AVET AND PENN REELS SET UP TO GO FISHING

[mjberrocal]

Dear Mr. Tani:
I have been reading this site with great interest.  I congratulate you.  I live in Panama, Rep. of Panama (Pacific Side), a true fishing paradise and I have been lucky enough to have been fishing these waters for 45 years, since I was 5.  I have some questions in connection with the AVET and PEEN reels I have.  I have not been able to get a specific answer with respect to these reels so far. I keep getting some contradictory answers from my reel service store in Panama.  List of reels:
2 AVET HX 5/2 (2 Speed)
2 AVET PRO 30 Narrow (2 Speed)
2 AVET QUAD T-RX50/2 Narrow (2 Speed)
2 PENN 16 VSX (2 Speed)
2 PENN 30 VSX (2 Speed)
2 PENN 50 VSX (2 Speed)
2 PENN 50 VSW (2 Speed)
2 PENN 50T Narrow (1 Speed)
All of these reels are new, except the old PENN 50T's, which have about 35 years.
Questions:
1. What kind of drags came with the reels from factory?  Can you comment on them?  Are any of those carbon fiber from factory?
2. Do you recommend replacement of the drags in any of them?  If so, what kind of drags do you recommend?  What would be order and position that you recommend: eg: (())?
3. Do you sell/have good state of the art drags for these reels? How many should I buy for each reel?
4. If the PENN SVX's came with carbon fiber drags from factory, can I grease them?  If the PEEN SVX's came with carbon fiber, is it worth replace them?  Here is the link to the "dura drags" I believe the PENN's have: http://www.pennreels.com/repairbulletins/repairbulletin3_duradragbulletin.pdf
It does say if they are carbon fiber.  What is your opinion on these drags?
5. I believe that all of the AVETs came with carbon fiber and the factory do recommend grease on them.  If you agree to grease them, what kind of grease should be used?  What do you think of the red grease AVET has?, seems very good to me, sticky as hell!
6. What is you personal opinion on the AVET QUAD T-RX50/2 Narrow (2 Speed)?  I had an issue with them out of the box 2 weeks ago: One of them only needed 2cm (after having the knob all the way back/counter clockwise) of forward turn on the main drag knob to achieve the proper strike pressure (30%) once the lever drag is set to strike position.  The other (second one) reel needed more than 7cm (after having the knob all the way back/counter clockwise) of forward turn on the main drag knob to achieve the proper strike pressure (30%) once the lever drag is set to strike position.  Is this normal?  Seems like the internal parts or the drum that applies pressure to the drags is not traveling the same distances.  Shouldn't they be precise equipment tools, made to the exact precision standards?  When I called AVET, they told me that I should pass the break-in on the reels to polish the high points in the drags.  Sounds logical, but I have never had this particular issue with any of my previous reels; and I always buy them in pairs, so I can test one against the other.
7. I have noticed that the AVETs HX 5/2 (2 Speed) slip and fail when you reel in or recover line, at relatively normal drag pressure (30%).  I need to apply a lot of drag in order to avoid slippage of the spool when you reel in or recover line.  Any thoughts?  Or the reel is just too small and lacks drags on both sides?
8. Is there anything else that could be done to any of these particular reels listed above to improve them?
I apologize for the long tedious questions.
Thanks,
mjberrocal

[mjberrocal]

I found a drag washer kit replacement for my PENN 50T's at MYSTICPARTS.COM:

"117DN-50 Drive Plate Assembly with Dura-Drag™ Washer
New Dura-Drag™ Design with Lubricant
Penn SKU#:    117DN-50
New Penn SKU#: 1184504
Our Price:    $34.90 EACH"

Is it the appropriate drag replacement for the PENN 50T's?  What would be the difference when replaced?


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

[Norcal Pescador]

That should be the correct one. I had to replace the drag in my straight 50 and that's what I used. The difference between the 50 and 50T is the 'T' stands for 'tunnel' as in tubular frame; my 50 has posts and a top spacer bar. It was a good move in that I went from an asbestos automotive-type brake material to carbon-fiber. Much better performance. However I did keep all of the old parts in case my 117DN drag gives out on a long-range trip and I need to keep fishing.  

[mjberrocal]

Thank you Norcal. Should those new drags for the 50T's be greased?

[Bryan Young]

All reels except the Penn 50T should have carbon drags.  The dura drag replacement is a direct fit and is supposed to be pre-lubed with drag grease...but when in doubt, grease with Cals and wipe off excess.

I don't believe that the other reels have any drag grease on the carbon fiber drags, and should be greased.

[mjberrocal]

Thank you Brian.

