Reel Damage From Tight Drags & Braids

[Guest DavidGreen]

Thought you anglers would like to see what the combination of to tight of drag settings, and heavy test braided line can do to your reels, Oneway Roller Clutch System.

These shots are from a Shimano® Curado 200B 94 model...

Ok this is the Roller Clutch the heart of your reels Anti-Reverse System. Notice the broken roller pin holder...

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Here you have the Roller Clutch Innertube this sleave sits onto the crank and fits (with very tight tolerances) inside the Roller Clutch. It rotates when the crank is turned and the roller pins (in the Roller Clutch) will only allow it to roll in one direction. Notice the hairline cracks in the tabs that fit into the upper key washer for the drag stack in the drive gear.

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Here is another angle of the hairline crack in the tab. You can also see the gouges that the lose roller pin has caused in the innersleve (they are slightly rusted).

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Once this happens (because of the tight tolerances in this assembly), the reel will act as though it has no Anti-Reverse, the handle will turn in reverse and it will be jerky. There is only one fix for this, the system has to be replaced...

This is why I always cringe when I read about the use of 30 - 50lb braided and floro lines with heavy drag settings. Sooner or later it will catch up to you. You must allow for no stretch in braided lines, by either using the 1/3 rule of drag setting, or, taming the tip action on the rod (from fast to moderate).

Shimano® is the only manufacturer that tired to address this problem with some of their newer reels, by adding the Assist Stopper System of the old Anti-Reverse Dog as a redundant back up to the Roller Clutch Bearing. It supposedly helps reduce the reverse tourque the the Roller Clutch gets.

Oh and BTW this isn't only on Shimano® reels, I have seen this in Daiwa®, and Quantum®, and Garcia® reels with one way roller bearing packs. And if you think the old style (pre roller clutch) reels are safe think again, I have seen the results of heavy mono lines and tight drags take the post the Anti-Reverse Dogs sit on and shear them right off of the frames. I know many of you won't understand the terminology, but I think the photos speak for themselves.

Anglers beware of how you set up your reels....If you need more drag, learn to use your thumb on the spool. This will give you more drag, than any max setting for any reel manufactured, plus you can release it faster and more accurately than cranking the drag star..

Tight Lines All !! "but not to tight"  

[Sam]

As usual, thanks for the info.

You are extremely helpful.

Keep educating us.

[Catt]

Cool dude you just answered what's wrong with a friends reel he was questioning me about.  

[linesider7]

So, Reelmech, in your experience, what reels (if any) could potentially withstand such abuse?

[fourbizz]

I have to send you my Cardiff 400, it has had a completely locked drag since the day I bought it and is having some serious anti reverse issues!

[Guest avid]

Hmmmmmmmmmmm

I have all my casting reels spooled with braid and the drags screwed down tighter than a tic.

Maybe I ummmmmmmmmmm should ummmmmmmmmm loosen the drag??? :-/

[grid]

I smoked a spinning reel last year in Canada with braided line.  Tight drag and being too aggressive using the rod and reel to free snags.  Four bearings and a "transmission gear" were replaced.

[Fishing Doug]

Reelmech,

Thanks for the informative post.

I already practice one of your suggestions-back off the drag and 'add' extra drag with your thumb against the spool....much quicker and easier than dealing with the drag star while fighting a hawg! After losing a couple due to the drag being too tight, I realized it was much more efficient to add drag if needed than try to back it down with the drag star.  

FD

[Siebert Outdoors]

thanks alot,  very informative.

[FishTank]

As always, well done. :D

Thanks ReelMech.

[roadwarrior]

Hmmmmmmmmmmm

I have all my casting reels spooled with braid and the drags screwed down tighter than a tic.

Maybe I ummmmmmmmmmm should ummmmmmmmmm loosen the drag??? :-/

avid,

Seems like we had this discussion recently.   :

[skillet]

 Like Fishing Doug, I took your advice about learning to use your thumb to assist the drag and things are a lot simpler now for BCing.

 I guess other than trying to play with the drag (with a fish on ) with spinning gear is about it or am I missing something that's really apparent :-/

                                                           As Ever,

                                                            Skillet

[Guest DavidGreen]

Spinning gear is a whole other ball of wax. The Anti-Reverse systems on some reels are built with the same style Anti-Reverse, and some are completely different. I haven't run into to many spinning reels in my area that have used braided line, and failed mostly because the rods tend to be lighter on tip action and backbone power. I have how ever run into spinning reels were the anglers would grove the line rollers with the braid because they didn't take the time to check the line roller periodically to make sure it was working as it should.

To answer linesider7 question. No not any freshwater BC reels. I have seen the internal working of some of the higher end blue water reels, that can stand up to most anything the full day charter boats could through at them. Then again they are a whole different ball of wax.

Tight Lines All!! "but not to tight"

[GAMEOVER]

ReelMech, Thanks for the post.. another thing people seem to do that is very bad for a reel is cast and engage the clutch before the cast is over.

I always keep my drag tight when in use but completely disengage it after use, all my reels have the clicking dragstar so when I feel it start to get stiff and harder to click I wont put anymore pressure on it. I dont use braid on my Steez or Zillion only fluoro, mono, or copolyomer lines.

[NBR]

Nice post as usual Reelmechanic. I started before drags were avaiable so I have always used my thumb as the hook set pressure. I set my baitcaster drags light and use my thumb when more pressure is needed and set my spinning reel drags heavy and back reel.