Beware When Tuning Drags

[slinkymalinky]

I got a couple of sets of upgraded drag washers from Go Fish for a couple of my Baitrunners and I bled for them

The carbon composite washers replace the orignial 'felt' washers but to get the best out of the improvement I decided to hone the steel washers too. I only got one reel done... honing the washers on increasingly fine wet&dry sandpaper... when I wondered where the blood was coming from

Well duuuuh! Holding a washer (that has a hole in the middle) down on sandpaper without concentrating on keeping your fingers flat (because I was cheating and doing a couple at a time) meant the tips of my fingers were touching the paper through the hole. Said finger tips had largely disappeared.

It wasn't much fun yesterday when I started fishing and the braid was whipping across the raw ends when casting.

Still... the Baitrunner that got the full treatment is awesomely smooth and feels (without testing) like it has a good couple of kilos more drag pressure now.

Cheers, Slinky

Edited July 7, 2008 by slinkymalinky

[johnno]

It does get painful for sure

trick slinky use masking tape around tip of finger.

Yes it does get bits on the paper from the tape

but the blood stays in your body.

[Nolongeramember]

Ouch.. Im yet to find an effective way to ground down the washers on sandpaper without it taking a VERY long time to get it smooth and even. You cant put much pressure down without your finger slipping off the washer. (unless you do what slinky did).

If anyone has a better method please let me know..

[slinkymalinky]

Ouch.. Im yet to find an effective way to ground down the washers on sandpaper without it taking a VERY long time to get it smooth and even. You cant put much pressure down without your finger slipping off the washer. (unless you do what slinky did).

If anyone has a better method please let me know..

G'day Roylo,

Start with really coarse paper to cut down the washers fast.

I start with 180 on bad washers or even 120... then 240/320/400/600/800/1200/1500/2000

Sounds like even more work but it's actually easier. By dropping grades slowly it removes the scratches from the previous grade more quickly. I used to just go coarse/medium/fine but found that it took ages for the 600 grit paper to remove the scratches made by the 240 etc.

I only rub down each washer for maybe 30 seconds to a minute each side so each one takes only about 5 minutes.

Cheers, Slinky

[arpie]

hmmmm, Slinky - that seems a painful way to get a new set of fingerprints??? I wonder if it will come back the same or smooth??

Good on you for having the patience for doing it!! Glad to hear the problem wasn't with the reel or spool!!!

Roberta

[Guest MRSIWANNAJEWY]

How about using a suction cup on a stick similar to what you use holding a valve when cutting and lapping valve's in a cylinder head?

[flatty hunter626]

I got a couple of sets of upgraded drag washers from Go Fish for a couple of my Baitrunners and I bled for them

The carbon composite washers replace the orignial 'felt' washers but to get the best out of the improvement I decided to hone the steel washers too. I only got one reel done... honing the washers on increasingly fine wet&dry sandpaper... when I wondered where the blood was coming from

Well duuuuh! Holding a washer (that has a hole in the middle) down on sandpaper without concentrating on keeping your fingers flat (because I was cheating and doing a couple at a time) meant the tips of my fingers were touching the paper through the hole. Said finger tips had largely disappeared.

It wasn't much fun yesterday when I started fishing and the braid was whipping across the raw ends when casting.

Still... the Baitrunner that got the full treatment is awesomely smooth and feels (without testing) like it has a good couple of kilos more drag pressure now.

Cheers, Slinky

now slinky thats wat i call commitment ......shaving your fingers off the get better reel performance.......good work lol

cheers flatty hunter

[Nolongeramember]

How about using a suction cup on a stick similar to what you use holding a valve when cutting and lapping valve's in a cylinder head?

What are these mate where do u get them?

[Flightmanager]

I think its called a valve grinding tool , and is basically a small suction cup on the end of a piece of dowel. Most large auto parts stores should be able to supply them . Maybe the grinding paste could be used as well ?

Ross

[slinkymalinky]

I think its called a valve grinding tool , and is basically a small suction cup on the end of a piece of dowel. Most large auto parts stores should be able to supply them . Maybe the grinding paste could be used as well ?

Ross

I'm going to Super Cheap to try to find some!! No more blood on the washers.

Cheers, Slinky

[Dreamtime]

I'm going to Super Cheap to try to find some!! No more blood on the washers.

Cheers, Slinky

Washers do have holes in them, don't they?

A little difficult to maintain suction.

Try using a magnet on the metal washers,

OR

replace them with Smooth Drag Washers

Should be available at one of the site sponsors. (If not PM me for email address)

Smoothies should be installed dry as they are treated with a dry lubricant. Xtreme Smoothies and Carbontex can both be installed dry OR with a VERY LIGHT coating of Cal's Universal Reel and Drag grease. This is the only grease we recommend. It can be used on the drags and everywhere else in the reel grease is desired. All old grease should be cleaned out of the reel before re-greasing with Cal's grease. A VERY LIGHT coating of Cal's grease on the Xtreme Smoothies is recommended if you are likely to get your reels very wet, it will help waterproof the drag system. Very light means you should be able to leave a finger print in the grease on the surface of the drag. When it comes to drags more grease is NOT better!

When incomponents in the drag system are thoroughly cleaned with a specialist cleaning solvent such as white sprits, dry cleaning solvent, disc brake parts cleaner (auto supply) or any totally evaporating agent that leaves a dead dry and metallic oil free surface. ( Do not use Kero, metho, diesel or acetone, etc.) Insure that all metal surfaces in gears & metal drag washers that come in contact with friction drag washers are smooth, polished & burr free. If any components are damaged or in doubt it is better to replace at this stage. Make sure metal drag washers are flat and not cupped. If reusing metal drag washers polish them up with #600 fine sandpaper, or crocus cloth.

Once installed & after extended use, if the Xtreme Smoothies show any sign of irregular performance or drag "shudder", etc. you can bet that oil, grease or water or a combination of both have worked their way into the drag system. It is imperative with all reel servicing that only a small amount of the correct reel grease and reel oils are applied to the reel components. Over lubricating is possibly the biggest cause of poor drag performance. The major offender in most bait casting reels is the anti reverse needle roller bearing (one way clutch bearing), which is always over lubed and ultimately excessive lube migrates down into the drag system. Also only lightly coat the teeth of the reel gears with the correct gear grease, and remove any excess. However it should be noted that the bore in the hub of the main gear is sparingly lubricated to ensure that proper lubrication is offered between the main gear hub and the main gear shaft on which it rotates, again sparingly is the key word.

Xtreme Smoothies can be returned to their original performance value, if lube or water contamination occurs by removing them and cleaning thoroughly in the cleaning solvents as previously mentioned, ensuring that all other drag components are cleaned likewise.

Also ensure that you install all of the drag washers supplied in the replacement kit. Some anglers neglect to replace the drag washer located beneath the main gear between the main gear and shaft carrier base plate. This washer is an extremely important part necessary to ensure proper drag performance.

[Guest MRSIWANNAJEWY]

They dont actually rely on suction, they hold the valve by the friction of you pushing down on the dowel on to the rubber tip.

[Nolongeramember]

They dont actually rely on suction, they hold the valve by the friction of you pushing down on the dowel on to the rubber tip.

Thanks thats good to know. Ill definitly be getting one then.