Curado E7 Problems

[David P]

I purchased 11 new Curado E7s not too long ago. Most have had 5-10 trips of use and some not even 5.

I just noticed a problem with 1 yesterday, then a different one today, and now upon looking a 3rd one looks as it is coming down with the same issue.

Upon casting the reel, it's making a grinding scratching noise. They're all lubed up and nothing appears to be wrong. The only thing I notice is these little circular grooves (photo below)

In the photo you can see circular grooves. It seems as though the spool grinding against them is causing this noise. Or at least that's my guess.

Any idea what might be causing this? The 3 reels look to be in different stages of this issue, as one has a ton of them, 1 has a handful and then one has only a few .

[Raul]

How loose/tight is your tension knob ?

If too loose the spool moves sideways and as it spins it rubs against the frame.

[MMan16]

Yup I would say tension knob is the first place to look. Tighten it alittle more see if the noise is still there.

[.RM.]

Even with the cast control cap adjusted lose, the spool engagement pin would keep the spool well off of the frame in that area, as the engagement pin sits in the slots in the pinion gear.

IMPO something came lose and could have been free floating between that spool race and the spool itself.

Did anything fall out of the reels when you opened them up?

If the reels are less than a year old, I would send them into Shimano for warranty work now. If older, than Mike (DVT) should be consulted.

Good Luck & Tight Lines!

[David P]

Even with the cast control cap adjusted lose, the spool engagement pin would keep the spool well off of the frame in that area, as the engagement pin sits in the slots in the pinion gear.

IMPO something came lose and could have been free floating between that spool race and the spool itself.

Did anything fall out of the reels when you opened them up?

If the reels are less than a year old, I would send them into Shimano for warranty work now. If older, than Mike (DVT) should be consulted.

Good Luck & Tight Lines!

They're a month maybe two old. Still very new. All 3 had nothing inside when opened up at all, and I was very careful to pay attention.

Now I'm worried all of them are going to start to do this. 3 so far, grrrr! My Stradic 3000 is making a strange noise too and it's only a month old.

[RussBert]

. The only thing I notice is these little circular grooves (photo below)

Those marks are from the manufacturing process. They were not made by your spool.

Personally I would flush out the spool bearings and re-lubricate them with a light reel oil (like the Shimano supplies with the Curado's)

[rubba bubba]

Open a couple of the E7's that are NOT making the noise up and see if the spool has the markings or not.

Most likely they will have the same marks as I don't think that's your issue.

[David P]

. The only thing I notice is these little circular grooves (photo below)

Those marks are from the manufacturing process. They were not made by your spool.

Personally I would flush out the spool bearings and re-lubricate them with a light reel oil (like the Shimano supplies with the Curado's)

I just received one today from TW in the mail. Has absolutely no markings at all. Not to mention, if it was from the manufacturing process, why do some have severe amounts of those markings and others barely any?

[Fat-G]

. The only thing I notice is these little circular grooves (photo below)

Those marks are from the manufacturing process. They were not made by your spool.

Personally I would flush out the spool bearings and re-lubricate them with a light reel oil (like the Shimano supplies with the Curado's)

I just received one today from TW in the mail. Has absolutely no markings at all. Not to mention, if it was from the manufacturing process, why do some have severe amounts of those markings and others barely any?

Maybe that's why you got such a good deal...?

[RussBert]

I just received one today from TW in the mail. Has absolutely no markings at all. Not to mention, if it was from the manufacturing process, why do some have severe amounts of those markings and others barely any?

The sideplates are injection molded from a polymer material mixed with graphite fibers. The molds that these sideplates are made in have multiple "cavities". Each cavity produces one side plate, and molds will have multiple cavities in them so they produce many sideplates each time the mold cycles.

Each cavity is somewhat unique, and slightly different than the other ones. What you are seeing are the tooling marks made from the end mill that machined that particular cavity.

That surface that has the toolmarks is non-functional so surface finish isn't as important as the outside of the reel, where a very smooth and polished finish is required.

[Micro]

Those are machining marks.  My new Curados have those marks.  Both have been used 4 times already.  They are working flawlessly.

If those marks were your problem, then not only would something have to be stuck between your spool and the frame face, but whatever it was would have to be rotating as well to leave swirls. 

