Erratic drag numbers on Komodo reel

[Steve-O]

I may have the answer before you read this....but here goes anyway.

A newly purchased Okuma Komodo 364 reel..low profile baitcaster in the 350 series size...is the culprit.

I opened it for greasing the drags and internals before a saltwater Alaska trip in a couple of weeks and was testing it on a new Hamachi brand jigging rod this evening. The rod did its job but the reel starting giving me erratic drag strengths. I dead lifted a 6.5 # weight and the drag would slip on near lockdown. What?

I opened it all the way again to see if something was amiss...like the bellevilles out of correct orientation or some other small important detail.  Everything looked fine.

So I tied the 60# braid to a tree and pulled against it. First ten yards were mushy soft like 5-6 pounds then it tightened way tight. This was with the star close to snug.  Reeled it in and repeated it a few times. Same game. Let out a lot of line...same results. At the time all I could think of was screwed up assembly or a failure somewhere.

So I backed out ALL the line and find my arbor knot wants to slip when I start the rewind. I couldn't well leave the rod and reel in my neighbor's front yard with a line going across both our fronts, down my side and to the back of my half acre while I ran in to get some tape or glue so I cross the line over itself and reeled it back in on tight drag.

Then it occurred to me that the line may have been slipping on the spool. Duuhhh.... Feeling stoopid now.

Tested again at various drag settings and they all feel right.  The reel has a purported 25# max drag...take 10 off for max drag on Planet Earth and 15# is still respectable for a LP reel. Mine was doing 6 # max based on the feel and it slipping when hoisting 6#'s.

Was the slipping drag actually slipping line? Or is there something bad wrong that I totally missed?

If it's the line...i will have to let it all back out again and secure the knot on the spool.

Am I right or left in my diagnosis?

Steve

Who always appreciates a second opinion.

Edit...now i see this should be in the troubleshooting sub forum...oops.....moved it.

[johndtuttle]

Just be careful that the drag stack is going together inside the main gear when you close. When you grease up the washers the extra grease makes the stack a little tall and you can have the top washer catching on the edge and not seating.

[sundaytrucka]

Just be careful that the drag stack is going together inside the main gear when you close. When you grease up the washers the extra grease makes the stack a little tall and you can have the top washer catching on the edge and not seating.

I agree with John here, although not for the same reason necessarily, but it could be the cause. I will say, if your line predicament seems to have fixed the symptoms, do not worry about it, but I know you want the fullest confidence in your gear...

I worked on two Komodo 364's today, and found that with the star backed way off, the SS sleeve that engages the ARB and runs down the gear shaft, can pull away from the drag stack, so much so that if the reel were tilted gear down the drag stack can easily come loose from the gear and not properly seat back in when you re-tighten the star, thus given erratic drag numbers.

One of the reels had the top metal washer and CF washer unseated from the gear, and they were hanging over the lip of the gear, the CF washer was getting torn apart by the gear teeth.

If you are comfortable, take the right side plate off and double check the drag stack is properly seated in the gear, if so, I would then keep a slight contact with star and drag stack at all times, to prevent jumping of the stack.

Still, after a couple more tests with your line fix, and no issues with the drag stack seated properly, I would not worry about it...Nice little reels, good design, but a pain to work on with 11 bearings.

[Steve-O]

Thanks, guys. I was hoping Okuma's newest and JDT would chime in.

The drag stack was good to go. That is what I looked for first when I opened it. I was worried the eared washer had sheared or goofed up. Nothing amiss at all.  All flush with the gear top. I do relax drags on all my reels after fishing but check them often.

I also looked for an over abundance of grease making them thickish...nope. I grease well, then wipe off the excess...no grease blobs for me even if it does compress out.

This reel has incredible stopping power for its size and I thought there was some major failure with the rod testing this evening. Just haven't had a chance to fish it but might this Saturday on some Carp.

[johndtuttle]

Thanks, guys. I was hoping Okuma's newest and JDT would chime in.

The drag stack was good to go. That is what I looked for first when I opened it. I was worried the eared washer had sheared or goofed up. Nothing amiss at all.  All flush with the gear top. I do relax drags on all my reels after fishing but check them often.

I also looked for an over abundance of grease making them thickish...nope. I grease well, then wipe off the excess...no grease blobs for me even if it does compress out.

This reel has incredible stopping power for its size and I thought there was some major failure with the rod testing this evening. Just haven't had a chance to fish it but might this Saturday on some Carp.

Sounds like it needs a spacing washer to keep it a little more snug perhaps? Some other reels put them between the bellevilles and the star.

But, yea, exactly what I found when playing with mine. I re-opened it to take better pictures of the level wind assembly and found that the top washer and first drag washer were not seated with the drag washer getting a little pinched on the top of the gear.

All in all terrific reels though. Really looking forward to the "400" size next year.

[Tiddlerbasher]

What John and Sunday said plus:
If the line is slipping try tightly wrapping 2 or 3 turns of silicon self-fusing tape on the spool arbor. Then wrap the line 3 times around the taped arbor. Tie an arbor knot (or whatever) and leave a long tag - to be trapped under the first few windings. I now use a home made spooling machine instead of hand winding. I set it to 8lb drag for light lines (30lb and under) and 10lb for anything heavier. With that and a 3 turn, long tag, arbor knot - no slip (even without the tape) Getting the right amount of tension on the line during the spooling of braid is important. Very few people can judge what 10lb drag feels like - Most underestimate by some margin - use a spring balance! Mono is much easier - just enough tension to remove the slack. Any more and spool or line damage can occur.

If the line isn't slipping but turing with the spool - How is the ARB dry, lubed with grease, lubed with thin oil? Grease frequently makes them slip, as does some oils. One of the least troublesome I've found is CorrosionX or ReelX - I guess you've got to use something against salt damage. In freshwater (particularly on spinners) I run them dry.

Just my 2 cents