# Upgrades for Shimano Core 50mg7



## philliwt

I'am wanting to improve my Shimano Core 50mg7. What are some things that I could upgrade to make this reel a smoother/lighter reel with a longer free spool? I am interested in hearing some of your ideas. I plan to upgrade the spool bearings, but I am not sure which boca bearings to purchase for it. Thanks, I'am looking toward to seeing your comments.


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## Dipsay

Well, in terms of upgrading the spool bearings you'd need the SMR103C-YZZ#5LD (2) from Boca Bearings (3X10X4) ID,OD,WD
You'd also need to take a look at that spool shaft and pinion gear. Make sure it's clean then polish it out a bit. Make sure you get all that polish off. Keep running a Qtip feathered out till no more polish is present inside that pinion gear. This will require taking that pinion gear out. The spool shaft just clean with Simple green to get rid of grease and oil, then polishh with a polishing rag and polish. Make sure you lube(very lightly) the bearings before installing... As far as any other upgrades( Drag) Id' be cautious. Normally you have a brass main gear that you can clean up and polish smooth. There are upgrades in drag washers from companies like Smooth Drag. They have Carbontex washers that provide extra drag. However, I have seen on some where those type washers actually "etch" the inside of that main gear. The reel we are discussing has an aluminum main gear. That being said, it's not as durable a material as the brass. I would just stick with the current drag system you have... Hope this helps..Dip


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## philliwt

Thanks! What boca bearings should I get?


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## Dipsay

philliwt said:


> Thanks! What boca bearings should I get?


 Here's the number 800 332 3256.. Ask for Larry and tell him "Dip" sent ya..lol The model number you need is SMR103C-YZZ#5LD. You'll need 2. Here's a link to their site..http://www.bocabearings.com/


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## ctt17

Make your life easy and send them to Dip, he'll take care of you. He's got a Chronarch on mine and a Curando of my buddies that he's working on now.


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## Bantam1

You have to remember that the spool is very light in the Core 50. Long freespool times have nothing to do with the casting abilities of a reel. For example a TLD30 2 Speed with a full spool of line will freespool for several minutes. It will not cast very well. 

The reel will make 10 pounds of max drag. It will probably make a little more than that if you buckle the drag down. This is enough to fish 30 pound line. The drag is smooth across the entire drag range. Changing to aftermarket washers may change the drag curve, or may not be as smooth. I have also seen aftermarket drag washers vary in thickness which leads to other problems. 

Just keeping the reel well maintained and clean will allow it to function great. I have proven this time and time again here in So-Cal. Some of my friends rush out and try to make their reels "better" and it results in reduced performance. I will still cast further and have less issues in the long run.


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## philliwt

Okay nice! What are some other upgrades that can be made to this reel?


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## BustinTops

You already have an amazing reel. Just flush the spool bearings. And drop a half drop of light oil in em and let it fly. X2 with Bantam on free spool.


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## gordoleo

I don't know what most people consider a long free spool, but here is a terrible video of my Core after I installed BOCA orange seal bearings with the shields removed. Click on the video below. It is spooled with braid, and that obviously helped a lot.


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## Dipsay

1:54 sec..Not bad brotha.


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## patwilson

If you cast that far, how are you going to catch fish??????? J/K That Core was smoken fast. Nice set up.


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## BustinTops

One he!! of a freespool. Don't throw all the line off her...:cheers:


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## philliwt

What all did you do to your core to get that long of a free spool?


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## Dipsay

philliwt said:


> What all did you do to your core to get that long of a free spool?


 Replaced the bearings. I've gotten a 2:30 sec spool spin on a CU200E7 with ABEC5 Ceramic Hybrids before..IMO no need to get the orange seals personally. Besides, at some point you could actually over tune a reel to where you could not cast it... Spool spin doesnt necessarily equate to casting distance or smoothness of retrieve. Not to mention some reels respond better to tuning better than others. Mechanics of the reel ( mold of the reel) can make a difference as well. As a matter of fact, if memory serves, they did a casting test with the Revo, Calcutta, Chronarch D, and I believe a Quantum of some sorts. The one that won the distance was the Calcutta believe it or not. That being said, doing that spool spin test...You would never get that Calcutta to spin that same amount of time as that Chronarch....Dip


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## philliwt

Pm me your number!


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## hookset4

That makes sense, Dip, the Calcutta has a heavier spool and the extra mass, once moving, will spin longer on an actual cast. I have an old Calcutta 251 that will consistently outcast everything I have if distance is your only concern. But it is definitely not the lightest reel by any means.

