Stella SWB4000XG Drag
Submitted by Ectopic on Sat, 2014-08-30 19:47
Has anyone got experience with the drags in these reels?
I was just spooling up a mytho/stella combo I recently bought from Oceanside and noticed a very STICKY drag.
Thought *damn* I've got a trip planned tomorrow, lets open up the drag stack and see what the trouble is. I wiped away the excess grease and it is much smoother, but I'm surprised that the drag washers aren't some sort of carbon!
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kknlk
Posts: 200
Date Joined: 30/12/08
That looks like oiled felt.
That looks like oiled felt. Like you I'm surprised considering the caliber of the reel. Not in time for your trip but you ought to certainly replace it with carbontex. In the last pic the lowest felt looks like the right colour but the one above it looks very dirty for an oiled felt. Residue in pic suggests some grease rather than oil which may account for stickiness. Why don't you clean it all up, let it dry and re-oil.
D_d_001
Posts: 1522
Date Joined: 09/03/13
generally only the larger
generally only the larger sized reels have carbotex drag washers
as a general rule
lower drag settings ....felt is much smoother
higher drag settings ....carbon is smoother and lasts longer (less heat build up)
Im surprised it was sticky though !
Ectopic
Posts: 208
Date Joined: 19/10/09
The plot thickens
I can't even find the largest diameter felt washer in the schematics. The schematics show the same part number for the washer above and below the metal washer with the knobs on the edges, which it clearly isn't!
http://db.tt/DXvNMYOU
Shark1
Posts: 1084
Date Joined: 21/05/12
Should have bought a Daiwa.
Should have bought a Daiwa. ;p
scottnofish
Posts: 1617
Date Joined: 28/08/07
Looks like the exact
Same drag I just fried on my sustain 5000. Top washer on mine just turned to mush
just looked up the washers and they are the Same the. You can get the Stella 9908 carbontex drag washers from smooth drag . Com for $8 for the set
i find it funny that a thousand dollar reel has he same drag as a $200 Stradic
woftam
Posts: 63
Date Joined: 06/04/14
Gee ,think I will stick to my
Gee ,think I will stick to my Stradics , Tried to justify the dollars. Glad I couldn't.
Bunny
Posts: 678
Date Joined: 05/08/10
Keep is on the loop on this
Keep is on the loop on this one. It's has the X tough drag feature but no where could I find the drag material. I'm surprised it is felt. Maybe Dartanium but felt is a surprise. I thought the 5000 and up had Carbon so it will be interesting to see with the 4000. You should check with Shimano and let us know.
Ectopic
Posts: 208
Date Joined: 19/10/09
It does appear that the drag
It does appear that the swb4000xg's drag washers are the same part numbers (9908 & 9911) as many other shimano reels including twinpowers/stradics/sustains.
I pulled apart the drag stack in my swb6000pg and it has carbon washers.
I think I'm going to upgrade the top-most 9908 washer to carbontex (the one sandwiched between the two metal plates). The other 9908 & 9011 are in contact with the plastic "key washer" and I'm not as certain how well carbontex will go rubbing against plastic, I suspect these are better left as the original felt material.
http://db.tt/DXvNMYOU
Boydy
Posts: 623
Date Joined: 26/09/12
Out of curiosity
Along with a couple of the above mentioned reels, I also own a Saragosa 4000F and pulled the drag apart on that. As not having checked it before, (never had an issue with it) and found the drag washers to be carbon fiber.
Bit strange considering I thought it sat below the Sustain and obviously Twinpower and Stellas as far as quality goes, yet I would consider carbon fiber to be a superior material for the drag. Also pulled apart my Sustain 5000FG which has had a fairly good work out over the last couple of years jigging and it still looks like new all be it having the felt drag washers.
honsu chin
Posts: 2086
Date Joined: 20/09/05
The Stella SWB 4000 is not
The Stella SWB 4000 is not as heavy duty as the 5000 or 6000 therefore it does not require the carbon drag washers. The felt washers are more than ample for its application and are generally smoother than carbon washers. The photos shown above seem to indicate the reel has been used for reversing braid under its own drag. My suggestion is to take it back and sort out under warranty.
Ectopic
Posts: 208
Date Joined: 19/10/09
Must have been a "monday build"
I'm sure Oceanside/shimano would have sorted it out, but with the hot snapper bite we've been having at the moment I figured it would be quicker to order a new set of washers from shimano. I ordered a couple (3) of sets of orginal washers from shimano (part no. 9908x2 + 9911x1) which arrived the next day ($54.00 shipped).
I can only conclude that an incorrect felt washer was installed at the factory. The largest diameter felt washer in the pics (which is black and looks deformed) should not be there according to the schematics.
Still surprised at the state of the felt given that the reel had not been fished before. Only some slippage during spooling with a daichi line winder under tension.
http://db.tt/DXvNMYOU
Boydy
Posts: 623
Date Joined: 26/09/12
Regardless
That drag looks smoked, discoloration, burnt out of shape even the plate has score marks. For no use certainly looks worn out, one wrong felt washer or not, shouldn't be burnt if it hasn't been used?
nicko_cairns
Posts: 52
Date Joined: 08/02/13
Just out of curiosity,
Just out of curiosity, tonight I was servicing my 2nd hand sw8000hg, the drag washers look to be carbontex or similar but we're really thin, one broke in my hand while I was wiping it gently. So I'm not sure when this reel was last serviced and I should have cracked it open as soon as I purchased it. I guess it shows that you should do a major service at least every 12 months!
cheers.