Improve drag on spinning reel

[cyclops2]

I could never buy a reel with out a AR system and a smooth drag.

 

Take that back a bit. I have 2 Diawa spinning Ultralights. The Automatic Bail closer part is so small It took 45 minutes to modify to close with the handle rotation easily.  Factory told me good luck on doing it. Common problem with that series.  I have modified both after a couple of hours of testing adjustments..

[digitalvoid]

8 minutes ago, cyclops2 said:

I could never buy a reel with out a AR system and a smooth drag.

 

Take that back a bit. I have 2 Diawa spinning Ultralights. The Automatic Bail closer part is so small It took 45 minutes to modify to close with the handle rotation easily.  Factory told me good luck on doing it. Common problem with that series.  I have modified both after a couple of hours of testing adjustments..

I never close the bail with the rotation of the handle.

2 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Make it worse. You need steel both sides so it will slip. Make the steel one Carbon Fiber and it'll lock up tighter than....well...no...don't do it.

If I found steel and carbon fiber that aren't as thick as the current ones, could it be advantageous to add more?

[MN Fisher]

5 minutes ago, digitalvoid said:

I never close the bail with the rotation of the handle.

Only time I ever did that was with my old Mitchell 320 and Pflueger 640...the bail-keep on both was a metal tab that inserted into a notch...no way to manually close without using the handle.

 

7 minutes ago, digitalvoid said:

If I found steel and carbon fiber that aren't as thick as the current ones, could it be advantageous to add more?

Long as the total thickness of the stack isn't more than the current stack...I think you'ld have to go REALLY thin to do that on that particular reel...and too thin is just not good.

[digitalvoid]

4 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Only time I ever did that was with my old Mitchell 320 and Pflueger 640...the bail-keep on both was a metal tab that inserted into a notch...no way to manually close without using the handle.

 

Long as the total thickness of the stack isn't more than the current stack...I think you'ld have to go REALLY thin to do that on that particular reel...and too thin is just not good.

Thanks for your input. I'll probably just have play with it some. Maybe I've been making too big of adjustments on the drag and that's why it seems to go one way or the other. 

[cyclops2]

THe more ....PAIRS .....of discs of the same size.  The more TOTAL friction can be developed.  You might get away with 4 new discs.

See if any plastic disc has SMEARED a erratic coating on any surfaces.  If it has ? you have a severe problem to remove it WITHOUT making small goug in the reel surfaces.   You might have a toughie to deal with.  Post back or P M me.

[Deleted account]

5 hours ago, WRB said:

The issue with lower rating nd spinning reels is the drag tension knob adjustment isn’t fine threaded, a 1/4 turn increase forces too much and doesn’t stay adjusted.

Tom

This ^.

What I used to do is blue locktite the threads on the spool shaft, and allow to dry before inserting spool, now you'll be able to turn the knob between clicks, or disable the click if desired. 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

7 hours ago, digitalvoid said:

Would changing the steel one to carbon fiber help anything? 

No

You’re starting to beat a dead horse here. If the drag has carbon make sure it’s clean , grease it if you want to. As suggested, the adjustment mechanism isn’t all that precise. If that’s what you truly want/need a step up in reels is where you should focus your energies. 

[Deleted account]

11 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Only time I ever did that was with my old Mitchell 320 and Pflueger 640...the bail-keep on both was a metal tab that inserted into a notch...no way to manually close without using the handle.

Many of those older spinning reels worked that way. Not so applicable to bass fishing, but us old surf guys took the bail out entirely on those. I still have a couple of retired green Penn 704s like that. I can close my eyes and still see 12 year old me walking into the tackle shop to buy my first one after saving my pennies over 3 years, I'd been fishing a South Bend knock off for a couple of years, that was still working, and held together by nothing but force of habit. Thanks for the memory.

[digitalvoid]

6 hours ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

No

You’re starting to beat a dead horse here. If the drag has carbon make sure it’s clean , grease it if you want to. As suggested, the adjustment mechanism isn’t all that precise. If that’s what you truly want/need a step up in reels is where you should focus your energies. 

I don't think I'm beating a dead horse. If I can fix the issue with something that  will cost me a couple bucks, I'm game to try it. My other gear in the 50-70 dollar range doesn't seem to have this issue. After looking at some schematics of the schematics for my other reels, I think before I buy a new reel that will be something to look at. The BPS only has two drag "washers" while others seem to have significantly more. I buy what I can afford and maybe this time I just purchased the wrong reel.

[J Francho]

1 hour ago, digitalvoid said:

I don't think I'm beating a dead horse.

You kind of are.  What you suggest won't fix anything and only make it worse.

