Delaware Valley Tackle

Finding schematics and parts for limited run reels can be challenging. If you plan on keeping the reel for more than a season or two there are probably better values for just a little more like a BPS PQ which is one of the few store brand reels I readily recommend.

It's not uncommon for factories to mask noise from a reel by over-lubing. It sounds as though that you followed good procedure. As long as the drum is seated properly and oiled lightly the brakes shouldn't be terribly loud but will probably remain noticeable unless you grease the heck out of the drum which kinda puts you back to square one. The bearings will probably benefit flushing anyway and double checking the spool rim and seat areas cleaning with denat alcohol on the chance that you picked up some grit. It doesn't take much in the wrong spot to make noise. Remember if you change gear ratio you will need both the main gear and pinion.

A centrifugal brake drum is no place for grease. A very light coat of light oil wiped on with a cotton swab is sufficient. If modifying the brakes added to casting distance all you did is make the brakes not work. What exactly did you polish and with what? Has the reel been cleaned? Did you remove the bearing in the side plate while working on it? You may have contaminated the bearing and the noise is coming from there. If your model reel came in different gear ratios the conversion should be straight forward. If not you'll have to contact Quantum and see if there is a cross-reference with another reel.

Josh, Welcome back to the forum. I can't speak much for the Crucial but St Croix typically under rates their rod powers as compared to other brands. In general, exceeding a rod's listed lure weight range should be ok, but probably not the most effective choice. A rod rated for up to 1.5 oz will probably more pleasurable to fish if you'll be throwing a heavy rig often and all day.

The short answer is no, you don't have to use baitcasting gear to catch bass. It sounds like you are having extra problem by mis-applying your baitcasting gear. Baitcasting is generally for heavier tackle (line weights and bait weights). Typically, this means line 12#> and baits 1/2 oz>, of course there are exceptions to every rule. When properly applied, baitcasting will be more accurate to cast, especially at short to medium distances. For raw casting distance, spinning tackle can't be beat. You can successfully cath bass with either all casting or all spinning gear but IMO, mastering both gives you more options and enhances the overall experience. Your difficulty maintaining contact with you bait is likely the result of too heavy a rod for what you are throwing and the fact that the casting combo you are working with is on the lower end, not that it can't be made to work well for certain situations.

Look for a MH/Mod or Mod-Fast rod for over all crankbaiting. The ML power is too light.

My advice is to keep Reel Magic, WD-40 and all other similar spray silicones away from reel internals and levelwinds. The solvent that makes them sprayable actually acts as a degreaser and leaves little residual lubrication.

The D is ok but if you want a suped up Curado B, buy a B cheap and have it souped up. A properly Super Tuned Curado B will out cast a lot of newer reels. The E is improved over both prior versions. There was a problem with tight tolerances on the line guide and supports that caused some binding that could be felt but according to Shimano caused no permanent damage. An upgrade kit was made available. The D also is heavier after shimano put in all metal gears to meet what they perceived as a market desire.

"Micro" guides (>size 5) have been around for quite some time but are becoming more common on production rods as factories realize what custom builders figured out a while ago. That is that a rod performs best when the smallest, lightest guides suitable for the application are used. Suitable typically means a size that will pass the line, leader and any connections. A size 4 will pass an Albright knot connecting 65# braid to 17-20 leader. The next factor to consider is whether ice up or clogging by filimentous algae will be an issue. Other than those two things, "Micro" guides are the best choice for bass rod designs.

Grease is not the best option to lube worm gears due to their exposed nature. The grease collects dirt and gums them up. A couple drops of oil works fine. I use a toothpick to drop some 90wt gear oil into the groves. Jfrancho had a good idea of using ATF (automatic transmission fluid) The atf will lube very well but is thinner and may require slightly more frequent relubing.

I stand corrected, the sx spool changed with the 16 01 version.

It depends on what you're calling a small swimbait. For what I envision, I'd probably throw them on the same rod as a spinner-bait. For a deep cranking rod a Lamiglas SR705 R can't be beat. The current version is XCF 705R but I'm not positive if that is on the exact same blank or not.

It's not true that fluoro has no stretch either. I can see the sensitivity aspect of fluoro in certain situations where you're fishing on semi-slack line though. You're going to have some stretch unless you go with braid.

IMO absolutely for the centrifugal breaking alone. It is much easier to handle. Add the infini-spool design and other little details and it's $30 well spent.

The loomis rods are built on high quality blanks with high quality components, no doubt about it. However, they are still mass produced and suffer from the inherent QC issues as any other product. As a rod builder who buys components in much smaller lots than a big company like Shimano/Gloomis, I can assure you that a hefty share of the $500 price tag is the Loomis name and marketing, which includes the much debated replacement program. I strongly encourage anyone looking to invest in a high end rod to consider working with a competent custom builder.

The step up to the STX is even better. The added centrifugal braking is much easier to deal with.

It may just be dirty. If it's like the Revos the AR is press fit into the side case. The case needs to come off and you can spray the AR out with carb cleaner or similar solvent. Let it dry and oil it lightly with a cotton swab. The AR collar should be checked for damage as well. If the AR is damaged you'll need a new side plate from ABU. This will require a fairly indepth disassembly so if you're unsure send it in and I'll through the whole thing. As for what caused the problem, it's impossible to say without an inspection.

Ignorance really is bliss! lol

Any 10 mm box wrench can be used in place of the factory wrench. Rem Oil, 3 in1 or even sewing machine oil can be used on the bearings. You can also visit a tackle shop and grab some Oust reel oil. TG's Rocket Fuel (Yellow) can be ordered online.

You found a great deal there. Maybe not leaps and bounds better than the other two but you wont be disappointed.

You do now, it'll be there in a couple days!

I can see the advantage on paper, but in actual use I suspect the benefit to be minimal over another reel at that price point. I'm interested to hear more from actual users.

Another thing that makes these discussions difficult is that there is no industry standard for rod specs, it's all subjective. It would be easier to comment in detail if you are interested in a specific technique or two.

RW, U40 cork sealant will do a nice job and make the cork easier to claen in the future.

Your right on the basic definition of max drag. The BCX is on the lower end of ABU round reels which may explain some of why the drag isn't the most powerful. Drag power is determined by a combination of design features including area, drag washer material, number of washers in the stack and pressure applied. A big saltwater reel would typically need a heavier drag but a low pro fresh water reel can be designed to have pretty substantial drag power. 8-10 lbs of drag is more than adequate for bass fishing so either way you're covered. ps: The drag is meant to protect the line and reel from damage. I do not recommend forcing the crank to test the drag or else you may do damage to gears etc.