Do you know if any online stores offer pre-upgraded Spheros 14000FA to address the drag issues with Carbontex drags? Dont fancy taking a new reel apart to replace them! It seems that the Spheros with the Bluewater upgrade kit seems to be very well respected.
I guess that the rest of us are rather perplexed by your question and asking ourselves, Why? I am not familiar with the Spheros reel and the Shimano site is not helpfull as far as noting the position of the drags but most spinners the drag washers are very easy to replace and I don't think that this reel presents any real problems in drag replacement. Just buy the reel and then buy the carbontex drag washers from Smooth Drags and install them yourself. The drag washers replacement does not require any disassembly except removing the spool and probably taking off a wire retainer to access the drags. Here is the website for Smooth Drags and the cost is listed as $8 for the set of three washers. Seems rather simple. Pricing Information, SMOoOTH DRAG *** Can Stop Anything *** Toll Free: 888-206-4656 Just schroll down until you find the part listed under carbontex. Hope this helps you.
Jureal ... I spend alot of time on the water and I couldn't take a reel apart and put it back together if my life depended on it. I send all my reels out to be serviced so I guess I fall into the same group as Skip
A couple of weeks ago, I replaced the original white felt drag washers on my spheros 12000 with the carbontex from smooth drag. It only took a couple of minutes. Theres nothing to it. Their under a little silver cap cover thing in the spool I had to pop up. I think all I needed was a screw driver If i remember right. Its no big deal at all changing them. I have no issues with my spheros reel (yet ) Hog
Hi jureal, What I meant was I dont like the idea of potentially screwing up a brand new reel by getting it wrong! Rather than I can't be bothered to do it. I came across a post somewhere about changing it out and it seemed quite a lot of disassembly was required along with some warnings about a few steps which put me off as a) it would be a brand new reel b) There's no authorised repair center in Malta if I do damage it c) I've never owned a spinning reel so not familiar with them Plus what's simple to one person, may not be to another; changing drags might be easy to you, whilst designing a large telecommunications network is easy for me and would have you lost! Skip
Hey skip! One thing about this site is that there are never any stupid questions posted by anyone! (with the exception of skronnie and that's very seldom and usually involves the color pink or some kind of patch thingy! J/K Ronnie!) The first time I opened up a reel, I messed it up. I still don't really trust myself past adding line or rinsing them off after a trip! I used to just send it to Hawk (Michael at AllCoast) with a note saying "Help!". Look for Alantani's posts that provide unsurpassed instructions and photos -step by step- on many reels' breakdowns and rebuilds. After reading many of these, I don't have to send my reels off anymore. I did recently send him my Blue Heaven for one of his breakdowns though! We are grateful he shares that information here! If he hasn't already, maybe he'll do a spinning/fixed spool reel soon. Designing TelComm networks is like rocket science and quantum physics to me! Can you relate it to catching fish? LOL
I still won't disassemble my Stella yet! But the spool assembly is a cinch....just won't break into the body of the reel.
Dear Skip, To start off with introducing myself, I'm a fishing maniac, and presently residing in the sea town of Marsascala in MALTA. I own a few shimano spinning reels (including a spheros), perhaps I may assist you with changing the drag washers of the 14000FA. Before going into further detail, may I ask what type of fishing do you intend doing with the spheros? I'm asking because you might not require changing the washers for the type of fishing you will be using it. For instance, for Albacore fishing during early summer in the 5 - 10 kg range, the washers of my spheros 8000FA worked fine! Bebbuxu
Skip, Go to Fishing Reel Repair by Alan Tani - Index and tell him your dilema and he will walk you thru it step by step. Piece of cake.
