Little lost hear and thought I would post and get some suggestions on possible fixes for a reel that I have. I can tear my baitcasters down and know them pretty well but just not sure what is the issue with the drag on this reel. It's a Okuma Stratus, DSG house brand, pretty dang close to a Okuma Avenger. It is a cheaper reel but I have had really good luck with them, comes with oil felt drag stack nothing fancy but I have swapped out to carbontex drag washers when the drag was not smooth. If I tighten the drag down it just doesnt want to release smoothly its more like jumpy and not consistent when coming off.

 

Taken it apart multiple times and lightly greased the carbontex washers but not sure what else to try or look for, the reel is smooth when winding forward or backwards just the drag..

 

Thanks

Did you stack the washers in their proper order?? How many washers in the stack??

7 minutes ago, little giant said:

Did you stack the washers in their proper order?? How many washers in the stack??

Yeah as far as I know, its a three stack, alternating with the metal washers. Its just jerky and not sure why...

1 minute ago, bishoptf said:

Yeah as far as I know, its a three stack, alternating with the metal washers.

Carbontex? Did you clean them? If so, just a touch of lube (I prefer Cals for drag-washers) will free them....you'll loose a bit of top-end, but they'll be MUCH smoother.

 

BARELY touch a swab (not a Q-Tip, a tight-weave swab) to the Cals and spread it out as thin as possible both sides. Doesn't take much.

You say 3, I'm guessing 3 drag, 3 metal: The 1st, lowest washer should be drag, 2nd-metal, 3rd- drag, 4th-metal eared, 5th-drag, 6th-metal. The 6th could be bowed or bell washer.

I agree with just a touch of drag grease, both sides of drag washers.

28 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Carbontex? Did you clean them? If so, just a touch of lube (I prefer Cals for drag-washers) will free them....you'll loose a bit of top-end, but they'll be MUCH smoother.

 

BARELY touch a swab (not a Q-Tip, a tight-weave swab) to the Cals and spread it out as thin as possible both sides. Doesn't take much.

 

13 minutes ago, little giant said:

You say 3, I'm guessing 3 drag, 3 metal: The 1st, lowest washer should be drag, 2nd-metal, 3rd- drag, 4th-metal eared, 5th-drag, 6th-metal. The 6th could be bowed or bell washer.

I agree with just a touch of drag grease, both sides of drag washers.

Yeah i have an using cals drag grease, and they are stacked properly...why I am confused. So i have a newer avenger as a back up swapped the spool over and its smooth, so there is something else I am missing with that reel. The newer reel has washer above the star, maybe move that over and see if it makes a difference, just not sure whats causing it to be jerky on the one reel vs the other, obviously its not the drag stack.

Ok on the washer. Note that washer may be a shim for the line lay on the spool.

You could try a bit of grease on the bottom of the spool tightener. The lockdown.

Sand the metal washers on a piece of crocus cloth on a piece of glass to make sure they're flat and smooth.  Sand in a figure eight pattern.

Hmm smooth consistency is usually a noticeable benefit with Carbontex drag. If the drag washers are punched with a small hole, check each one against the shaft diameter and open the center up a hair if need be. Same if the outer diameter is too snug of a fit. 

27 minutes ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

Hmm smooth consistency is usually a noticeable benefit with Carbontex drag. If the drag washers are punched with a small hole, check each one against the shaft diameter and open the center up a hair if need be. Same if the outer diameter is too snug of a fit. 

Its not the drag, i can swap the spool to another reel and its fine so its something else going on with that one reel. I to thought it was the drag stack but when I move it to a different reel ( same kind) it works as it should. Just not sure what else it could be on that reel that is making it stick....

Is the inside of the spool rubbing on the housing, main shaft bent?

1 hour ago, Alex from GA said:

Is the inside of the spool rubbing on the housing, main shaft bent?

Dunno, not fishing today so I will take another look and see if I can figure out whats going on, no idea at the moment.

