Penn International 50SW drag upgrade.

[TheReelShop]

So I bought a 50SW on eBay and I think it was a good deal. $320 shipped. The reel came with ??80lb Dacron. Nonetheless, I did not know these reels did not come with HT-100 drags. I looked online and man its expensive to convert the reel from the stock fiber to the carbon fiber material.
I need the inner and outer plates and here is the prices for these

117AN-50S Inner drive plate assembly with Dura drag $39.65
117N-50S   Drive plate assembly with Dura drag $49.60

Plus shipping which rounds off to $10.

So I went on eBay and sourced a Smoothdrag kit which included both inner and outer plates as well as the set of belville washers for $48.50
Apparently this is discontinued. Was this kit a good buy compared to the factory swap?


Thanks Guys.

Here is the Reel.

I will try and do my first tutorial with this reel once i get to it. I do want to increase the drag, and freespool despite this is a double drag system I wont get much. I have another 50SW that was built by COFE and it has the freespooler kit. I will post pics of that here as well. It freespools better than this reel I just bought.

[TheReelShop]

Here is my other 50SW that I purchased from eBay a while ago and was built by COFE with the freespooler kit. I paid for this reel $345, sold the handle it had which was a T-Bar from area rule and bought Alan's SS arm and 5/0 Grip.



So here is everything assembled. I found the sleeve to be very thick. I also noticed that both spool bearings are of different sizes. The Left spool bearing is larger and its used to accommodate the inner drag washer plate. COFE's sleeve is the same size all around on the outside and inside the ID of the sides specific to the corresponding side.
Also the bearings are not open. I was thinking of opening them but when I service this I'll see.





The reel does not free spool for 10secs and that's with the freespooler. I think there is room for improvement. I feel this sleeve or any sleeve will rest on the shaft and if that is the case it can be affecting the performance due to the weight of this sleeve (its heavy). I could be wrong here its my theory.

[foakes]

Hi Red --

As a general rule -- when buying Internationals from ebay, pawn shops, private individuals, or resellers -- I have found that to being them up to proper salt readiness -- requires just about as much as you spent for the reel.  So figure that you will double your initial investment -- plus your choice of line installation.

These are not your average reels -- they get used hard -- often not taken care of properly -- and are tools of the trade for serious anglers.

The price of parts is a cost of ownership to consider when buying these gold guys.

Fortunately, you can do your own labor.

Exceptions to this theory would be when you buy one of these reels from John, Randy Pauly, Alan, Bryan, or Cal Sheets -- the work is complete, certified, and ready to go with any of these guys.  And you will generally have less total investment -- then if you started from scratch.  It is amazing how little these reels can be purchased for -- ready to roll.

Best,

Fred

[TheReelShop]

Hi Red --

As a general rule -- when buying Internationals from ebay, pawn shops, private individuals, or resellers -- I have found that to being them up to proper salt readiness -- requires just about as much as you spent for the reel.  So figure that you will double your initial investment -- plus your choice of line installation.

These are not your average reels -- they get used hard -- often not taken care of properly -- and are tools of the trade for serious anglers.

The price of parts is a cost of ownership to consider when buying these gold guys.

Fortunately, you can do your own labor.

Exceptions to this theory would be when you buy one of these reels from John, Randy Pauly, Alan, Bryan, or Cal Sheets -- the work is complete, certified, and ready to go with any of these guys.  And you will generally have less total investment -- then if you started from scratch.  It is amazing how little these reels can be purchased for -- ready to roll.

Best,

Fred

Hey Fred thanks on that note. I have to agree with you on that. It is why I am meticulous when I look for a reel either to keep or resell. A lot of people don't know  what they're selling and by that I mean for example Ive seen a reel for sale which I find expensive and they put a high price tag on it just because its says international, Tiagra etc. I helped my sister find a senator for my brother in law locally via Craigslist. The guy was asking $450 for a 14/0 spooled. When we get there the reel looks beat up cosmetically, and I asked if I could remove the handle (he let me), and sure enough the gear sleeve was rounded off. What would someone else have done who doesn't know any better other than its big and its a 14/0 senator.. Because of this and my past experiences, I rely on cosmetic features when buying on eBay or Craigslist. Why?... because its kinda hard to have a almost new or really clean reel that has been used hard and if in fact it was used hard then likely its still taken care of because they were cautious about it cosmetically. I just saw on eBay an 80W looks horrible outside asking $450. I would never buy that. Now I also found a 50W that looks almost new literally with a almost new looking Fenwick rod combo for $500, and likely id have bought that just off of cosmetics (because its all we can use to make a determination when buying online.

