[Michigander]

I have a handful of Daiwa Fuego baitcasters and really like them. However, I'm developing a taste for nicer rods and I can sometimes feel a false positive bite on my most sensitive rod from the subtle tick of the handle/spool on the reel shifting a bit. As my nice rod collection grows, I anticipate this will worsen.

 

I'm also kind of price averse when it comes to reels so I'm wondering:

 

A ) Is there a way to modify a reel to eliminate or greatly reduce play in a reel?

 

B ) What are the least expensive reels in the mid tier that have really tight tolerances on their parts?

[redmeansdistortion]

Break it down, clean it, and lubricate it properly and that should help out a good amount.

[garroyo130]

Are you referring to the in/out play of the handle? 

[Michigander]

5 minutes ago, redmeansdistortion said:

Break it down, clean it, and lubricate it properly and that should help out a good amount.

Legitimate suggestion but I still notice it after a full maintenance session. I do a full disassemble and clean at the beginning of the season and half way through. What I like less than buying a reel in the first place is replacing it due to neglect.

2 minutes ago, garroyo130 said:

Are you referring to the in/out play of the handle? 

Yes, and a little around the knobs.

[garroyo130]

I'm not sure if that get eliminated completely ... you may have to go to ultra-high end reels but someone else may be able to tell for sure

 

I can tell you there is no significant difference in level of play between the Fuego CT and the Curado K. 

[Michigander]

1 minute ago, garroyo130 said:

I'm not sure if that get eliminated completely ... you may have to go to ultra-high end reels but someone else may be able to tell for sure

 

I can tell you there is no significant difference in level of play between the Fuego CT and the Curado K. 

Oh... then I will stop wondering about them.  Thank you, that's a very helpful comparison. Maybe I should be looking at aftermarket handles....

 

[12poundbass]

Get rid of them and start fresh. I’ll dispose of them for you. I’ll meet you in St. Johns to pick them up. ?

[Michigander]

Just now, 12poundbass said:

Get rid of them and start fresh. I’ll dispose of them for you. I’ll meet you in St. Johns to pick them up. ?

? Well, thankfully not all my rods are good enough to notice. 

[redmeansdistortion]

You can remove some of the slop by adding a shim between the driveshaft collar and driveshaft gear.  The shim will be the same ID as the driveshaft bearing.  You will want to get a few different thicknesses to experiment and find which one works best.

[Michigander]

36 minutes ago, redmeansdistortion said:

You can remove some of the slop by adding a shim between the driveshaft collar and driveshaft gear.  The shim will be the same ID as the driveshaft bearing.  You will want to get a few different thicknesses to experiment and find which one works best.

Ok, I'm into trying that. Maybe I can shim up the handles too if I can get them off. One side looks riveted but there's a decorative cap on the exterior side that might be able to be removed.