Pimp my Stradic! Pimp my Sustain! 
The Stradic FJ and Sustain FG reels are brilliant little items to start off with.
The equivalent size Stella has 14 + 1 bearings
The Sustain has 8 +1
The Stradic has 5 +1
With a bit of strategic pimping, we can turn these 2 cheaper reels into state of the art smoothness!
With the upgrades, we're going to end up with:
Sustain 10 +1 bearings
Stradic 9 +1!!!!!
The Sustain will get the Oscillating slider bushing replaced with a bearing and also the Worm Gear bushing.
The Stradic will get Oscillating slider bearing, Worm Gear bearing and 2 handle bearings!
Is it necessary?
No.
Why would we do it?
Because it's Winter and we can.
Does it improve the reel?
Most certainly does. Handle bearings, Wormgear bearings and Oscillating slider bearings are all standard in the Stella's, so if we can, why not? The reel will certainly have improved smoothness, strength and durability.
Obviously we don't want to start messing with the tolerances and load bearing areas of the reels, as this would alter the function by either rapid wear of gears, or by breaking.
For example, we don't want to pimp a Drag beyond what the reel was built to withstand, it's going to break somewhere. Instead, we're taking parts that were used primarily to keep the cost of the reel down, and upgrading those in a cost effective manner - turning the reel into a much better machine than before, at a fraction of the cost of buying an upgraded version...
Let's start with the:
THE OSCILLATING SLIDER MECHANISMOpen the reel up following the Service Manual here...
For the Sustain -
http://www.ultimateangling.co.za/index.php?topic=9968.0For the Stradic -
http://www.ultimateangling.co.za/index.php?topic=9937.0The Slider mechanism is connected to the Main Shaft.
Unscrew the Retainer Plate...
This is what the Pawl and bushing looks like in the Stradic/Sustain.
In the Stradic and Sustain, the Slider Pawl is supported by a large nylon bushing.
I read on an overseas forum that the parts from a Stella 5000SW would be interchangeable on the Sustain/Stradic 5000.
Cool! So after buying the parts, I found that this was not the case....
Also found that the Stella bushing had a lip on it that prevented it seating properly on the Stradic Pawl...
So, a decision needed to be made, either cut the Nylon bushing of the Stradic down or cut the Stella bushing down. Basically, the Stella bush was useless to me with that lip, so we decided to keep the Stradic bushing as a spare....
This is the Stella Bushing - look at the lip!
Out with the trusty old Dremel tool...
The original Slide bushing was 4.5mm in length. The length of the Stella bearing and bushing was 5.5mm. This wouldn't fit properly under the retainer plate. So we needed to make a plan. With the Dremel tool and a very fine polishing disc, gently, bit by bit, I sanded the bushing down from the lip side. Repeated measuring and sanding until I was happy with the fit. The new bushing needed to be 2mm long.
Parts were then lubed and replaced...
First part done!
Handle bearings and Wormshaft bearings to come as soon as they arrive. Have ordered parts from Jagged Edge... Watch this space...
Project White and Black Stella's! To be continued....
