Upgrade your Shimano Reel

Drive gear bushing (round blue object)

This is a common sight for budget Shimano reels when you open the reel, the sickening sight of bushing for the drive gear.

Nothing wrong with them actually, but after using my Shimano AX 1000 FB for a period of time without any modifications, it start to act up a little. The inertia force required to start cracking increases, however once it gets going everything is back to normal.

It can be a simple fix, just one drop of oil on the two bushing will solve the issue. But since I intend to keep this reel for a while, and use it for small game, I might just as well do the upgrade as well.

The upgrade is as simple as it gets, use this as a reference to how to dismantle your reel.


Reel -  Shimano AX 1000 FB
Item required

• 2 x Ball Bearing 7x13x4mm

• Oil for bearing

• Necessary tools

Look how much grease is in it

Once you open up the internal of the reel, it will look like the picture on the Top and Right. The bushing are the blue circular object, they are the one that supports the Drive Gear. The Drive Gear would turns whenever you turn the handle, thus by changing to ball bearing would enhance the fishing experience.

The next step is to remove bushing and pop in the next bearings. Oil the bearing before assemble the reel.



It could be fast and easy, but if there is a lot of loose play on the handle or hard to crack after you assemble, then you might need to adjust the number shims used.

I have to do the adjustment a few time to get it right, now the pinion gear and drive gear are tightly mashed, and very little loose play in the handle. Feel very good!

Shimano C3000 Spool Capacity for Braided Line

This is something that I wanted to document for a long time. But never ever get to start doing it use to the lack of standardization of measurement between fishing tackle manufacturers, gathering information could be a pain in the arse.

Since I have recently spool in new line into Hybrid Shimano reel, so start to record for future reference.
Would appreciate if anglers would contribute as well.


Spool - C3000
Manufacturer Specs
No.2.5 / 180m

Line - Spiderwire EZ Braid
Manufacturer Specs
Strength - 10lbs (4.5kg; 3lbs Test Diameter)
Diameter - 0.18mm
Length - 300 yds (273m)
This is close to PE1.2 (Reference)

Result - I manage to spool the entire 300yds spool of the 10lbs braided line into the spool with minimum mono backing (Just to prevent line slip only).

PE Rating

PE Line rating is the Japanese way for standardized the fishing line, it is in actual fact for line diameter. No idea when and what happen, it seems now it is being used for rating rods as well. No matter as for now, I intended to use it as a reference for the diameter.

Since I am going to document various Spool Capacity, this could be helpful in future and perhaps the only standardized measurement for the fishing industry. 

Here is the list for reference.
                                         PE #                                      Diameter
                                       PE 0.6 ………………………….. 0.128mm
                                       PE 0.8 ………………………….. 0.148mm
                                       PE 1 …………………………….. 0.165mm
                                       PE 1.2 ………………………….. 0.185mm
                                       PE 1.5 ………………………….. 0.205mm
                                       PE 1.7 ………………………….. 0.218mm
                                       PE 2 …………………………….. 0.235mm
                                       PE 2.5 ………………………….. 0.260mm
                                       PE 3 …………………………….. 0.285mm
                                       PE 3.5 ………………………….. 0.310mm
                                       PE 4 …………………………….. 0.330mm
                                       PE 5 …………………………….. 0.370mm
                                       PE 6 …………………………….. 0.405mm
                                       PE 7 …………………………….. 0.435mm
                                       PE 8 …………………………….. 0.470mm
                                       PE 10 …………………………… 0.520mm
                                       PE 12 …………………………… 0.570mm
                                       PE 14 …………………………… 0.620mm
                                       PE 16 …………………………… 0.660mm
                                       PE 18 …………………………… 0.700mm
                                       PE 20 …………………………… 0.740mm
                                       PE 22 …………………………… 0.780mm
                                       PE 24 …………………………… 0.810mm
                                       PE 28 …………………………… 0.870mm

Hybrid Shimano?

Left - Aernos Body with Alivio spool; Right - Alivio body with Aernos spool

This trick have been done by a lot of anglers, buy a Shimano 2500 sized reel and buy a spare spool of C3000. Easily convert their reel to a C3000 for the extra line capacity with a 2500 spare spool.

For me, the Aernos XT C3000 have seen very little action as my initial intention is to pair it with my noodle rod, however due to it's heavier body, I have stuck with the Alivio 2500 for a long long time. But recently, after I top up  the spool with some freshly bought Fireline Fused 4lb burst whenever I try to set hook. Losing the fish is bad enough but the time spend to tie the leader and all is killing me. Later found out that I am not the only one, there seems to be one faulty batch for the 4lbs Fireline only, other poundage is okay.

So got my hand on a 300yds of Spiderwire EZ Braid 10lbs, the attraction is that the line feel so thin (like fireline 6lbs maybe) but is at 10lbs rating. Thus decided to spool the entire length of the line into the reel, no joining knots and all. However, I have been adviced that my Alivio 2500 might not be able to take the entire length of the braided line, C3000 might be just nice or have a little excess. Hmm...... give it a quick thought, and decided to swap spool of these 2 reels I have.

Now it is an Alivio body (Modified with extra bearings and ball bearing roller) with an Aernos C3000 spool.  And the Aernos body is now kitted with Alivio 2500 spool. Glad that I am hit with this brainwave, todaks and queenies, here I come........ and there's no escape this time round!

Words of Caution (A few in fact)
Do try out on the same generation of reels, I have just got a cheapo newer generation Shimano reel, yet to try out, but the overall length of the spool is shorter on the new spool
If one spool have bearing support and another dun have, of course it will not be plug and play that easy.
There is a difference in the spool for cheapo and more expensive reels, Die Cast vs Cold Forged.
Finally, you might need to play around with the washers on the shaft if the newly fitted spool does not lay the line evenly at top and bottom.