Hello, so I have a curado 200i and like it. however, I want to try the new SVS braking system (that you don't need to oil like the 200i's) and am considering upgrading to the curado K.  but I am seeing lots of issues with the curado Ks, mainly the clutch bar coming apart/breaking and the cast control dial either being hard to turn, too tight or seized.

 

how common are these issues? I don't recall seeing any issues with the 200i's other than the need to oil the brake drum to stop noise.

 

Did shimano drop the ball? or are these issues fairly rare?

 

is it worth it to upgrade? 

 

Is it worth the risk given there seems to be issues?

 

all thoughts are welcome

 

thanks

 

-Hulk

Haven’t had an issue with mine and I love it. Bought it at the end of the season and it’s never been a problem. Your mileage may vary. 

awesome.  I'm seeing these reports on the shimano support forum on TT and on Facebook.

 

 

So, a few guys have issues - most self inflicted - and those are what you see online, never mind the thousands upon thousands sold without issue.  I haven't heard of any consistent issues with the K.

2 hours ago, Hulkster said:

I am seeing lots of issues with the curado Ks, mainly the clutch bar coming apart/breaking and the cast control dial either being hard to turn, too tight or seized.

 

how common are these issues? I don't recall seeing any issues with the 200i's other than the need to oil the brake drum to stop noise.

 

Did shimano drop the ball? or are these issues fairly rare?

 

is it worth it to upgrade? 

 

Is it worth the risk given there seems to be issues?

 

-Hulk

 

Clutch bar - I've heard of this on two cases. God only knows how many thousands of these reels they've already sold. If you were unlucky and got a dud, guess what? Shimano's customer service will replace it for you. I don't have a doubt in my mind about this.

 

Cast control dial - If it's an issue for you, open up your side plate, take your phillips head screwdriver, and back the screw out an 1/8th turn. Problem solved.

 

Drop the ball? I think the sales of this reel and the dozens (hundereds?) of positive reviews speak for itself. 

 

Rare? Yes, they're very rare. We live in a day and age where people can make any issue publicly known to the entire world. That said, I don't know that I've seen one person on this website post anything negative about their K series yet.

 

Worth it? Oh my yes. The K series is way better than the I series. Smaller profile, better casting/braking, better handle, and it doesn't need oiled every 10 hours of fishing.

 

Worth the risk? That's for you to decide. I pre-ordered two of them upon the announcement and I've been using them ever since and I've had zero issues. Just like the thousands of others out there who have bought this reel.

I'm happy with mine so far. I've got one Curado K. Thinking hard about another one or I need to decide on the Scorpion DC or the new Bantam MGL. Decisions, decisions.

FM

I have more than a handful and haven't had a problem with any of them.

My buddy and I bought bought them and both had tight adjusters. Loosening the screw did nothing besides give the dial side to side play. Just turning the dial one or two times make it fine. Seems the tightness is actually stickiness in the mechanism, not an overtightned dial.  

I had to send mine in because it sounded odd and I wasn’t about to take apart a $200 reel. I think it was something with the gear or maybe a faulty bearing. I’m not too happy, I’ll see how I feel about them once I get my reel back. The dial just needs turned a couple revolutions then it’s fine. People don’t go on the internet to write good reviews either. I feel like I just got a bad one though, Shimano hasn’t turned me away from their products.

It is a great reel.  The tight outside dial got a lot of attention from the few who had the problem, but just moving the dial repeatedly solved it and this what Shimano recommended.  Mine was OK and I fished the reel for eight weeks last season.