Daiwa Laguna Drag

[BadContrakt]

So I've got a Daiwa Laguna that I've only had for a couple weeks. I never took it apart when I initially got it (which I usually like to do) but no big deal. Decided to clean my reels tonight and got both Tatulas and my Zillion done in a breeze.

The Laguna, oddly enough, is the cheapest, simplest reel, and when I put it all together and pulled line out to test the drag, it felt weak. Not sure. It is rated at 10lbs max drag but it really doesn't feel like it's at 10lbs.

Now I know you guys can't feel it. I'm not asking you to tell me yes or no that it's messed up, but I checked the schematic over and over and took it apart 4 times and made absolutely sure everything was where it belonged.

What I'm asking is this... Can over-lubricating the gears lessen the drag tension? it seems an odd question but seriously. Could it? My other reels are as tight as my wife's skinny jeans but the Laguna seems to have lost some poundage on the drag tension. Thoughts? I drench all my reels in oil and it's never been a problem.

[Fish4bigfish]

no..check the tension washers and make sure they are curved towards eachother. Also some reels have a washer used as a spacer either before or after the drag star. A single misplaced washer can cause extra space and not allow your drag to function correctly. Is the drag engaged? What I mean is as you turn the drag star can you feel it tighten at all?

[BadContrakt]

3 minutes ago, Fish4bigfish said:

no..check the tension washers and make sure they are curved towards eachother. Also some reels have a washer used as a spacer either before or after the drag star. A single misplaced washer can cause extra space and not allow your drag to function correctly. Is the drag engaged? What I mean is as you turn the drag star can you feel it tighten at all?

Oh sorry I should have mentioned that. Yes. The drag does engage and it will loosen up when I loosen it and it does tighten up when I tighten it. I just feel as though it doesn't tighten as much as it used to.

Also, the "drag spring washer" that you're speaking of, is indeed curved into itself (two curved washers facing each other to allow space in between them). My other Daiwas use the same system and I make sure it is correct before moving on.

[Fish4bigfish]

Did you grease the drag washers?

[BadContrakt]

Just now, Fish4bigfish said:

Did you grease the drag washers?

They probably got gear oil on them, yes. My fingers had it all over them. 90% sure there's no part of that reel that's dry lol.

I do not purposefully oil anything on the main shaft that houses the drag star and handle but my fingers definitely get oil on them second-handedly.

[Fish4bigfish]

Ok no oil should really be on anything except a tiny dot on the bearings and worm shaft. Grease goes on gears and drags. Grease stays put oil tends to travel. Try taking the gears and drag stack out. Remove all lube off the gear stack, including the anti reverse ratchet gear the lower drag washer, the main gear, the carbon drag washer and the pressure plate. I would use simple green or lighter fluid. Reapply grease to the main gear. I grease no more than half of the gear. I run my reels with no drag grease if you do use grease on your drag just barely put some on. Do not put oil on this system.

You may have too much lube on your drag causing it to not want to hold

[BadContrakt]

3 minutes ago, Fish4bigfish said:

Ok no oil should really be on anything except a tiny dot on the bearings and worm shaft. Grease goes on gears and drags. Grease stays put oil tends to travel. Try taking the gears and drag stack out. Remove all lube off the gear stack, including the anti reverse ratchet gear the lower drag washer, the main gear, the carbon drag washer and the pressure plate. I would use simple green or lighter fluid. Reapply grease to the main gear. I grease no more than half of the gear. I run my reels with no drag grease if you do use grease on your drag just barely put some on. Do not put oil on this system.

You may have too much lube on your drag causing it to not want to hold

I've never used grease. I feel that it harbors too much debris and dust. Always been an oil guy. Even if I have to reapply more often I would still rather use oil. That applies for my guns too. Not my wheel bearings though!

I'm going to take apart the drag stack again and dry it really thoroughly and put it back together. I'm not going to enter the gear housing though. Just going to focus on the drag stack. Maybe you're right.

Not going to do it tonight though. It's bed time up in here!

[Fish4bigfish]

Ok man good luck but I would seriously consider asking guys on here and researching your position on that. Oil and grease are very important parts of reel maintenance! It's not about how often you do it. Grease has different viscosity than oil. 

[cottny27]

I had this same problem and it was never fully resolved.  Yes, too much grease will lessen the tension from what I've noticed.  I ended up trading it in at BPS.

[BadContrakt]

 

3 hours ago, cottny27 said:

I had this same problem and it was never fully resolved.  Yes, too much grease will lessen the tension from what I've noticed.  I ended up trading it in at BPS.

You has this same problem with the Laguna? Or with another reel? Cause all my other reels remain unchanged even though I'm sure they're all just as oily.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

The drag washers should be removed and degreased.  The only place grease tends to gum up is the levelwind. I never grease them. Grease gears, and lightly oil sliding parts. 

