Newell keyed washers

[Swami805]

Greetings, I was wondering if I can use non-keyed washers in place of the keyed washers that go between the thick spacer  and the drag star. Do they just act as spacers or is there a reason they're keyed so they don't turn on the gear sleeve? Thanks

[Swami805]

Thanks Joe, I'm just trying to figure out if there's a reason those need to be keyed. I have some drag stars and handles coming from motive fabrication and I'm thinking I might need some when I put them on. I bought a dozen ss washers at the fastener shop with the same od and id just not keyed.  They're a fraction of the cost of just shipping from ulua junkies.
Thanks Sheridan

[RowdyW]

Greetings, I was wondering if I can use non-keyed washers in place of the keyed washers that go between the thick spacer  and the drag star. Do they just act as spacers or is there a reason they're keyed so they don't turn on the gear sleeve? Thanks

They don't have to be keyed, they are just a spacer and it doesn't matter if they turn or not. Just grease them & you'll be good to go.       Rudy

[Bryan Young]

They are supposed to help the star from spinning in the event the the drag washers are not installed in the proper order.

[RowdyW]

Bryan I beleive that is a moot point because if using a keyed washer when the drags are installed wrong will hide the problem. If installing a unkeyed washer it will clue you in that something is wrong and needs to be checked.      Rudy

[Newell Nut]

Adam at Motive has some nice ones cut from Delrin. They work great.

[Three se7ens]

The ones I'm including with the stars for Newell reels are keyed delrin.  I can sell them separately if anyone is interested. 

[Bryan Young]

Bryan I beleive that is a moot point because if using a keyed washer when the drags are installed wrong will hide the problem. If installing a unkeyed washer it will clue you in that something is wrong and needs to be checked.      Rudy

Rudy,

If one installed the eared washer on the top by mistake, if you didn't have a keyed washer above it, the star would spin with the gear. By installing a keyed washer spacer, this problem will never appear. Kind of a fail safe system.

Just because it was installed in an incorrect order, your reel would still produce some drag and would be fishable. Not everyone has the knowledge and experience as you do.

[RowdyW]

Bry, the reel would be fishable but should also be tested after reassembly before you take it fishing. Either way by testing you would find out if it is right or wrong.

[Bryan Young]

You don't just get my point. Not everyone will have the knowledge that you posses. It's still a fail safe system allowing the user to still fish the reel even if he/she makes a mistake in the drag order.

[RowdyW]

But you can't learn if you keep on assembling reels incorrectly & you think it's right.

[reel man]

I leave this ss disc out of the drag stack, but have to add 2 thin, 3-18 slotted washers, or 1 thick 3-18 to make up the difference.  This allows the reel to obtain 22 - 25#'s of drag.