# Drag Grease question



## wannaBfishin (Dec 6, 2009)

For the last 10 years, I have been useing dry graphite on my drag washers for my Curados and Chronarchs. I have had very good luck and really like the smooth drag. I would like to try one of them with the Shimano drag greast to make a comparison. How much grease am I supposed to put on the drag washers? Is there some place I can look for advice? I was hoping to see the Shimano folks at the Houston Boat Show but it will be several months befor the Holder Show, that they will be at. I need to clean my reels now and get ready for a trip.
Any suggestions or help about the grease would be appreciated. I have the Shimano grease, just not sure how much to use.
Thanks,


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## MattK (Feb 9, 2006)

It doesn't take much. I usually put some grease on my thumb and index finger and rub the washer in between them. The older white woven drag washers use a little more grease than the newer dartanium ones. To make sure you haven't over greased it just put the key washer on and sandwich the excess grease out. Then simply wipe the excess away.


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## Dipsay (Apr 28, 2006)

wannaBfishin said:


> For the last 10 years, I have been useing dry graphite on my drag washers for my Curados and Chronarchs. I have had very good luck and really like the smooth drag. I would like to try one of them with the Shimano drag greast to make a comparison. How much grease am I supposed to put on the drag washers? Is there some place I can look for advice? I was hoping to see the Shimano folks at the Houston Boat Show but it will be several months befor the Holder Show, that they will be at. I need to clean my reels now and get ready for a trip.
> Any suggestions or help about the grease would be appreciated. I have the Shimano grease, just not sure how much to use.
> Thanks,


 The folks at the show actually cut the drag grease down a bit with thier oil (mineral oil) Kinda hard to explain about how the viscosity feels. But the drag grease ya get is usually pretty thick, that's why they cut it a bit. I actually used two different types one a little thicker than the other. As far as how much you're supposed to lightly grease the drag washer and try not to have too much in the actual gear itself....Dip


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## DirectDrive (Dec 17, 2009)

These pics are from an Alan Tani Curado rebuild tutorial. 
As mentioned above, the excess is easily worked to the edge of the key washer and wiped off.


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## wannaBfishin (Dec 6, 2009)

The info and especially the pics are GREAT. Right after this cup of coffee I'm gonna start tear-down. I'll grease one of my reels and use the powder graphite on the other and see how they compare. If ya want to know the results, let me know and I'll post them.
Thanks again for the input!


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## reelthreat (Jul 11, 2006)

wannaBfishin said:


> The info and especially the pics are GREAT. Right after this cup of coffee I'm gonna start tear-down. I'll grease one of my reels and use the powder graphite on the other and see how they compare. If ya want to know the results, let me know and I'll post them.
> Thanks again for the input!


While you are at it supertune one of the drag systems and compare it... you will be stripping all of your reels down to tune them.

http://www.ultimatebass.com/content/view/247/42/


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## wannaBfishin (Dec 6, 2009)

I don't know what you mean by 'tune them'? What I do is take them pretty much completely apart. Spread all the part out on a towel in the manner they were removed. I clean everything, oil lightly with Remoil and put it back together. U grease the gears with Shimano grease. 
The drag has worked best for me by drying the drag washers and dropping them in dry graphite powder, shake them around and then apply them. VERY smooth. The only drawback is that when I teardown the reels, I have black graphite on everything. This just causes a little mess that has to be dealt with.
I base teardown on 2 things. Too cold to fish (I don't like cold) or when the drag starts getting jerkey. Can't stand a jerkey drag.
I'm open for suggestions.


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## wannaBfishin (Dec 6, 2009)

Reelthreat, thanks for the article! I have not gone to that extreme, but I'll give it a shot. Doesn't look to be too much more work. I head to get the sandpaper and the polish.
Thanks!


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## Bantam1 (Jun 26, 2007)

First tell us what reels you have then we can determine what washers you have. Then I can point you in the right direction for information.