[josa1]

Hi red93crxhatch,

Well, I think you got a good deal.  This reel is a tank and can take just about any abuse you want to throw at it.

You can modify the drag by changing or adding spacers and wafer washers.  You don't really need the dura drag, which I believe is a lubricated carbon fiber, you can use the carbon drag provided, just clean it, grease it with Cal's  and, at least to me, it will work just as well as the dura drag.  Also, looks like you got a spool of spectra of some sort, not Dacron,  It looks to be either 150 or 200 pound hollow.  At $37.50/per 100 yards, it adds a lot of value if it is in fact spectra.

Free spool can be improved dramatically by opening and cleaning the spool bearings and then lubing them with a friction reducing oil.  There are several types talked about on this site.  I usually get at least 30 seconds of free spool with just a small flick after making these modifications.

You might look at the post I did on a "Clattering Drag Plate" on the SWs and what I did to silence them.

I've caught more big fish on the 50s an 50sws than any other reel and have never had an inkling of a failure.

Enjoy your new purchase.  It will work out great.

josa1

[TheReelShop]

Hi red93crxhatch,

Well, I think you got a good deal.  This reel is a tank and can take just about any abuse you want to throw at it.

You can modify the drag by changing or adding spacers and wafer washers.  You don't really need the dura drag, which I believe is a lubricated carbon fiber, you can use the carbon drag provided, just clean it, grease it with Cal's  and, at least to me, it will work just as well as the dura drag.  Also, looks like you got a spool of spectra of some sort, not Dacron,  It looks to be either 150 or 200 pound hollow.  At $37.50/per 100 yards, it adds a lot of value if it is in fact spectra.

Free spool can be improved dramatically by opening and cleaning the spool bearings and then lubing them with a friction reducing oil.  There are several types talked about on this site.  I usually get at least 30 seconds of free spool with just a small flick after making these modifications.

You might look at the post I did on a "Clattering Drag Plate" on the SWs and what I did to silence them.

I've caught more big fish on the 50s an 50sws than any other reel and have never had an inkling of a failure.

Enjoy your new purchase.  It will work out great.

josa1

good info. Ill take a look at your post. to clarify now for the OP that reel did not come with any kind of carbon fiber drag. It came with the factory fiber or asbestos washers.. the second post is of my other reel as a comparison which did come with the upgraded drags and to see if this new reel i bought I can improve the performance than the one built by COFE..

Thanks again man. clattering drag plate that i have not heard of...

Just read your post, what do you mean fly lining in freespool? sorry for my ignorance.. If I understand correctly, Ive used one of my 50SW for shark fishing on the beach and as I leave it in freespool and kayak the bait out, there is no sound or clattering.

[josa1]

Hi Red,

I thought SWs came with a factory carbon fiber but I might be wrong on that.

Also, Alan has a nice post on how to make spacing sleeves to help improve free spool.  You might look that one up.  As you noted, the bearings are of different sizes and as I remember there is a step in the spool shaft that make's the spacer harder to fabricate.  You might try just the bearing cleaning without the spacer and see what you think of that.

josa1

[Dominick]

93 why do you want to increase the free spool?  You should be greasing the spool bearings because those reels are usually used for trolling.  Dominick

[TheReelShop]

93 why do you want to increase the free spool?  You should be greasing the spool bearings because those reels are usually used for trolling.  Dominick

LoL I don't have a boat at the moment. It will be mainly used for shark fishing at the beach or pier fishing. Once I get a boat then I can grease them. Or would you suggest just greasing altogether regardless.

[Dominick]

How are you getting your bait out?  You probably should just grease.  you can't cast those 50s from the beach.  Dominick

[TheReelShop]

How are you getting your bait out?  You probably should just grease.  you can't cast those 50s from the beach.  Dominick

I kayak the baits out and leave the reel on the sand. You make a good point maybe I'll just grease..

[Dominick]

How are you getting your bait out?  You probably should just grease.  you can't cast those 50s from the beach.  Dominick

I kayak the baits out and leave the reel on the sand. You make a good point maybe I'll just grease..

I kind of thought that.  Don't get caught up in the free spool thing some of the guys talk about.  Free Spool = Bird nests.   Just adjust the spool from the left side.     (just kidding Sal)  Dominick

[AndrewC]

Dominic is right. If you set it up so it free spools like a dream, when you get back from your paddle you'll in all likelyhood have a birds nest to deal with. Fill them full of grease to keep the salt water out and your in business

[TheReelShop]

Ill end up just greasing them then. Once I get the Smoothdrag kit, I'll attempt my first tutorial.

[foakes]

Look forward to the tutorial, Red!

Nice to see so many members sharing their talents.

Best,

Fred