Whatever your problem, those marks isn't it.

[David P]

I just received one today from TW in the mail. Has absolutely no markings at all. Not to mention, if it was from the manufacturing process, why do some have severe amounts of those markings and others barely any?

The sideplates are injection molded from a polymer material mixed with graphite fibers. The molds that these sideplates are made in have multiple "cavities". Each cavity produces one side plate, and molds will have multiple cavities in them so they produce many sideplates each time the mold cycles.

Each cavity is somewhat unique, and slightly different than the other ones. What you are seeing are the tooling marks made from the end mill that machined that particular cavity.

That surface that has the toolmarks is non-functional so surface finish isn't as important as the outside of the reel, where a very smooth and polished finish is required.

Please don't take this the wrong way, as I may be mistaken, and I may have also mislead you by what I said. It seems as though maybe you're talking about the two little gold circles? And the third one to the top right of that in the photo.

These aren't what I'm talking about (if this is what you're speaking of).

If you look above that top gold circle, you can see tons of what look in the photo to be scratched out half circles. It's tons of scratches.

If you understood that and are still saying that's what they're from, please excuse me.

[BASSclary]

Have you tried applying reel grease to it, then casting to see if the noise goes away?

[RussBert]

David P,

I see what you see, the swirls are created when an end mill cuts the steel that is used to manufacture the mold cavities.

The gold circles are the bottom of the studs that the pinion carrier rides on

I've been a toolmaker (fancy name for a machinist) for 31 years, and I spent 9 of those years building plastic injection molds here,

http://www.conntool.com/

For the record, my Curado E7 has those marks as well

[Micro]

I just cleaned one of my Daiwa Sols and one of my Fuegos.  Both of those reels have those tool marks on the frame face.  Particularly the Fuego.   :-?  I would have never noticed them but for this thread. 

[hitchhiker]

Don't know if if it's just glare from the pic, but the circle on the lower right end of the reel (where the spool rim would be) looks like it's shinier than the rest of it. Probably just glare, but that large ring doesn't have the same oxidation as the rest of the machine marks. Could indicate some sort of grinding of spool against frame imperfection, but like I said it 's probably glare.

[hitchhiker]

Also, how does the spool rim look?

[fathom]

fwiw, the e5 and e7 i used to own had the same markings.

a fishing partner owns them now (he has 9 of them) and they still perform as well today as the day i bought them.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

David,

I concur with RM, if the reel's under warranty, Shimano should make it right. I'm also not sure that the noise and marks in your photo are related. No way to tell really without seeing the whole reel.

[Shane Procell]

I have the same issue with my new Curado E7's. I believe the sounds are slack between the pinion gear (i think this is the gear shown in the photo)and the spools. Only happens when I throw side arm with the reel facing either side down. When I make an over hand cast i have no such sound. I'am not complaining but it is somewhat annoying.

[roadwarrior]

Call Dan Thornburn at Shimano or send him an e-mail:

http://fish.shimano.com/publish/content/global_fish/en/us/index/customer_service0.html

[Bantam1]

I actually replied to his email today that came through the Shimano webiste. Those circular marks are normal from the milling process. Send the reel in and we wil take a look at it. I'm not sure what TW's policy is, but they may just replace the reel for you. I would rather see the reel.

I bet the cast control is a little loose allowing the spool to walk making the noise you are hearing. Either way we will address the problem and make sure your reel is right. 

[jamarkwe]

as stated before those are machine marks from an end mill.....100% positive...I'm a machinist

[David P]

Really hate to even make this update...

Sent in a few Curado E7s that were making the noise, along with a new (used 3 time) Stradic. I received the Curado E7s back 2 weeks after I shipped them (not bad at all). Curados worked fine, although no reason as to what fixed them and why they were making the noise.

The Stradic on the other hand... They needed to order parts, Shimano needed to order parts! Not only that, but for a brand new reel, that's barely been fished. I waited another few weeks and just received the Stradic last week. Problem fixed, after replacing the pinion gear, drive gear and ball bearings...

Now as of last week, yet another Curado is making the noise (not one of the ones that had been sent in). Again, at my expense, I'm having to send it in!

To be fair, the ones that are working and haven't had trouble, have been good. They're smooth, cast well, and great reels for the price, but the troublesome ones have been a lot of trouble!