[rippin-lips]

Simple green and a toothbrush on the drag washers. Rinse and allow time to fully dry. Then install dry. On drags that can be run dry, I run them dry. Drag grease helps with heat dissipation but in bass fishing it's not a big deal. I used to be an oil guy but I've changed my ways after a few conversations with Ian Shields. The spool bearings and ar bearing are the only thing I'll oil. Grease for other parts. Gears,worm shaft, and frame bearings. The result is a smoother reel.

[BadContrakt]

19 minutes ago, rippin-lips said:

Simple green and a toothbrush on the drag washers. Rinse and allow time to fully dry. Then install dry. On drags that can be run dry, I run them dry. Drag grease helps with heat dissipation but in bass fishing it's not a big deal. I used to be an oil guy but I've changed my ways after a few conversations with Ian Shields. The spool bearings and ar bearing are the only thing I'll oil. Grease for other parts. Gears,worm shaft, and frame bearings. The result is a smoother reel.

I just took apart the Laguna again this afternoon and dried very thoroughly all of the drag stack. No change. I don't know.

According to the schematic, everything is properly in place and is also dry now. Maybe I'm crazy. Some time on the water will determine if the reel is truly different or not.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Drying the drag won't do anything unless you degrease it 

[BadContrakt]

1 hour ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

Drying the drag won't do anything unless you degrease it 

Degrease? So you believe even though I dried it there's still a film of oil on it?

Seems pretty dry to me!

[rippin-lips]

Yes, use a degreaser such as simple green and scrub it with an old toothbrush. I hang drag washers on a dowel rod and let them sit and run in the ultra sonic for a bit but not everyone has an ultra sonic. They could still have an oil residue on them. Using a degreaser will assure you that it's gone.  

[cottny27]

20 hours ago, BadContrakt said:

 

You has this same problem with the Laguna? Or with another reel? Cause all my other reels remain unchanged even though I'm sure they're all just as oily.

Laguna, the silver model from a couple years ago.  Took it apart to polish some of the parts and put it back together.  It never was the same especially the drag.  I ended up trading it in after working on it a few times.  

[BadContrakt]

5 hours ago, cottny27 said:

Laguna, the silver model from a couple years ago.  Took it apart to polish some of the parts and put it back together.  It never was the same especially the drag.  I ended up trading it in after working on it a few times.  

That's unfortunate. I really liked this bargain reel too. I might just get another Tatula (cause I absolutely LOVE both of mine) or maybe try another TWS Daiwa reel. I adore the TWS on both my Zillion and Tatulas. I don't ever want to use a standard line guide system again.

[cottny27]

I have never tried one of the TWS reels.  The Laguna casted very nice for a $60 reel.  All it needs is a longer handle.  The newer black ones seemed to have fixed that issue.  

[BadContrakt]

Just now, cottny27 said:

I have never tried one of the TWS reels.  The Laguna casted very nice for a $60 reel.  All it needs is a longer handle.  The newer black ones seemed to have fixed that issue.  

That's the one I have. It's actually a very dark speckled green, not black.

The casting distance and smoothness was exactly what impressed me so much with the Laguna. Such a shame that it's being problematic. I'll make sure to keep this post updated with what I do about it. Thinking I'll tear it apart again and do some searching on the interwebz to see if there's a fix floating around.

[DenhamBruce]

If the drag is so important spend 10 bucks and put dry smooothdrag washers in them and your problem will be solved.

[BadContrakt]

1 hour ago, DenhamBruce said:

If the drag is so important spend 10 bucks and put dry smooothdrag washers in them and your problem will be solved.

Well the reel only has max drag it 10 pounds and right now it's probably maxing out at only about 5-6. So yeah it's pretty important.

Where would one get these washers?

[rippin-lips]

 Carbontex drag washers are not going to up your max drag by any real degree. You have oil residue on your metal and fiber drag washers. You need to tear it apart and degrease them with a good degreaser like simple green diluted with water. That includes the inside surface of the main gear. You have oil where it's not supposed to go. It's pretty simple. Did you scale test the drag to see what it's actually reading? 6lbs of drag is more than enough for most bass fishing situations. Yes, the drag washers are worth upgrading for the $8 they cost but if you don't remove the oil the problem still exists. 

[BadContrakt]

On 7/14/2016 at 9:08 PM, rippin-lips said:

 Carbontex drag washers are not going to up your max drag by any real degree. You have oil residue on your metal and fiber drag washers. You need to tear it apart and degrease them with a good degreaser like simple green diluted with water. That includes the inside surface of the main gear. You have oil where it's not supposed to go. It's pretty simple. Did you scale test the drag to see what it's actually reading? 6lbs of drag is more than enough for most bass fishing situations. Yes, the drag washers are worth upgrading for the $8 they cost but if you don't remove the oil the problem still exists. 

I've taken it apart and dried it twice now and the drag is slowly getting better and better the more I dry it. So it is definitely true about the oil. It can't be on the drag stack at all or things will go wrong!

However my Zillion and Tatulas remain un-phased and I ******* them with oil too. Although their drag system is much different.

[cottny27]

If you're going to have it apart all the time you can sand and polish the drag washers for a smoother drag.  It helps I do it to all of my reels.  The initial "start up" pressure on any drag can always be improved.