I have a lonely JDM Steez A2 and was going to pull the trigger on the JDM '21 Zillion SV TW to pair with it for the lighter stuff. Just noticed the asymmetric thumb bar and it doesn't quite play nice with my OCD... predominantly RH cast/thumb, RH reel 🤣

 

I read the Alphas are decently smooth but if I want Zillion smoothness in the Alphas, what bearing swops in the reel and bearinged handles will get me to achieve or get damned close to that buttery smoothness?

 

I could buy the Steez SV TW but I hear that the performance to $ isn't there and if it's just upgrading bearings, add bearinged handles, changing aluminum to brass, etc to get a Zillion feel out of an Alphas, I'm totally up for the challenge.

 

Just note that I have chosen the Daiwa route for my first foray into baitcasters as I just didn't want to have to factor in the centrifugal tabs for the breaking. After tuning an Alpha, for sure the next reel after that will be a Shimano 😝

You can put Zillion gears in the Alphas.  

I am pretty sure that the gears quality on the zillion and alphas are the same. Replace all bushing to quality bearings (not the 10 bearings for $1 on ebay, those are garbage) and the reel will feel like a $500 baitcaster. I did this to my zillion, and its smoother than my steez sv tw.

I can offer a significant, though expensive spool bearing upgrade.  

https://www.hedgehog-studio.co.jp/product/5510

 

 

MC-Squared offers dual-race hybrid-ceramic spool bearings that will both improve light-end casting, and don't have an upper load limit.  

Casting light weights, only the inner race and inner row of balls spin with the spool, giving you a microbearing.  

Casting heavier weights or with big drive load, the middle race and outer row of balls also spin, giving you unlimited load capacity.  

Bearing size for your Alphas is 1030 (2 ea)

 

oops - just noticed they're OOS on the double-row 1030s.  But they do have the 740 fancy handle-knob bearings.  

3 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

I can offer a significant, though expensive spool bearing upgrade.  

https://www.hedgehog-studio.co.jp/product/5510

 

 

MC-Squared offers dual-race hybrid-ceramic spool bearings that will both improve light-end casting, and don't have an upper load limit.  

Casting light weights, only the inner race and inner row of balls spin with the spool, giving you a microbearing.  

Casting heavier weights or with big drive load, the middle race and outer row of balls also spin, giving you unlimited load capacity.  

Bearing size for your Alphas is 1030 (2 ea)

 

oops - just noticed they're OOS on the double-row 1030s.  But they do have the 740 fancy handle-knob bearings.  

Have you tried them yourself? Never heard of MC Squared.

14 hours ago, Cr-Actinic said:

I read the Alphas are decently smooth but if I want Zillion smoothness in the Alphas, what bearing swops in the reel and bearinged handles will get me to achieve or get damned close to that buttery smoothness?

My Alphas 800s is just as smooth as my Zillion G, and to be honest, so is the Tatula 80. Super smooth.

Awesome ..thx bigbix, ABU and Bulldog!

 

Was going to ask about the double raced(?) bearings later as I didn't want the opening Q to be a dissertation of my rabbithole map but here we are 😝

 

Since they are OoS, I can muck around looking for bearing mfgs that make them. With std bearings, would the single raced ABEC5 bearings be the point of diminishing returns vs ABEC7?

 

Since I would make this reel for lighter weight range to upper limits of BFS should I wish to venture there fishing for trout...the double raced sure is appealing and would definitely jump on them to try but would the upgraded "std conformation" bearings get me there?

 

Many thx again everyone!

All of my hyperdrive Daiwas are equally smooth from my Tatulas, Alphas to the Zillions.  I don't consider handle spinny free time to be part of smoothness since brake setting and brake type (like SV) will slow the handle when spun.  Smoothness is smoothness under load and they all so far feel the same.  Maybe in time the Tatulas will get rougher than the Zillions or Alphas but so far they are indistinguishable from each other.  

Great info and many thx!

 

The Zillion was my first reel of choice starting into baitcaster as it seems it's the best bang for the $ at that price point and for a noob like me.

 

Jumping head first with a Steez, ya...I'm spoiled on the smoothness and can be boring as it's just pretty much dead silent and no vibration/gear teeth engagement retrieving and just the drag clicks on the hookset and first run before tightening down the drag a bit to reel in a branch 🤣

On 7/27/2024 at 9:08 AM, bulldog1935 said:

MC-Squared

What do you think of these now? Why these or Si3n4 in any particular situation? 

 

I'm reel curious about these now haha

@Banned User

To fess up, I've never actually used MC-squared double-row bearings, but mentioned them because the Hedgehog link is easy for most to find.  

I have used KTF/IXA and Ulucus double-row bearings.  

I prefer these in freshwater bass fishing, because they give finesse result and are still 1 oz capable.  

In salt, I prefer the silicon nitride full-ceramic, because I don't have to think about them.  

 

For finesse fishing only, Roro and Hedgehog Air bearings still have a slight distance edge.