drag assembly help needed for Penn 9/0

[reelynuts]

I purchased a used black 9/0 a while back. I didn't notice anything wrong with it, but have not fished with it or tried to measure drag capabilities. I broke it down for a thorough clean and grease. It seems as it should be inside. It has the aluminum spool, but nowhere does it say on the outside that its a 115L, aside from the 115 stamped on many parts incl. reel foot. Anyway, I wish I had paid closer attention during the disassembly, but I think one of the HT-100 was stacked between two of the "eared" metal washers, which would render the drag minimized at best, and would have messed up the whole configuration. So, I properly assembled the previously dry drags with cal's grease, but I think that over the years, somebody may have added an extra spring washer, as the star does not seem to travel much when turned, there is also quite a burr on the inside edge of the threads on the star, and the whole star seems (a little) difficult to turn. I think the burr formed when the previous owner tried to add drag by cranking down the star while the washers were in there wrong. Anyway, the two schematics that I have found do not include all of the washers/spacers that this reel has so my question is, which one does not belong. I have (from the inside -> out left to right) gear, ht100, keyed, ht100, eared, ht100, keyed,ht100, eared, ht100, keyed  (so far-so good)then 1 bellville [)], then there is a felt washer and sleeved washer combination as shown on one schematic that I found for reels with side accessible drags (which I have),then there is a sleeve that stands approx 5/16 in. high and here is where I get confused. There are 2 spring washers, one thick and one thin. am I supposed to put the thin one between the star and the handle, or as the schematic shows -only use one, which one? The schematic is hard to tell and there are no part numbers on these parts. It does all fit, but just 1 or 2 revolutions of the star to tighten it down, and its tight. Something is wrong. Any help would be appreciated. I would post pictures, but I always seem to fail at that too! 

[Bryan Young]

Reelynuts, the drag stack is correct.  Loose the felt washer between the beleville and the sleeved washer (spacer).  If you are still haveing issues, loose the spring washer under  the star.  The spring washer between the handle and the star is not necessary and those usually rust anyway, so just toss that.  let us know how it works out.

[Keta]

None of my personal reels have the same configuration after the top keyed washer, some have 1 spring washer some have 3 and some have shim washers depending on the amount of distance the star travels before compressing the drag stack.  I like about 1/2 turn.

[George4741]

It does all fit, but just 1 or 2 revolutions of the star to tighten it down, and its tight. Something is wrong. Any help would be appreciated. I would post pictures, but I always seem to fail at that too! 

What is wrong, the 1 or 2 revolutions of the star to tighten it down?  On most of my big game reels it takes only 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 to tighten it down tight.

Similar to Keta, most of my reels don't have the same configuration after the top keyed washer, either.  On my own 9/0, after the top keyed washer I placed another keyed washer, then the sleeved washer, spacer, very thick spring washer (belville?) and star drag wheel.  I get about 1-1/2 turns before the drag stack is fully compressed.

Bryan, you're right, I don't know why I didn't discard the felt washer earlier. Thanks, George.       

[Bryan Young]

Sorry, I missed the # of revolutions.  2 turns to tighten down is good.  I realy never actually counted as long as I could set my drag to where I wanted it, whether 1, 2, or 3 turns.  I just don't want to bottom out before I hit my drag mark.  I also don't mine 1# or so drag with my drags backed off.  It doesn't bother me, but some like it almost freespool.  That's a matter of choice.

[Keta]

I have some reels set up with a slight compression with the star backed all of the way off but I'm wary of smashing the carbon drag material.  So far I'm not seeing a problem like the drag material used in the past.

[reelynuts]

I think I have got it figured out. The burr on the star itself is now carefully filed and smoothed down, and by removing the thin washer that didn't even seem like a Penn part is now removed. I will continue to fiddle with it, but I am sure that it is perfectly fishable for now. I use my Internationals offshore anyway, but would like to keep this set up on the boat for that very rare situation where a school of 100-300 lb. Bluefin tuna or a Mako shows up while inshore fishing for stripers or cod or something along those lines. I don't like to just leave an international around the boat due to possibility of theft or even just corrosion issues. If an old senator disappears it doesn't hurt so much. Although, hopefully, I do plan to fish with my older, cheaper, (whatever) stuff just for fun one of these days. But in the north east an offshore trip is not cheap, and I usually like to bring the best and biggest gear that I have so when that fish of a lifetime shows up, the odds are stacked in my favor. Anyway, is a stainless steel gear sleeve available for these 9/0s? Its not really a necessity, but I think that I will replace the star and gear sleeve because it just doesn't turn that smoothly. I'm sure it will work fine, but I fear that the softness of the brass/bronze parts, and the need to file off some of the material on the star "MAY" compromise its effectiveness, and I worry that something may "strip" during a battle. It just doesn't feel like the threads are machined perfectly and I'm used to that "well oiled machine " feeling that I feel is common with Penn reels. Moving on,what do you guys consider a proper "max drag" potential for this reel is after greasing the washers with Cal's grease(considering that the reel is FULL of 100 lb.test mono)? Also how do you guys measure drag on the workbench- is there a way or a standardized ratio of # lbs on bench would roughly equal # lbs on the rod?. I know that the reel should be mounted on the rod and a scale should be pulled by a friend, etc. as if fighting a fish. But, (and I know that there are many variables) has anyone taken the time to figure out a somewhat standard, ballpark figure. I think that this would be a good thing to have. If say 25 lbs. of drag on a 50 lever drag (or whatever) mounted on an all roller rod equates to say 22 or 23 lbs on a straight pull off the reel on the bench? It would be nice to have just an approximate, general guideline. Anyway, thanks for all of your responses, and I will welcome anymore insight to this or any similarly sized reels. Thanks again!

[alantani]

if this were a daiwa 900h, i would say 30 pounds.  the modified 900h drag stack is basically a 9/0 drag kit.