Been having issues with the drag on my Stradic FL. Noticed a while ago that my drag was slipping (not working really). I don't really know anything about internals or maintenance but I took the assembly apart and reassembled it and it started working again. Caught a few angry smallies last night that had a bit a fight in them and the drag seems to have given out again. Any ideas? Do I just need to upgrade the drag washers maybe or is something out of spec?

Sounds like the washers need a good cleaning...too much grease/oil can cause slippage.

 

Remove the drag-stack, clean the area the stack goes into then one of two options.

 

Fiber (Carbontex) washers - clean and put a THIN layer of drag grease on...or run them dry, they don't need the grease - without the grease they 'release' at a higher point than with...some of us want the lower release point, others don't.

Oil/Felt washers - get replacement felt and just a couple drops of oil on them...or upgrade to fiber (Carbontex) washers.

5 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Sounds like the washers need a good cleaning...too much grease/oil can cause slippage.

 

Remove the drag-stack, clean the area the stack goes into then one of two options.

 

Fiber (Carbontex) washers - clean and put a THIN layer of drag grease on...or run them dry, they don't need the grease - without the grease they 'release' at a higher point than with...some of us want the lower release point, others don't.

Oil/Felt washers - get replacement felt and just a couple drops of oil on them...or upgrade to fiber (Carbontex) washers.

Thanks. I ordered some carbontex drag washers before I asked on here actually. This post was more me making sure I had the right thinking. The washers that are in the reel now (stock ones) don't appear to be dirty or over greased (I've never added grease). 

I push my felt washers pretty hard.  

Not necessarily recommending this spendy (and really brilliant) upgrade, but MTCW TD drag knob can make a remarkable difference.  

First, it's all metal.  

Second, the elastic component loading the drag is a spring rather than elastic compression of a lump of plastic.  

They come with both fine and stiff springs, but swapping springs is fine work, especially to get the detente clicker set.  

It's next-level drag performance, widens the drag-adjustment to extreme, whether you want extreme fine adjustment on the silver spring, or balls on the red.  

Up front, if you want more than 2-lbs drag, you have to swap-in the red spring.  

Also with the fine silver spring, you can push on the front of the knob with your fingertip to add drag for hook set or to slow a running fish.  

 

 

18 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

I push my felt washers pretty hard.  

Not necessarily recommending this spendy (and really brilliant) upgrade, but MTCW TD drag knob can make a remarkable difference.  

First, it's all metal.  

Second the elastic component loading the drag is a spring rather than elastic compression of a lump of plastic.  

They come with both fine and stiff springs, but swapping springs is fine work, especially to get the detente clicker set.  

It's next-level drag performance, widens the drag-adjustment to extreme, whether you want extreme fine adjustment on the silver spring, or balls on the red.  

Up front, if you want more than 2-lbs drag, you have to swap-in the red spring.  

Also with the fine silver spring, you can push on the front of the knob with your fingertip to add drag for hook set or to slow a running fish.  

 

 

You are the ultimate reel tweaker.

I push my little reels pretty hard inshore - they've all caught doubles with seatrout, snook and redfish.  

 

Doubles actually fight against each other - you just have to get them to the net.  

I’ve had similar issues with my Stradic 2500.  Silent drag, then no drag or slipping.  I lifted the spool to check the clicker and saw nothing wrong, so put it back together and it was miraculously fine for a 1/2 day.  Took it apart further, which fixed it.  Put it back on the rod and tied up a drop shot.  Literally put it in the garage working, picked it up to go the next morning and it has no drag before I even left home.  It’s now boxed up to go to Shimano.  Most expensive spinning reel I have and it’s been the most disappointing. ?

9 hours ago, The Baron said:

I’ve had similar issues with my Stradic 2500.  Silent drag, then no drag or slipping.  I lifted the spool to check the clicker and saw nothing wrong, so put it back together and it was miraculously fine for a 1/2 day.  Took it apart further, which fixed it.  Put it back on the rod and tied up a drop shot.  Literally put it in the garage working, picked it up to go the next morning and it has no drag before I even left home.  It’s now boxed up to go to Shimano.  Most expensive spinning reel I have and it’s been the most disappointing. ?

