Abu Carbon Fiber vs Carbon Tex

[Prefessa]

Hey Guys:

Is there a performance difference?? Or are they one in the same??

[alantani]

maybe the weave is different, but the performance is the same. 

[Prefessa]

Thank You Alan!

Do You Know if the Replacement Washers ABU sells for the circa 1989 reels (Two washers) are still the old leather or have they upgraded?? Smooth Drag has these in Carbontex.

Recently I re-did one of these old reels. In my parts box I found a set of washers that were THICK leathery looking grey in color. I also refinished the main drag washer and lapped it a mirror polish. Installed the set with a little shiman drag grease.  OMG, this reel never saw better drag performance. I know I bought the washer set OTC in a tackle shop in Wisconson many years ago....I wonder if they were a set destined for a 1st Gen Revo. The set I pulled out of the reel were leather and thin and oil soaked. Same dimensions but much flimsier and the leather was polished on one side.

[alantani]

not sure what drags are in which reels, but always go with greased carbon fiber.  i would not use any other combination. 

[Ken_D]

 Is your two drag setup as: one bigger washer in the gear, and one thinner one (about 1/8 drag surface)  under the gear?
I've lost track as to which one you have. Yes. Abu has carbon available. So, as review, which setup is your reel again?  Abu (as at last year) did not supply carbon for the big washer in the gear, but there's one available from them for another Abu reel. reel. The bottom thin ones are carbon automatically now.

[Prefessa]

Hi Ken:

It is a circa 88-89 reel that used a biggun and on the bottom a washer that is about 1/8" wide. When I looked the top main metal washer had some pits in it. After some work with 240, 400, 600 emery cloth to get rid of the pits I hit it with Flitz on a the back of the wet or dry paper and it polished up to a mirror finish.

When I re assembled the drag greased and with brand new washers (THICK LEATHER??) I was amazed! Smooth and more available #'s of drag.

Gonna Re-do my circa 88-89 4600 like this as well. Will use carbon washers. Just wondering if Abu went all carbon from here on in??

[Ken_D]

Hi Ken:

It is a circa 88-89 reel that used a biggun and on the bottom a washer that is about 1/8" wide. When I looked the top main metal washer had some pits in it. After some work with 240, 400, 600 emery cloth to get rid of the pits I hit it with Flitz on a the back of the wet or dry paper and it polished up to a mirror finish.

When I re assembled the drag greased and with brand new washers (THICK LEATHER??) I was amazed! Smooth and more available #'s of drag.

Gonna Re-do my circa 88-89 4600 like this as well. Will use carbon washers. Just wondering if Abu went all carbon from here on in??

OK..... order the bottom washer as per its part number, and you should get carbon. BUT...do ~not~ order the big one by its pn, or you get gasket material, cut as a washer.  Here's the workarounds of which there are 2:
Open Alan Tani's huge Penn cross reference post, and divine the size that fits the big one.

Faster: Goto any schematic site, and open the drawing for the offshore new 7000iC3   Note that there are three drag washers in its stack, not 5. All carbon. Guess what? its an EXACT match to the big washer for your reel !!!    
falls right in as though it was meant to be. *drum roll* ta-da......

As to your question when Abu went carbon: In the Record RN reel, and shortly thereafter in the round C3 reels..I'd have to look it up, but it was quite recent... I think mid 2000's. 2007 plus or minus.