Beefing up a drag stack - temporary repair best way?

[CapeFish]

Hi All,

Please can you assist, my Torium 30 carbontex drag washers have compressed/burnt out. The reasons why, I am not sure, other than wear and tear e.g. fish running of 600m of line at a time (reel got hot and you could smell the grease melting and when I opened it there was Cals squeezed out). The washers are now all thinner than they supposed to be. There are no problems with the reel that could have caused this and they were greased with Cals. At the moment though determining why they failed is not the issue, I need the reel working and it will be a while before I can get a new set from Dawn She kindly offered to replace them).

I have another set of old CT washers that also fluffed out so I want to add one washer to beef up the drag so that I can fish with the reel again, is it best to add an extra washer under the gear or to add one in the main gear stack? This is just a temporary repair for a few outings.

Any suggestions will be most helpful.

Thanks

CF

[Keta]

I'd put a metal washer on top for a spacer, unless you add a keyed and eared metal washer you won't do anything for the drag.

[alantani]

if you can, take photos.  it might help to be able to see what they look like.  also, if possible, take measurements of the old washers versus the new ones.  thickness in particular. 

[Bryan Young]

I would add CF washers only in the main gear, and probably just between the eared and the last keyed due to the AR sleeve.  This should increase your height of the drive bearing near the star compression everything together.

I'm not a fan in raising the main gear any more than it needs to be raised.

And what Alan aid. 

[CapeFish]

Hi All,

Thanks for all the helpful insights, I have now added a washer and will see what it does this weekend. It is much stronger, there was only 2kg of drag, think it is up to about 7-8 now will measure after I filled up with line later. Hopefully it doesn't bum out again, thumbing the spool is not funny after an hr. I mailed Dawn the measurements and it seems like it is particularly the washer below the main gear that has compressed the worst.

> 1st large washer,small hole=0.5mm
> 2nd large washer with small hole=0.4mm
> Large washer with big hole=0.38mm
> Small washer=0.55mm

My concern is that why the washers are not lasting, mates of mine have had there washers in longer and they have had more abuse and they are still going just fine. Attached is a picture, I cleaned the grease off though, but they looked pretty flattened when they came out.

http://s1078.beta.photobucket.com/user/capefish_photo/media/20121213_203819_zpsec8790dd.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0


Thanks,

Leon

PS slap me with a dead fish if I manage to upload a pic to this site, just can't get it to work

[Dr. Jekyll - AKA MeL B]

My concern is that why the washers are not lasting, mates of mine have had there washers in longer and they have had more abuse and they are still going just fine. Attached is a picture, I cleaned the grease off though, but they looked pretty flattened when they came out.

http://s1078.beta.photobucket.com/user/capefish_photo/media/20121213_203819_zpsec8790dd.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0


Thanks,

Leon

PS slap me with a dead fish if I manage to upload a pic to this site, just can't get it to work

only logical explanation i can think of is that you got some defective washers, no offense Dawn. just like like any manmade  material there is always a bad batch, IMO. at least Dawn is kind enough to give you free replacements, now that's what i call customer service, kudos to you madame!

[Keta]

They don't appearer to be damaged, just compressed, do you have the thickness of the Dartaniun II washers?

I'll assume your star is hitting the sideplate and not compressing the drag stack sufficiently.  Try to get an extra keyed washer and put it on top of the stack for a spacer or put 2 CF washers under the top keyed washer.

[alantani]

they're fine!

[Bryan Young]

Your washers look fine and the thickness seem to be fine as well.

What are you using to lube your ARB?  Is it possible that oils are getting into your drag stack making it slicker?

[CapeFish]

Hi Bryan and others your responses are greatly appreciated.

I don't have the old washers anymore but Dawn gave me the specs of the carbontex washers and the washer under the gear is particularly bad. It is supposed to be 1mm and is only 0.5mm. I checked my drag after adding another onld compressed carbontex washer (that set also bumbed out in another reel and the washer under the drag was also about 0.5mm) and got about 7kg of drag with a full spool which is pretty good. Got a fairly ok fish over the weekend but it only took short runs and subdued easily so no proper drag testing, It did hold no problem with the extra washer in.

THe washers are definitely compressed/worn they are all thinner than they are supposed to be according to Dawn's measurements, as said particularly the one under the gear. The cals grease that pushed out was black so there was obviously some wear on the washers.

I use Reel x on the anti-reverse bearing, but sparingly, I doubt any would find it's way in, but the problem does not seem to be that -  it is the washers wearing out. Why is it happening so quickly? I thought carbontex should last a long time. This set of washers have not seen a lot of use as work has kept me away from fishing.

Can the fact that the reels swim often have an impact? It makes no sense though.

Regards,

Leon

[alantani]

for the drag washer that goes under the main gear, i actually always use a penn ht-100 #6-113h.  that's the drag washer from the penn 4/0 senator.  it's thicker and i've found that it works better. 

[CapeFish]

I have heard about that trick, I am just not sure if those Senator washers are available south of the Sahara. My concern is still why two of my reel's drags have failed in the same way? My mate's reel is still 100% and he has caught some crazy fish with it.

[alantani]

send me your address and i will mail you some drag washers. 

[CapeFish]

Hi Alan,

You guys are very kind, Dawn has already offered to replace them. You have enough to keep you occupied at the moment.

Thanks,

Leon

[Dawn]

I've got the base washer thicker now