Max drag before failure on stock 115?

[Dynamo]

I probably would too if I fished alot, but I have time to service my reels after every trip. I love my Senators, but I'd probably take a TRX over a 6/0w or 9/0, its smoother.

[Makule]

It's difficult to reply as it's unclear what you mean when you say, "failing", with regard to the drag.Makule I think he meant the spool slipping on the shaft.

Hello folks, I meant failure of any kind, not drag disk failure, reel foot bending, spool shaft slipping or bending, gears failing. Thanks for all the replies, folks, keep 'em coming!

The shaft will not separate from the spool according to the way it's made.  Even when I cut a broken spool in half (just to see what was inside), I could not take the shaft out.  Additionally, I have never heard of, or seen, a spool that became disengaged from the shaft.

Lots of gears get damaged and that's not unexpected when pushing reels to the limit.  Sometimes the spools themselves (including the one-piece spools) will break.  Aside from that, I can't think of anything else that goes wrong (not counting on drag disk burn).

I'm always overkill.

Maybe get a bigger reel?  There still are a lot bigger, and much stronger, ones than a 9/0.

Didn't you have a 9/0 warp one time?

Yeah, got twisted by a big hammerhead about 20 yards from shore and I couldn't crank the reel anymore (so it got away).

[Dynamo]

I have a 12/0 which I love, but I my 9 is a whole lot more fun to fish with. I just love the 50 size reels. I certainly fpdont need 45-50 out of the reel, it would be neat though. 20 yards from shore, eh? Was it a greater hammer? Didn't know you guys in Hawaii shore sharked. I'm worried about my frame twisting as you said, Sal's 6/0 did well at the drag levels in his test but the 9/0 is bigger, wider, thus more unstable. . . . . Perhaps I should keep the 9/0 the way it is and invest in a 50w? Thanks, Makule!

[Ron Jones]

In Hawaii from shore we fish for Ulua, but we catch sharks. Most of what I've seen on Oahu are tigers.
Ron

[Makule]

Sharks are a by-catch, and an undesirable one at that.  Hammer heads are not very common.  Others, like galapagos, tiger, white tip, grey reef, and the usual species.

[Dynamo]

Maybe an undesirable by catch, but a lot of fun to fight for me at least. Pretty cool to have Galapagos and white tippers over there. Those ulua look like large crevalle jacks, do they taste like 'em?

[Bunnlevel Sharker]

I forgot to add a friend was getting spooled one night and locked his 9/0 down with pliers and it's still running strong. Uni-uni the tackle shop guy did failed, we saw line that wehad never seen before, and this reel has caught 10ft fish

[Dynamo]

What 10 ft fish? Don't doubt ya, i just never turn down a good fish tale. That's a good story. I'd never lock a 9/0 down with pliers, its bad for the reel. I can see your pal was desperate though. 9/0s have landed many a big fish, yet many large fish have thwarted the reliable 9/0. . . .  All fish are different, one old wise fat fish will burn you in an instant, yet many others just wont. I've learned not to trust tackle shops in spooling. For example I paid bass pro $20 to spool my 6/0 straight mono 60, he spooled it so loose it crackled when you pressed on the line. Under filled too, he could've filled It up another inch easily. Fit 300 yards, I know I could fit 600. The knot was sloppy too. That was a while ago, I've Hand spooled each one of my reels since.

[Dynamo]

I meant cranking the star is bad, I'd use upgraded washers for more drag. Even cranking the star down it should still work but washers not last as long.

[Bunnlevel Sharker]

It was a bull in the 9-10ft range, long fight but he got it in finally. Bull dogged around a bunch. When your gettin spooled the reels general well being goes out the door. The one that spooled him never slowed down or sped up, just kept goin after eatin a big grouper head. We hoped a similar fish on a 6/0w setup for ray fishin with 130lb mono, ate a little trigger fish head and kept goin till the hook pulled

[Dynamo]

Nice stories. How fast was the run? Slow would have to be a large ray, fast a nice hammer, for sure. . . . .

[Bunnlevel Sharker]

It wasn't a ray, it felt like a big tiger, I've hear from a few old salts they like triggers

[Black Pearl]

Bluefin Tuna 0ver 1000lbs. were landed in the past with the 9/0 and that was before any upgrades. You should be able to handle anything in the water, using a 9/0.
Yes, it is a little heavy, but weight doesn't bother guys from the right side of the coast as much as the left.
We're getting stainless steel gears with a 3.25:1 ratio soon, installing 7+1 or 9+1 washers will make that reel nice and smooth, or you could go with the hex cut gears, they're also very smooth using less washers. A nice power handle would also be nice.

Sal,

Actually, the coming 115L SS gear set will be 2.8:1. Since 115L shares the same main gear with 114H, therefore, you can use your HEX main gear in your 115L as well.

Please note that the HEX 114H/115L main gear is limited production (50 only). Once they are gone, it will be awhile before I will make them again.

Here is the Hex main gear. Please note that the production main gear will fit original metal washers.
http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=7710.0

[Alto Mare]

I stand corrected, sorry Alan, got caught up in the excitement.....thanks for picking that up.

Gear ratio on the 115L is 2.8:1.
Sal

[Dynamo]

Those gears look nice. Will i need custom washers? Are the pinion cut gears stronger then helicals as avet claims? Are they just being cheap?