-hook


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## fishsmart

The 250DC Calcutta with 20lb braid is quite long on distance with 1/2-3/4 oz lures and a good rod.

Charles


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## dbuswell

Here are products made in Japan by a company called Avail.

Spools: http://www.japantackle.com/Tuning_parts/tuning_spools_shimano.htm

Handles & drag stars: http://www.japantackle.com/Tuning_parts/Tuning_handles_Shimano.htm

pretty trick


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## Bantam1

That spool will hold all of 30 yards of line...the tuner parts like the super shallow spool are for specific applications. The way I see people in Texas cast that spool would be worthless. Even if you use 10# braided line it does not hold much. 

The lures we are using will not go as far as the spool will spin anyways. Gravity and wind have a way of stopping things from going too far. Then there is the friction of the line going through the guides, the weight of the line pulling the lure down... There are still brakes on the spool to control the speed. Most people cannot turn off all the brakes and cast the reel wide open. The spool will get up to speed faster than the lure is accelerating. Result is a backlash. So we use brakes or our thumbs, or a combination of the two to control the speed. 

The benefit of using a lighter spool that spins easily is for lighter baits. In most cases you would probably be better off using a spinning reel to cast the lighter stuff anyways.


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## dbuswell

Bantam1 said:


> That spool will hold all of 30 yards of line...the tuner parts like the super shallow spool are for specific applications. The way I see people in Texas cast that spool would be worthless. Even if you use 10# braided line it does not hold much.
> 
> The lures we are using will not go as far as the spool will spin anyways. Gravity and wind have a way of stopping things from going too far. Then there is the friction of the line going through the guides, the weight of the line pulling the lure down... There are still brakes on the spool to control the speed. Most people cannot turn off all the brakes and cast the reel wide open. The spool will get up to speed faster than the lure is accelerating. Result is a backlash. So we use brakes or our thumbs, or a combination of the two to control the speed.
> 
> The benefit of using a lighter spool that spins easily is for lighter baits. In most cases you would probably be better off using a spinning reel to cast the lighter stuff anyways.


agreed. just putting it out there for those who are interested in something out of the ordinary. there are normal depth spools on those links also.


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## cpthook

That's an expensive core 50 ($360.00 + $9.00 + $52.00 + $129.00) = $550.00. It looks cool and was thinking about it but $550.00-$190.00= 1/2 the price of a new core 50. Tough decision. I've always used good but cheaper stuff until recently I found my self with a Core 50 on a Cumulus. I cut 2 or so inches off the handle of the Cumulus and epoxied the original end cap back on it, this rod coupled with the Core 50 it is an incredibly light setup.


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## cpthook

Missed the handle add another $119.00, and the core is $369.00 not $360.00 for a total of $688.00. Wow I don't think the fish really care about looks.


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## dbuswell

cpthook said:


> Missed the handle add another $119.00, and the core is $369.00 not $360.00 for a total of $688.00. Wow I don't think the fish really care about looks.


well it is about the fisherman's discretion at that point. that stuff is just luxury, or for people really into tuning/customizing their reels. the reality is that the core is top notch fresh out of the box.


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## Bantam1

It's like buying new rims for your car or truck and bolting on some exhaust. It may look and sound better but it did nothing to improve the seat of the pants performance. 

For some people reels are tools, for others its a fashion statement. I have to work on another website and the members there are all about the aftermarket parts and "tuner" parts. They can look cool standing there but I will look cool swinging on fish with my stock reels.


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## dbuswell

Bantam1 said:


> It's like buying new rims for your car or truck and bolting on some exhaust. It may look and sound better but it did nothing to improve the seat of the pants performance.
> 
> For some people reels are tools, for others its a fashion statement. I have to work on another website and the members there are all about the aftermarket parts and "tuner" parts. They can look cool standing there but I will look cool swinging on fish with my stock reels.


Good ol tickletour, where you're considered an unsophisticated neanderthal for using right handed reels.


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## philliwt

$5off coupon code for boca bearings = 5ddrdx06


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## fishsmart

Posted 1/19/12 on TackleTour by another person.

Just received an email that Boca Bearings is offering 25% off your next purchase with code: 25DISCOUNT2012

The code expires in 90 days.

This offer has been used recently.

Charles


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## Bantam1

dbuswell said:


> Good ol tickletour, where you're considered an unsophisticated neanderthal for using right handed reels.


Don't even get me started haha


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## dbuswell

Bantam1 said:


> Don't even get me started haha


It is comical how they fantasize about it

I bet right handed reels outsell left handed 100 to 1


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## Bantam1

Some models sell 50+ to 1 easily for right vs. left. 

I guess when you live on the internet the real world simply ceases to exist.


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