[Norcal Pescador]

My 117DN-50 came lightly greased, so I did just as Bryan said - added some Cal's and wiped off the excess.
Rob

[alantani]

Dear Mr. Tani:

I have been reading this site with great interest.  I congratulate you.  I live in Panama, Rep. of Panama (Pacific Side), a true fishing paradise and I have been lucky enough to have been fishing these waters for 45 years, since I was 5.  I have some questions in connection with the AVET and PEEN reels I have.  I have not been able to get a specific answer with respect to these reels so far. I keep getting some contradictory answers from my reel service store in Panama.  List of reels:

2 AVET HX 5/2 (2 Speed)
2 AVET PRO 30 Narrow (2 Speed)
2 AVET QUAD T-RX50/2 Narrow (2 Speed)
2 PENN 16 VSX (2 Speed)
2 PENN 30 VSX (2 Speed)
2 PENN 50 VSX (2 Speed)
2 PENN 50 VSW (2 Speed)
2 PENN 50T Narrow (1 Speed)

All of these reels are new, except the old PENN 50T's, which have about 35 years.

Questions:

1. What kind of drags came with the reels from factory?  Can you comment on them?  Are any of those carbon fiber from factory?  

with the exception of the 50T, all of these reels will have carbon fiber drag washers.  the 50T may or may not.  earlier models had an asbestos car-brake style drag and newer ones had carbon fiber.  the vsx reels all have dura drag washers that are already greased.  all of the others are dry and need grease.

2. Do you recommend replacement of the drags in any of them?  If so, what kind of drags do you recommend?  What would be order and position that you recommend: eg: (())?  

i think you mean bellevilles, since you are using the "(())" symbols.  most of the bellevilles should be stainless steel.  some older penn reels have plain steel bellevilles that can rust.  they need a liberal amount of grease to prevent that.  if they are badly rusted already, you can try to replace them with stainless steel if something is available from penn.  i have a selection of random bellevilles from mcmaster.com and can usually find something to match, but it is often guess work and luck.  

3. Do you sell/have good state of the art drags for these reels? How many should I buy for each reel?

drag washers in these reels should already be state of the art.  they simply need a coat of cal's grease if they are dry.  

4. If the PENN SVX's came with carbon fiber drags from factory, can I grease them?  If the PENN SVX's came with carbon fiber, is it worth replace them?  Here is the link to the "dura drags" I believe the PENN's have: http://www.pennreels.com/repairbulletins/repairbulletin3_duradragbulletin.pdf
It does say if they are carbon fiber.  What is your opinion on these drags?

you can regrease the penn dura drag washers will cal's grease, but it is not necessary.  they are already carbon fiber and need not be replaced.  besides, no one makes a drag washer that will fit.  they work fine.  

5. I believe that all of the AVETs came with carbon fiber and the factory do recommend grease on them.  If you agree to grease them, what kind of grease should be used?  What do you think of the red grease AVET has?, seems very good to me, sticky as hell!

all avet drag washers are dry.  i recommend the application of cal's drag grease to all of these drag washers.  the red grease is hydrocarbon based, not teflon, and should be applied to metal surfaces only.  


6. What is you personal opinion on the AVET QUAD T-RX50/2 Narrow (2 Speed)?  I had an issue with them out of the box 2 weeks ago: One of them only needed 2cm (after having the knob all the way back/counter clockwise) of forward turn on the main drag knob to achieve the proper strike pressure (30%) once the lever drag is set to strike position.  The other (second one) reel needed more than 7cm (after having the knob all the way back/counter clockwise) of forward turn on the main drag knob to achieve the proper strike pressure (30%) once the lever drag is set to strike position.  Is this normal?  Seems like the internal parts or the drum that applies pressure to the drags is not traveling the same distances.  Shouldn't they be precise equipment tools, made to the exact precision standards?  When I called AVET, they told me that I should pass the break-in on the reels to polish the high points in the drags.  Sounds logical, but I have never had this particular issue with any of my previous reels; and I always buy them in pairs, so I can test one against the other.

i've only worked on a few t rex's and they seemed fine.  i set them up in a very simple manner.  i do not feather the drag lever at all.  i simply push the lever to strike and never use any of the positions inbetween.  break in times are needed for outboard motors, but not fishing reels.  it sounds like the parts in your reels do not match.  


7. I have noticed that the AVETs HX 5/2 (2 Speed) slip and fail when you reel in or recover line, at relatively normal drag pressure (30%).  I need to apply a lot of drag in order to avoid slippage of the spool when you reel in or recover line.  Any thoughts?  Or the reel is just too small and lacks drags on both sides?  

i have seen this problem as well, but only at lower drag settings.  the drag settings i would use for a reel this big would be in the 15 to 20 pound range.  that eliminates trouble with slippage.  

8. Is there anything else that could be done to any of these particular reels listed above to improve them?

open all the spool bearings, clean them, lube them and re-install them open.  non-spool bearings should be packed with grease.  i have a bearing packer for just that purpose.  there is a prototype made of very light delron, not the more elegant but much heavier brass.  

I apologize for the long tedious questions.  not a problem!!!!  
Thanks,
mjberrocal

[mjberrocal]

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!!!  I really appreciate your time and good answers.  I will comply as told.  My best.