Hey Skip! To answer the original question about pre-upgraded Spheros... no, not that I'm aware of. The Saragosa (factory upgraded Spheros) still has Dartanium washers. But NO worries, really! It's practically impossible to do anything that will mess up your reel. I understand the concern about not knowing what you'll encounter. But this is honestly not much harder than swapping a light bulb. 1) Just take the spool off by removing the drag knob and sliding it right off the shaft. 2) When you look into the front/top of the spool you'll see a small wire retaining clip that holds the stack of washers in place. Remove the clip with a small screwdriver. 3) Then Carefully* take out the washers from the front. Do this by tipping the spool upside down while keeping a finger on the stack to guide them out. (Sometimes they might need a little push from the bottom. Just use same small screwdriver.) *I say Carefully only because you don't want them to just fall everywhere. The ONLY important part of the whole swap is keeping the washers in order. As long as you keep a finger on the stack when you tip the spool over, the whole swap is an absolute no-brainer. 4) After they're out, just separate the washers and lay them out in their original order. (They will alternate between felt/dartanium and metal.) 5) Then just replace each felt/dartanium washer with the new greased carbontex washers from Smooth Drag. (They sell the grease too! At one time they would grease them for you, not sure if the still do that. There are plenty of links on how to apply grease if not...) 6) Last steps are to just drop the washers back into the spool in the right order and replace the clip. Very easy swap! 10 minutes, maybe... NO disassembly of the reel required. And it really is nearly impossible to mess anything up. And definitely nothing that is past the point of correction with a little guidance. If there are any issues at all, (the washers get out of order, can't get the clip out, etc.) just post info and somebody will be able to help get it straightened out! Jason
Jason, Sorry to bother you, but it is not that straighforward with the spheros FA, assuming that the spool of the 14000FA is like the 8000FA in construction. I will explain why. The spheros FA spool is mainly made of two pieces, the spool base and the top. The pieces are held together using 8 screws, and you may get proper excess to the drag washers only after having uncrewed the 8 screws to remove the upper part. The eight screws may be accessed by removing the thin circular disc which covers pretty much the rest and is held in place using 2 further small philips screws. Well, probably shimano contructed the spool of the spheros this way perhaps because it offers better resistance to SW penetration. Personally, I prefer the other type of spools as you can inspect and maintain mcuh more easily. NB - Anyone changing the washers of a spheros FA should remove the spooled fishing line as this might not be held in place after removing the spool's top!! Cheers
Skip, The spool on the 14000FA is a 2-piece spool. To access and replace the drag washers, there maybe up to 8 small screws (thanks bebbuxu) holding the front/top of the spool to the main body of the spool. Unscrew and take out the drag stack (but keep the stack in order) and replace the stock washers with carbontex. Reinstall the drag stack, reinstall the front/top of the spool and you're good to go. Good luck.
OK, I see now that he's asking about FA. I assumed since he's buying a NEW reel that it will be FB series, in which case it is a clip. My apologies. Either way should be really simple.
I personnally have done this to my 14000FA. It is very easy. I will confirm: Take the drag knob off. Remove spool. Remove screws holding on the gold cover. Remove cover. Carefully dump out the drag stack of washers, and then lay them out side by side in order they came out. Replace each Shimano drag material component with a Carbontex washer. I highly recommend greasing the washers with Cals grease (I think its like $8 for a little tub, which is a lifetime supply for most folks). Restack the washers in same order, and drop stack back in the spool the same way it came out. Make sure the eared washer is seated in groove properly. Replace gold cover and screws. Put spool back on reel, replace knob. It's maybe 10 minutes. Just make sure you put the stack back the same way, and same side down in spool and you are fine. BTW, I have heard that some people have a gold cover that is stuck on the spool, so you my have to insert something with a lip in center of cover to pull it off. I would not pry it if this is an issue.
Thanks guys for the tips/responses, Spinning Reels are new to me but didn't realise they were that easy to fiddle around with. bebbuxu thanks for your info as well and pointing out the issue with the 8 phillips screws......Just when I was about to get the FA because it was on clearance due to the release of the FB the place I was getting it from ran out of stock. We've since met up in person so if I ever need to do anything on spinning reels I know where to go locally I should be going with a Saragosa 18000F Not quite the same price bracket!!
