Has anyone had experience with a jerky or sticky drag on a Penn Inter. I've set it up for 50lb braid and fish it at 16lb of drag pressure at strike. At this level the drag is jerky and grabs. I have tried the drag dry, greased it lightly and greased it heavily and the result is the same. The drag looks fine, older style ht100, its smooth and flat. Not sure what the problem is whether it could be bearings or something else. The bellevilles have some corrosion on them but I don't think that matters. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.
sometimes the ht-100's get badly glazed if they are installed dry. can we get a picture of the drag washer?
Here it is, under the closesup zoom of a camera it actually looks pretty rough, might just be that the drag needs replacing. What are your thoughts?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/93288794@N02/8481512900/
Sorry, can't seem to embed the pic in the post. Here is a link to a flickr acct.
This is not HT-100.
This is a phenolic friction material bonded to either a new aftermarket drag washer, or an old experimental one. How it found its way into your reel i don't know.
It is quite similar to those supplied by Smoooooth Drag Co once upon a time.
This material is not compatible with grease.
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8527/8481512900_d3af6d45e2.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/93288794@N02/8481512900/)
IMG_3112 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/93288794@N02/8481512900/) by peterg93865 (http://www.flickr.com/people/93288794@N02/), on Flickr
Really, thanks for that. I did have the reel serviced about 5 years ago at the local tackle shop. Maybe they changed the drag. If it doesn't need to be greased then should I clean it with a solvent and put it back or do you think I should source a standard replacement?
Thanks
Quote from: JamesG on February 17, 2013, 08:45:12 AM
...the local tackle shop. Maybe they changed the drag...
That is sort of a peculiar way to go, but yes, maybe. (peculiar because it would have been considered an upgrade; they would probably have liked to be paid for it. Besides, it would have been easier for them to use standard replacement parts)
Quote from: JamesG on February 17, 2013, 08:45:12 AM
...it doesn't need to be greased then should I clean it with a solvent and put it back or do you think I should source a standard replacement?
Not "doesn't need to be", but should absolutely not be. So yes- clean off all surfaces with solvent.
Whether you keep it or not is up to you. To be honest though, i've tested many, many, many drag materials and have unerringly found HT-100 to be superlative in every circumstance.
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I appreciate your help. Interestingly, I paid the tackle shop $70 for the job I bet they made a mistake and used the wrong part. Haven't been back to them since they did it.
Ok, I've cleaned the drag with solvent and allowed it to dry. Put it back together and same problem. Drag is rough and jerky and at high drag pressures. Any other thoughts.
All right... give up on it then, and order an HT-100 original replacement part from Penn. As said, i ain't never found nuthin' better.
(there are a number of other potential causes for the jerky drag-- misalignment, unflat surfaces and so on-- but you might as well start there.)
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That drag washer is what Penn used before HT-100s; I think it was made of asbestos. HT-100s are much, much better as you'll find out.
Yes, but Penn started using HT-100 in 1985-- many years before the 16S was presented. (it first appeared in 1997) It should have had HT-100 and nothing else when it left the factory.
(though i suppose maybe the service guy had some old NOS drag washer from another reel lying around or something; idunno.)
I know they are generally referred to as asbestos on this and many other boards, but really these friction materials are generally comprised of a phenolic resin matrix filled with varying amounts of filler materials in a quasiscientific blend. Glass, metal and organic fibers, maybe some asbestos too, rubber, metal flakes...a pinch of newt's foot, a dash of dragon tail...
Incidentally, i'd like to recall that Penn's earlier material used in the Internationals was a whitish donut- that may or may not have actually contained more or less asbestos (which was considered an excellent friction material).
I may be mistaken, but can't recall them using this black or grey material in the internationals; only the older Senators.
Or? Anybody else seen that before? Maybe ask Dawn if she recognizes it. But they stopped making those washers years ago.
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My 12H had a similar drag washer, presumed to be factory, loose from the plate. I replaced it with a glued on HT-100 cut from a 6-25 . The only new drag available was a dura drag pre glued to the plate for about $25.
oh, i remember these. really hated them. i would go back to a penn drag washer with some cal's grease.