We use the drag grease as it comes out of the container on our washers. We do thin the grease for other things but not the drag washers. 

The washers pictured above are aftermarket. The amount of grease on that washer is pretty excessive. The Dartanium (hard) and Dartanium II (soft) washers are greased differently. The hard washers when new have to be greased and allowed to sit for 24 hours. Then a final light coat is applied prior to the washer being installed. The soft washer just requires a light coating on both sides. 

The older Titanium cloth washers need a lot of grease. They act like a sponge. Rub the grease in over and over and wipe the excess from the inner and outer edges.


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## reelthreat (Jul 11, 2006)

wannaBfishin said:


> Reelthreat, thanks for the article! I have not gone to that extreme, but I'll give it a shot. Doesn't look to be too much more work. I head to get the sandpaper and the polish.
> Thanks!


An auto parts store will have the sand paper. Semichrome is hard to find but I have found other things that work better. Brasso is OK but any buffing compound works good. Home Depot and Lowes carry some buffing compounds, get the white one...


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## DirectDrive (Dec 17, 2009)

Bantam1 said:


> The washers pictured above are aftermarket. The amount of grease on that washer is pretty excessive.


LOL !
Yeah, Alan spreads the stuff a little thicker than I would.


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## wannaBfishin (Dec 6, 2009)

Bantam, I have 2 Chronarchs, 1 of the new Curados and 4 of the older Curados. I plan to take each one down (1 at a time), clean them, oil/grease them and try the Super Tune method on the drags. I plan to put one back together with dry graphite and the other ones with Shimano grease. All will have new drag washers installed. The gears and pinions are pretty new in all the reels.
Am I missing anything? I plan to start tomorrow but will wait for your response.
Thanks


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## reelthreat (Jul 11, 2006)

wannaBfishin said:


> Bantam, I have 2 Chronarchs, 1 of the new Curados and 4 of the older Curados. I plan to take each one down (1 at a time), clean them, oil/grease them and try the Super Tune method on the drags. I plan to put one back together with dry graphite and the other ones with Shimano grease. All will have new drag washers installed. The gears and pinions are pretty new in all the reels.
> Am I missing anything? I plan to start tomorrow but will wait for your response.
> Thanks


If you tune your newer reels that still have warranties it will void them...


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## wannaBfishin (Dec 6, 2009)

Thanks for the warning but no warranty left on these. I bought all of the older Curados when Academy ran them for $99 and included a Castaway rod. That's been a while ago. They are still working GREAT. I purchased new gears about a year ago.
The 2 Chronarchs and the newer Curado are for my last 3 birthdays (ending in 0 or 5)


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## Bantam1 (Jun 26, 2007)

Let us know how it turns out. I would avoid using the graphite on the washers that are made out of graphite like our Dartanium washers. I think it will be counter productive.


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## radarman (Apr 24, 2006)

If you are looking for Simichrome Polish, I found mine at James Avery Jewelry in Pasadena, bit pricey, but they had it.


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## wannaBfishin (Dec 6, 2009)

I was just at James Avery. I'll checkit out.

Bantam,
Where can I get a couple sets of the graphite drag washers. Academy doesn't have them. If you can send information, I'll order a couple of sets. I would like at least 2 sets for the Chronarch 100SFs that I have. Also, do you apply the Shimano greast to the graphite drags?


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## Bantam1 (Jun 26, 2007)

The drag washer for the Chronarch 100SF is the titanium cloth type washers. You can use the hard Dartanium washers (graphite) as an upgrade. We use the drag grease on all of our washers. None of them are dry. The grease helps reduce start up inertia and allows for a mcuh smoother drag across all settings. 

BNT1212 is the stock washer number.

BNT2137 is the Dartanium washer. 

You can get these through any of our warranty centers or by calling us direct at 877-577-0600.


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## wannaBfishin (Dec 6, 2009)

Thanks!


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