[MickD]

17 hours ago, digitalvoid said:

Like there is no in between setting

REad WRB's post earlier.  That's probably the problem.  It might be helped by upgrading to carbon fiber and drag grease.  Never had this problem with Pflueger, Shimano, or Daiwa, all different price points.  

[digitalvoid]

1 hour ago, MickD said:

REad WRB's post earlier.  That's probably the problem.  It might be helped by upgrading to carbon fiber and drag grease.  Never had this problem with Pflueger, Shimano, or Daiwa, all different price points.  

Like previously mentioned, BPS web

site says it has a carbon fiber drag. I dont have an issue with my Pfluegers or Daiwa reel either, but I think they have significantly more drag washer than this one.

 

2 hours ago, J Francho said:

You kind of are.  What you suggest won't fix anything and only make it worse.

I understand what you are saying, but I also don't know these things, which is why I'm asking and thinking out loud so to speak. If I knew what I was suggesting would cause issues, I wouldn't bring them up

[MN Fisher]

10 minutes ago, digitalvoid said:

I dont have an issue with my Pfluegers

Ya - I did upgrade my President and President XTs to Carbon Fiber - they both have a 3-stack (3 steel, 3 felt as purchased)

[digitalvoid]

2 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Ya - I did upgrade my President and President XTs to Carbon Fiber - they both have a 3-stack (3 steel, 3 felt as purchased)

Interesting. I would have thought they would have been carbon fiber. Maybe that's something I could do to them. They feel like they have a decent drag system. Did you notice anything significant when you made the switch? I have a President and President XT in size 30 for my bass setups and a President in size 20 on my UL jig setup. Need one more drop shot setup. 

[MN Fisher]

1 minute ago, digitalvoid said:

Interesting. I would have thought they would have been carbon fiber. Maybe that's something I could do to them. They feel like they have a decent drag system. Did you notice anything significant when you made the switch? I have a President and President XT in size 30 for my bass setups and a President in size 20 on my UL jig setup. Need one more drop shot setup. 

The drag is decent as sold - but the carbon-fiber gives you a bit more top end. I use Cals on my fiber washers, so the start up seems smoother to me.

 

I'm working on moving away from Pflueger now - loved them forever, since I got my old 640 back in the 70s - but they're eliminating the AR switch - Trion last year, Supreme (and XT) and Patriarch (and XT) this year. I think next year the Pres and Pres-XT will lose theirs.

 

I use a President-25 for my Ned, Drop-Shop, and other light finesse techniques (ML-F rod)

Pres-XT 30 for light cranks (ML-MF rod)

Prest-XT 30 (ya, a second one) for wacky, neko, shakey (M-F rod)

Supreme-30 is on a MH-F rod for skipping jigs and other heavier lures - I can't skip with a BC to save my life. I'll also do lighter (1/4oz and under) T-Rigs, jigs, spinners on that rig

Lighter skipping is done on the Pres-XT 30/M-F rig

[JustJames]

23 hours ago, digitalvoid said:

I feel like maybe I didn't explain myself well enough. But I'm not sure. Not so much that I wouldn't consider the drag to be "smooth", but when adjusting the drag it goes from super high to super low with adjustment or vice versa. Like a small bluegill pulling drag, when it probably shouldn't. Then when I adjust to be higher and hook a bass, feels like the line is going to snap. Like there is no in between setting, but maybe that is what you consider not "smooth"

you already got the best answer here.

On 3/24/2022 at 11:41 AM, WRB said:

Smoooooth drags are only a few $.

The issue with lower rating nd spinning reels is the drag tension knob adjustment isn’t fine threaded, a 1/4 turn increase forces too much and doesn’t stay adjusted.

Tom

I’d rather have smooth light drag than lock down. You can apply tension with your lite touch of finger on spool when bass start to run. Bass don’t run for too long anyway.

[garroyo130]

2 hours ago, digitalvoid said:

They feel like they have a decent drag system. 

 

The drag system is the issue. With only 1 metal washer and 1 drag washer your drag knob likely doesn't have much room for travel. You can lube the drag and improve it, but really there is no fixing this, the design IS the issue. 

Still, it seems like a solid reel and definitely fishable IMO

[throttleplate]

5 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

The drag is decent as sold

how often did you take the drag apart on your pfluegs and oil the felt washers?

[MN Fisher]

9 minutes ago, throttleplate said:

how often did you take the drag apart on your pfluegs and oil the felt washers?

Since I upgrade any felt-oil to carbon-fiber with a touch of Cals soon as I buy them...never.

 

My old 640 (which I still have) I re-wet the fiber washers probably every couple years.