Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Has anyone seen a setup like this?  This was in an old 112h that I'm refurbing.  In addition the inside was chock full of wheel bearing grease, but I see that every once in a while on these old reels.

Yes, I've seen them before, most on the 6/0's . Those white ones are Teflon, we don't like them here, but some claim that they work.

I don't understand why a person would use one carbon fiber and the others Teflon.  That is pretty much putting the entire load on the one carbon fiber washer.  The brass washers on either side of the carbon fiber are pretty well used up.

I like the idea of Teflon or Delron above and below the gear (if space permits), but not in the working drag stack itself.

The ones I've seen had all Teflon washers, the 6/0's had  one Teflon at the top, that does make sense to me.
What happened with yours was that the Teflon is more slippery than carbon fiber washers, so when cranking down on the drags the carbon fiber locked up, while the Teflon was still spinning... not a good combination.

I can't tell you how many old drag stacks I've broken apart with an old pocket knife and a leather mallet -- every time I do that, I wonder why I wasted the time -- should have just chucked them and put in drag greased HT100s with SS washers.

A lot of the old Penns have weird drag set ups -- interesting sometimes.

If the Teflon drags get hot enough -- that is another issue.

Fred, Teflon supposed to be heat resistant. I've read somewhere up to 550degree will still function as it should.

You're right Sal --

I was thinking about those white nylon ones that folks sometimes put into a reel.

I think it was in about 1980 when I bought my 990 magpower and had a set of teflon washers put in. The asbestos drag that it came with was so jerky that I was afraid to fish more than two or three pounds of drag for fear I would pop the thirty pound test.

Of course, then I hooked something that I could hardly even slow down. The drag was smooth alright, but I couldn't get any pressure on it.  Thank goodness the HT100's became available about that time. Still have that reel, with the same set of HT100 washers (with the addition of Cal's grease).

I've only came across one reel with the Teflon Washers. It was a 10/0.

yeah, a friend of mine tried to sell me on these about 10 years ago.  they were horrible.  after all these years, greased carbon fiber is still the only drag system i will use.  nothing else.   

X2 on that Boss!

Nobody is going to hazard a guess on why the person used a combination of teflon and carbon fiber? 

Quote from: Lensters on August 05, 2014, 06:18:42 AM
Nobody is going to hazard a guess on why the person used a combination of teflon and carbon fiber?  

A combination of carbon fiber and Teflon washers has been used for a while now and still used today by Penn on some reels today:
https://www.mysticparts.com/PennParts/Parts/6-750SP.aspx
My guess on your question is smoothness, he was after smoothness, but used the wrong layout.
I'm starting to use Delrin instead of Teflon and my reels feel much smoother than having all carbon fiber washers.
Mine are set in a different layout, but still the same principal, I am using a combination of both.
A Delrin washer under the gear will make the reel feel much smoother than a carbon fiber washer there.
I'm liking it and doing it on all of my reels.
This is only my opinion, the rest is up to you.

"Edited as per Moderators to correct Scott's Bait & Tackle over to their new store name Mystic Reel Parts / www.mysticparts.com"

I like the idea of a delrin washer under the gear, then all greased carbon fiber. I'm going to try that.