That sounds EXACTLY what I have going on. 

I replaced the felt washers in my 2500 with carbon tex and they were too thick.  I was able to reassemble the drag system but the top cap no longer made contact with the tabs from below, allowing it to spin.  I had to put the felt washers back in for proper operation.  I just picked up a 3000 spool and run it as a primary and keep the 2500 as a backup for finesse fishing.  I am not sure if there are different thickness of carbontex material.  I just picked up a kit that was supposedly designed for the 2500 and it didn't work for me.    

32 minutes ago, inferiorfisherman said:

I replaced the felt washers in my 2500 with carbon tex and they were too thick.  I was able to reassemble the drag system but the top cap no longer made contact with the tabs from below, allowing it to spin.  I had to put the felt washers back in for proper operation.  I just picked up a 3000 spool and run it as a primary and keep the 2500 as a backup for finesse fishing.  I am not sure if there are different thickness of carbontex material.  I just picked up a kit that was supposedly designed for the 2500 and it didn't work for me.    

Yes - there are different thicknesses.

 

I don't buy kits...I buy sheets and cut my own out

For my Avocet RZTs - 1.0mm

For my Pfluegers - 0.8mm

 

Very different reel, but I just greatly improved drag adjustment on my BFS Ambassadeur 1500C by swapping from thinner carbontex to thicker reinforced-fiber Haneda Craft drag washers.  

Not exactly this photo, this shows the new BB pinion support.  

 

A couple of years ago, I greatly improved a small worm-drive Tica going the other way.  

The stock fiber washer was only 0.035" thick (0.9 mm), and couldn't achieve 2-1/2-lbs drag.  The new carbontex was 0.043" (1.1 mm) and gave me drag to spare.  

 

2 hours ago, inferiorfisherman said:

I replaced the felt washers in my 2500 with carbon tex and they were too thick.  I was able to reassemble the drag system but the top cap no longer made contact with the tabs from below, allowing it to spin.  I had to put the felt washers back in for proper operation.  I just picked up a 3000 spool and run it as a primary and keep the 2500 as a backup for finesse fishing.  I am not sure if there are different thickness of carbontex material.  I just picked up a kit that was supposedly designed for the 2500 and it didn't work for me.    

That's concerning. I have a carbontex kit on it's way to me via eBay.

Check to make sure it's not just your line (braid) slipping on the spool. If you don't put and mono backing on it will slip and appear that there's no drag, as you're describing.

On 9/28/2021 at 9:25 AM, inferiorfisherman said:

I replaced the felt washers in my 2500 with carbon tex and they were too thick.  I was able to reassemble the drag system but the top cap no longer made contact with the tabs from below, allowing it to spin.  I had to put the felt washers back in for proper operation.  I just picked up a 3000 spool and run it as a primary and keep the 2500 as a backup for finesse fishing.  I am not sure if there are different thickness of carbontex material.  I just picked up a kit that was supposedly designed for the 2500 and it didn't work for me.    

Yep. My kit doesn’t fit either.

 

Anyone know of another manufacturer that makes drag washers for the Stradic since the carbontex don’t fit?

Where are you buying these kits? I upgraded Stradic drags regularly and haven’t had this problem. 

Call smooth drag to see if they have part list for 2500 FL. I take a quick look and don’t see any not even FK. If I’m gonna upgrade the drag for any of my reels, I’ll only use smooth drag.

https://www.smoothdrag.com/wp/carbontex-price-list/

19 hours ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

Where are you buying these kits? I upgraded Stradic drags regularly and haven’t had this problem. 

I bought mine through an eBay store. The paperwork with the washers state Stradic FL. Tried to post a picture but the file is too big.
 

I probably need to call Smoothdrag directly. 

17 hours ago, HookInMouth said:

I bought mine through an eBay store. The paperwork with the washers state Stradic FL. Tried to post a picture but the file is too big.
 

I probably need to call Smoothdrag directly. 

 Mine also came from ebay.  if you pick up the smooth drag kit and it work please let us know.  I'd like to grab one if it works for you.