Carbontex Drag Upgrade - Spheros 18000FB

Started by alantani, November 15, 2010, 04:41:32 PM

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alantani

permission to post this has been requested but not received yet.

http://www.360tuna.com/forum/f72/carbontex-drag-upgrade-spheros-18000fb-14645/




Quote from: Living The DreamHere's a writeup on the carbontex drag upgrade for a Spheros 18000FB. It is actually one of the easiest mechanical tasks I've ever done. The text explains the pictures at bottom. Maybe someone can comment on if I got enough grease on the drag washers.


  • Take off the spool, set it on a clean work bench. There's a funky C-clip in the recess in the center of the spool. That has to come out, then there is a stack of metal washers and drag washers beneath that. [Note the diameter of the recess is the same diameter of your replacement washers].
  • Remove the stack w/ a tiny screw driver or something similar and set or lay the stack out so you can easily keep the washers in order. There is a definite correct order to the metal washers. It appears to me that the only washer that has a top/bottom is the first one you get to (the top washer), but I kept all of their orientation the same just to be safe.
  • Grease your new washers w/ Cal's or whatever they sold you. Heck if I know how much is enough, but the smoothdrag website emphasized many times that the only way to screw up is to put too much grease on. They say just enough so you can see your finger print in the grease. Good luck w/ that one. I just put it on until it was shiny. You can supposedly put them on dry and be OK.
  • Wipe the recess clean w/ a paper towel or Q-tip. Same w/ the metal washers. There was a lot of salt in mine.
  • Put the washers back in the top of the spool recess one at a time. First one in is carbontex, then metal, etc, etc, until you're out of washers.
  • Put that funky C-clip back in
  • Put spool back on reel
  • Reset drag BEFORE you go fishing next
It's kind of cool to sit and look at a disassembled drag & see how they work. I can definitely see how a LOT of heat builds up when that thing starts spinning.





















send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

Bryan Young

Very cool.  It's very similar to all spinners.  Note that is the clip doesn't fit on the top of the spool due to the thickness of the new carbon drag washers, it's okay.  The purpose is to keep the drag washers in place while you are putting the spool back on the reel.  It will just make the process of puting the spool back on a little slower.  Not recommended if you are swaping out spools while out fishing 'cause you'll definietly loose draw washers.
:D I talk with every part I send out and each reel I repair so that they perform at the top of their game. :D

Living the Dream

Quotepermission to post this has been requested but not received yet.
Post away Alan!

QuoteVery cool.  It's very similar to all spinners.
I also did an older midsize Shimano Baitrunner and it was very similar as you say. I think you meant to say that IF the clip doesn't fit on top of the spool it's OK (which makes sense when I think of it). I got the clip back on both my Spheros and the Baitrunner.

Now to see if it actually improves anything...

Living the Dream

#3
OK, so I've been dying to know if I bought $12 of snake oil or if this worked. After setting my drags to 7# (I fish from a kayak and I'm looking for wahoo & tuna) I set out for my first trip in a couple weeks. I trolled some lures on my Spheros 18000 (big) and my Baitrunner 4500 (midsize), both outfitted w/ carbontex drags. I was paddling around, minding my own business when I got hit by a couple schoolie blackfin tuna. Double hookup on a kayak! They wound up going 7.75 & 6.5 pounds. What I noticed was a MUCH smoother drag at the hookup. There was noticeably less 'pop' to the rod when the fish hit, just the sound of drag the instant they hit. In the past, I've noticed that when I use a scale to set my drag to 7#, I can get my scale to hit 12# pretty easy by jerking upward on the scale. (Did that make sense?). I suspect that wouldn't happen now. So yes, the new drag works a bunch better. Maybe the carbontex, maybe Cal's grease, maybe the fact I serviced drags for the first time after having the reels on the water 30 times (spheros) and ~100+ times (baitrunner). If buying the $12 washers did nothing other than coax me into diving into and re-greasing my drag assembly for the first time then it was worth it.

So what does this mean?

Well, the common rule of thumb is to set your drag 1/3 to 1/4 of the "actual breaking strength" of your line. With a 'jerky' drag, I'd definitely err on the 1/4 side. With a super smooth drag I'm confident w/ 1/3. SO, if I want 7# of drag, on a smooth drag I can get away w/ 21 pound "actual breaking strength" line, but for 7# of jerky drag I'm looking at 28# actual breaking strength. So in other words, using a typical 60-65% braid/leader knot I can use 30# leader instead of 40#. Or with the snazzy hollow core Chinese finger wind on leader trick I can actually use 20# leader instead of 30# leader. Not a small difference. Lighter leader = more fish.  :D


kattab

I see 5 disks and smothdrag selling a set of 4 discs for 18000 Why?

Nessie Hunter

Greased Carbontex is the one Upgrade I always recommend to every one...

They are smooth as butter and DO eliminate sticky drags that cause break offs & allow for lighter line usage = more hook ups (as you now know).....

Good job, now get the rest of your reels done!!!   lol
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intentions of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body. But rather to slide in sideways, thoroughly used up, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming....
WOW!!! WHAT A RIDE!

kattab

Quote from: kattab on October 17, 2011, 01:01:10 PM
I see 5 disks and smothdrag selling a set of 4 discs for 18000 Why?
does anyone know why?
thanks.

kattab

#7
Quote from: kattab on October 17, 2011, 08:19:26 PM
Quote from: kattab on October 17, 2011, 01:01:10 PM
I see 5 disks and smothdrag selling a set of 4 discs for 18000 Why?
does anyone know why?
thanks.
ok, I reply 5 discs for FB version 3 discs for FA version.

triay85

A quick newbie question.....  Do you insert the carbon drag washers together with the standard washers??  Or just the carbon washers with the metal washers in the same pattern as with the standard???

Kyle K

They replace the standard washers.  I don't know when they changed, but currently the Spheros line ships with carbon fiber washers, even down to the 4000 size.  At least, that's what mine came with.