Older Penn International 20

[Hamakuamoi]

When I set my drag at 6 lbs at the strike indicator I do not have any free spool. If I adjust it to free spool it is way to loose at strike. Would that be the spring wearing out?

Thanks,

Alex

[kamuwela]

ive seen alot of penns lose free spool from salt build up between the cam and right plate. i have also seen the cam housing pitted. the pitting causes the locating pins to hang up. aloha and good luck

[Nessie Hunter]

Welcome............

[REK]

Is the reel clean, greased, oiled? Sometimes levers and knobs and such hang up if the innards are not clean.

[alantani]

assuming everything else is put together properly, check the bellevilles.  if they are thin and in a "()()" configuration, then 6 pounds might be about right.  you could then easily increase the drag range by changing out the belleville configuraiton to "(())" or "((())" or by using thicker bellevilles. 

[broadway]

Hamakuamoi,
    Before you start rifling questions out there maybe an introduction... first impressions are lasting impressions.
By the way, welcome
Dom

[Makule]

There are actually a couple of other possibilities about the limited range of drag adjustment:  First is that the eccentric cam that pushes the plate against the drag disk is worn (i.e., it does not push the plate far enough); and Second, the drag washer is worn and too thin (and/or smooth/glazed).  My old 50 had this same "problem" and I ground the eccentric cam slope so that it was steeper.  Wouldn't recommend this.  As Alan has suggested, changing the arrangement of the belleville washers is a better option and, if don't properly, can give you a wide range of drag adjustments.

BTW, a 20 is probably overkill for moi, but maybe not for some monsters in Hamakua.