I’ve had this one baitcaster for 6-7 years. And it works perfectly fine, until I tried testing the drag which was super lose. I’m able to reel with the handle but the drag star won’t budge. Please help. I don’t want to get rid of this reel. Thanks.

So you're trying to turn or tighten the drag star and it won't move now? How were you trying to test the drag?

I was just pulling the line out like a simple drag test. The star won’t budge but I’m still able to reel in easily. I can’t turn the star very easily either.

If you are comfortable taking the reel apart, maybe a good cleaning is in order. 

Ok. I’ll just take it to my dads friends bait shop. He can do it for free. Otherwise is their a tutorial I can watch? None of my other reels have done this before.

+1 for cleaning And do not forget to loosen the drag after outings !

I've heard the "loosen the drag before putting the reel away" thing a couple times now. Someone said it's to relieve compression from a spring which would otherwise get permanently formed into the compressed position.

 

I thought springs wore down from compression/release cycles, not from being held in one position for a long time.

 

Can someone elaborate?

 

Is there a difference between spinning and casting reels with regard to leaving the drag loose after use? I'm not too familiar with the drag mechanics of either type.

 

16 minutes ago, haggard said:

I've heard the "loosen the drag before putting the reel away" thing a couple times now. Someone said it's to relieve compression from a spring which would otherwise get permanently formed into the compressed position.

 

I thought springs wore down from compression/release cycles, not from being held in one position for a long time.

 

Can someone elaborate?

 

Is there a difference between spinning and casting reels with regard to leaving the drag loose after use? I'm not too familiar with the drag mechanics of either type.

 

I'm interested in this as well....

I will try to update tonight after I try to clean my reel. Knowing me I’m going to break or mess it up. Would it be better to just go somewhere and pay to have it repaired?

3 minutes ago, Caiden Kuehn said:

I will try to update tonight after I try to clean my reel. Knowing me I’m going to break or mess it up. Would it be better to just go somewhere and pay to have it repaired?

It would be best if you laid out the parts in the order you take them off so that you don't have a mess.  Another thing that might help is to take a video of yourself taking it apart so when your putting it together and can't figure out why you have an extra piece you can just watch the video.

It is my impression that the reason to loosen the drag is to prevent the drag washers, the compressible ones like felt or other non-metallic material, from taking a set.   For BC and spin, same principle. 

 

Steel springs should not take any set unless they are compressed into the plastic zone.  The plastic zone means that the steel has yielded, and won't recover.  No one designs a spring such that it will be stressed so high it enters the plastic zone.  That's instant failure.

 

I hope your bait shop guy is competent-these new BC reels are pretty complex.  Would be easy to screw it up. 

 

Well. I got this baitcaster about 6-7 years ago. Not super new but still works

18 minutes ago, MickD said:

It is my impression that the reason to loosen the drag is to prevent the drag washers, the compressible ones like felt or other non-metallic material, from taking a set.   For BC and spin, same principle.

Most spinning reels DO NOT have cupped spring washers.

 

OP: Just curious, did you recently put line on this reel?

4 hours ago, J Francho said:

Most spinning reels DO NOT have cupped spring washers.

I didn't know BC reels had cupped drag washers, but loosening the drag between uses on any design seems positive.  Unless you're taking a long elaborate process to set it.  Which I don't do.

1 minute ago, MickD said:

I didn't know BC reels had cupped drag washers, but loosening the drag between uses on any design seems positive.  Unless you're taking a long elaborate process to set it.  Which I don't do.

Drag washers and spring washers are two different items.  You could even install a spacer, and do without the cupped washers, and you would just have a little less adjustment range, but the drag would work.  Honestly, I don't think it's much of a problem.  They are very hard steel.  I leave mine set year round.  I only loosen when taking apart for cleaning.  I test the drag before using a reel that has sat, and make the adjustment, or exercise it if I think it needs it.  When I had a reel cleaning business, I think I only saw a spring washer fail once, and it was a cheap reel.  The parts that most often failed were the drag slip washers.  They are always replaced with Carbontex, when possible.

For anyone wondering, I did repair my reel. It was just the handle was to close to the star drag. I did some screws and moved them and now it works perfectly