Drag ratings

[Brendan]

     Just wondering if there is a list on this site regarding drag capacities of various reels. I remember seeing something regarding 4/0 upgrades with incremental increases with each upgrade. I have been trying to find that post to check out the capacity of a 4/0 with everything done with the exception of sending it to Sal for double dog treatment, don't think I'm up for that challenge. I also have some Pro Gear reels that I want to stay within their limits.
Thanks in advance, Brendan.

[alantani]

ok, the numbers are going to be ballpark only. i've never taken the time to check this out in any kind of systematic way. it would not be hard to do, just time consuming. some of these i will be guessing at, but i should be close.

penn 114h (and 115L) - 5 stack of #6-115 drags, working drag range to 20#'s, max drag range to 30#'s or more, damage to the brass gear sleeve at probably 25#'s. the 114H and 115L (6/0 and 9/0) have the same gears and drag washers.

penn 113h (and 320/330gti!) - 5 stack of #6-113h/320 drags, working drag range to 15#'s, max drag 25#'s, damage to the brass gear sleeve at probably 20#'s.

jigmaster 500 (and 309, 112h, and 113) - 3 stack of #6-309 drags, working drag range to 10#'s, max drag 15#'s, damage to the brass gear sleeve at greater than 8#'s.

squidder 140L - 3 stack of #6-60 drags, working drag range to 8#'s, max drag range 12#'s, damage to the brass gear sleeve at 8#'s.

beachmaster155 - 3 stack of #6-155 drags, working drag range to 6#'s, max drag range 8#'s, damage to the brass gear sleeve at 8#'s.

now, when you talk about "there is a rating for getting the drag to slip and a continuous rating," your're taking about something i would call "start up," right? that's the amount of pull need to get the spool moving. as opposed the "drag setting" that is the amount of pull needed to keep it moving. well, start up can be zero, or it could be double. fouled drags have a very high "start up," greased drags have virtually no "start up" at all. i would want the "start up" to not exceed 10% of the drag setting. too much "start up" and you lose fish.

as for the amount of drag lost when you grease a drag, that would only be a factor if the travel of the "drag star" was limited. you can always crank down on the star a little more, or push the lever a little farther forward. if you lose 20% of drag pressure becaue of grease, but can turn the star down 20% more, it's a wash.

that being the case, let's look at the issue of "lock up." this is the point at which you tighten the star down so much that the drag washer locks and will not slip anymore. read drag failure. drag grease will help prevent "lock up" in the same way that it helps to prevent "start up." this is usually an issue when the drags are fouled and "lock up" at a low setting.

here is the take home message.....

drag grease extends your drag range by allowing the drags to function under greater pressure before they "lock up." more importantly, it reduces "start up" and risk of losing fish as a result.

[Brendan]

     Thank you Alan. Just trying to find out how high I can go with existing equipment. May want to upgrade bridge sleeve on my Pro Gear. but other than that, I think I'm OK.

Thanks again, Brendan.