# 12/0 Drag Washers



## dfossati (Mar 29, 2005)

I've had an older model, steel spool, Penn 116. 5 yrs ago I bought a newer model, looks like plastic spool, Penn 116. Why did Penn go to the different drag washers? Are the 11, thin, kevlar looking, drag washers better that the 7, fat, thick, asbestos looking washer? If so, then can you change the old ones to the new ones? If not, then can you change the new ones to the old ones?

Also...logic tells me that the old steel 12/0 would be the better way to go, but what is y'alls opinions on that? It is heavier, and cleaned and rebuilt to new, it still doesn't seem to be as smoothe. But with those bad boys, I would rather have a tough reel, than a silky smoothe one.

What is anyone's experience with a Penn 12/0 of these styles?


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## justletmein (Feb 11, 2006)

That spool isn't plastic, it's aluminum. From what peeps tell me seems most people prefer the old style washers, but you can't buy them anymore I guess because of the asbestos. As for the spools, I kinda like the aluminum, but the chrome spools are supposed to hold more line.


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## word-doctor (Sep 20, 2005)

*steel?*

I don't think Penn used SS on any of its spools. The old style are 3 piece bronze/brass with chrome. This is on the smaller reels for sure, but I suspect its true for biggie Sens. And actually, there's a greater risk of "spreading" under pressure from the old chromed ones than the newer Aluminum ones.


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## gundoctor (May 20, 2004)

OK, the new drag washers are HT100 and better than the old style washers IMNSHO. They also seem to come out better in all the test that people run on which drag is best. 
There are three style spools. The oldest is a chrome plated bronze spool that is made of three pieces and not desirable at all. They are very weak and mono destroys them fairly quickly.
The second style spool is one piece chrome plated bronze. These spools are in demand because they hold a little more line. I have found it to be less than 100ft of 80# mono. This is much less difference than the general perception. While they are much stronger than the old 3 piece spools, they don't compare to the new aluminum spools in strength.
New reels have used a one piece aluminum spool(anodized black) for several years now and its the strongest spool Penn has ever made for the senator series of reels. They don't hold quite as much line as the older chromed bronze spools but it not enough difference to make a difference fighting a big fish. I've checked and its much less than 100ft of 80# mono(probably less than 20ft). When I found that out, I changed my preference from 1 piece chrome bronze spools to the newer aluminum spools. I'll give up 100ft of line for the increased spool strength.


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## dfossati (Mar 29, 2005)

Thanks to all that replied. I new I would get some quality info on 2Cool. Can I change to the new style washers?


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## justletmein (Feb 11, 2006)

You can change to the new HT100 washer, but there's some parts that are smaller so you need to keep some of the old metal washer parts to leave in there. I can't remember exactly, but you'll need at least 1.


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## dfossati (Mar 29, 2005)

Thanks...I'll definately try.


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