I think I may have finally figured out what the issue is but not sure how to address it. I do not know all the parts name but on the bail where the line goes at least on the okuma's there is a bearing in it and that assembly appears to be sticking. I never knew there was a bearing in that part I thought I was static. I took it apart and removed the bearing and put it in my utrasonic cleaner and it appeared to be fine, re-oil with 90wt and seems smooth, cleaned that assemble but it still has the same issue. I can visually see the collar where the line goes stop spinning when the drag has more pressure on it and I think when it starts spinning is what I feel it being lumpy. I guess I learned something new but spent way to much time on it and still not sure how to address to solve the issue. If I pull line off the spool tightened down without going over that part its smooth so its nothing to do with the reel or shaft etc, I think its all on the bail collar.

 

Thanks for the suggestions, will follow up when and if I ever get it working smoothly, maybe I will clean the bearing again and use tsi 321 instead of the heavy oil and see what else I can think of to keep the bearing spinning under pressure.

Are you talking the 'Line Roller'?

 

Even if it doesn't spin, it should be smooth enough that the line will just pull across it without issue. 

 

If it is affecting the drag, then there's something besides the bearing causing the issue....more likely it's 'scuffed' and the line is being held up - like when there's a nick in a rod-guide. Close inspection is needed and possible replacement of the roller.

3 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Are you talking the 'Line Roller'?

 

Even if it doesn't spin, it should be smooth enough that the line will just pull across it without issue. 

 

If it is affecting the drag, then there's something besides the bearing causing the issue....more likely it's 'scuffed' and the line is being held up - like when there's a nick in a rod-guide. Close inspection is needed and possible replacement of the roller.

Yeah its the line roller that I am referring to, I can tighten the drag down and use my hands to move and it never binds it's always smooth even when tight but when I go over the line roller when its tight it will jump so imho its something going on with the line roller. 

Okay, I'd check it like you would rod-guides. Lightly run a Q-Tip around it, if any fibers from the Q-Tip 'grab' on, then it's a nick/scuff/something. Replacing the roller is the only fix, but luckily it's a pretty available part.

 

Also make sure that the screw to the outside that holds the roller in place isn't too tight.

 

Also, I use light oil there - TSI-321 is best....my personal light oil is Air Tool Lubricant.

 p/n 600 is the drag cap

If this part is not flat for whatever reason, you won't get uniform drag load over full rotation of drag pay.  

The entire drag load range is produced by elastic strain in this plastic part - this is the reason drag load only results over a small rotation of the drag knob.  The elastic strain acts like a spring, but if the cap is tightened to permanent deformation, it's over.  Might check on availability of this part.  

 

Here are line roller parts for 30 size,

The bearings (9104) should be a standard size - e.g., 740ZZ (same as knob bearings) - check HPR Bearings website or ebay store.  

 

If the bearings coming out show anything like rust, throw them away, and clean the metal parts in vinegar + 3 parts water.  

56 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

 p/n 600 is the drag cap

If this part is not flat for whatever reason, you won't get uniform drag load over full rotation of drag pay.  

The entire drag load range is produced by elastic strain in this plastic part - this is the reason drag load only results over a small rotation of the drag knob.  The elastic strain acts like a spring, but if the cap is tightened to permanent deformation, it's over.  Might check on availability of this part.  

 

Here are line roller parts for 30 size,

The bearings (9104) should be a standard size - e.g., 740ZZ (same as knob bearings) - check HPR Bearings website or ebay store.  

 

If the bearings coming out show anything like rust, throw them away, and clean the metal parts in vinegar + 3 parts water.  

Like I mentioned earlier if I took the whole spool and moved it to another reel it worked fine so its something going on in the one reel. Odd it shows to bearings and I only saw one and a bushing everything else looks correct I do have the 30 size. 

 

You mentioned if this part is not flat, which part are you referring to, the metal start part number 719 or a different part. Kind of a bummer since the reel is really smooth otherwise, its just the drag... 

Unless it's shouldered to a smaller diameter in the line roller, bushings are bearing size, so buy 2 bearings.  The difference between 2 reels could be 2 different drag caps.