Shimano Curado 200BSF handle wobble and lock up

[Salty Dog]

Hi to all,

I just recently purchased a older Curado 200 BSF, off eBay, I love these reels and this is my third one.  When I got the reel i started checking it out, and noticed it had a lot of handle wobble. Then as i tightened down the drag and began to turn the handle, it  would not turn without using force. When you back the drag off its seems to turn fine. It free spools perfectly when you engage the bar. So,  I took it apart down to the frame and this is where i need your help???
    The wobble is coming from where the drive shaft attaches/inserts into the frame.  I know there is a bearing in there and i was wondering if that bearing could be so bad that when the drag is tightened, that it locks up the reel???  I took the drive shaft out along with that small bearing, but couldn't tell if there was any damage. 
Am I missing something? could it be the drive shaft itself? Or a combination of both. The drag washers look in good shape for the age of the reel... I'm lost

Please advise,

Thanks for your help

[Lipripper]

Welcome to Ultimate Bass and we have several members around here that should be able to answer your question for you so just hang on and they well be around soon. 

[rockchalk06]

When you say wobble, are you talking like the handle needs to be tightened down to the shaft wobble?

[Salty Dog]

its like the drive shaft is loose at the root, where it connects to the frame.  i took the handle off and back on with no results. 

[Mike Cork]

Especially in this model, the drive shaft wobble is normally just age and wear. A new ARB (anti reverse bearing) can help tighten this up. Rarely have I seen a new drive shaft help much. You do need to make sure the c-clip is installed on the bottom of the drive shaft.

As far as the sticking issue. On the super free models the spool tension knob can get so loose that the drag star hits it. You already have the reel apart so you can't verify right now. But it would explain why tightening the drag causes issues.

[Salty Dog]

Yes the c clip is installed on the bottom of the drive shaft. I put the reel back together and checked for the clearance of the spool tension knob. It doesn't make contact with the star drag. 

[rockchalk06]

How much wobble?

Stupid question, but are both the Roller Clutch Inner Tube and the Roller Clutch bearing installed? Once the reel is together, the saft (no matter how worn) should not wobble but maybe a tiny bit if any.

[Salty Dog]

Its not a lot of wobble.  Just very noticeable when the drag is backed off completely.   The biggest issuse would be the difficulty turning the handle as the star drag is tightened.  And in full drag, it turns very hard and seems to have hard and smooth spots.  The roller clutch tube and the roller bearing are installed. I removed them both to look for problems, but they seem just fine.  Unless the roller bearing is locking up somehow???

[LgMouthGambler]

Sounds to me like something is missing here. Im with Mike, get a roller bearing and sleeve and start there. Also, I would look up a schematic on Shimanos website and double check to see that you are not missing any parts in that reel./

[Salty Dog]

thanks for ya'lls help. 

[rockchalk06]

Sounds to me like something is missing here. Im with Mike, get a roller bearing and sleeve and start there. Also, I would look up a schematic on Shimanos website and double check to see that you are not missing any parts in that reel./

I was hoping you would chime in and have an answer. I'm over here confused to hell

[Salty Dog]

Okay here's the update. I came home took a part one of my other perfectly working reels, and took apart the reel that I'm having problems with. As I started putting some of the parts of the reels down the table I noticed immediate difference between the length of the Roller Clutch tubes.  The one in the new reel that I just bought was probably a sixteenth to one/eight of an inch Shorter than the one in my older reel. It must have been letting the washers bind against the roller bearing or something. I put the longer tube in and now i have a rocket of a BSF!  Whoever I got this new reel from must have taken it to someone and they put the wrong Length Clutch Tube in, because now it reels flawless. The handle wobble is now gone as well.  Thanks for your help you guys are awesome. I will order the proper length one today.

[Tavery5]

Okay here's the update. I came home took a part one of my other perfectly working reels, and took apart the reel that I'm having problems with. As I started putting some of the parts of the reels down the table I noticed immediate difference between the length of the Roller Clutch tubes.  The one in the new reel that I just bought was probably a sixteenth to one/eight of an inch Shorter than the one in my older reel. It must have been letting the washers bind against the roller bearing or something. I put the longer tube in and now i have a rocket of a BSF!  Whoever I got this new reel from must have taken it to someone and they put the wrong Length Clutch Tube in, because now it reels flawless. The handle wobble is now gone as well.  Thanks for your help you guys are awesome. I will order the proper length one today.

The problem you are having is somewhat common in the older Shimano reels that have had a lot of use or the drag washers have become compressed.   I believe your diagnosis is correct that the washers are being pressed against the anti-reverse bearing.   But I would be sure to check that the actual problem is not the thickness of the drag washers.   When them become worn and compressed they do not allow the inner tube to protrude through the anti-reverse bearing and allow the the washers to be pressed into the anti-reverse bearing when tightening the drag.    My advice is that if everything else in that reel seems correct, replace the drag washers first.

[rockchalk06]

The problem you are having is somewhat common in the older Shimano reels that have had a lot of use or the drag washers have become compressed.   I believe your diagnosis is correct that the washers are being pressed against the anti-reverse bearing.   But I would be sure to check that the actual problem is not the thickness of the drag washers.   When them become worn and compressed they do not allow the inner tube to protrude through the anti-reverse bearing and allow the the washers to be pressed into the anti-reverse bearing when tightening the drag.    My advice is that if everything else in that reel seems correct, replace the drag washers first.

Agreed. If you're going to replace the tube, buy some CarbonTex drag and toss the stock drag.

[FloridaFishinFool]

Agreed. If you're going to replace the tube, buy some CarbonTex drag and toss the stock drag.

Quite often the carbontex drag washers are too thin- thinner than the stock drag washers. I have been happy with replacing them with the newer shimano Dartanium II drag washers which gives me a little bit more drag than stock washers did.

I also still have and use 2 of the old 201BSF reels and love them! Great old reels.