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Penn Senator Special with stuck drag

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 10:56 am
by Tin Cup
I have a 113H Senator Special that the drag tension is fixed regardless of the star wheel adjustment. This reel is probably about 4 years old and has seen light use. I just ordered the handle wrench from Penn so I will be able to open it up sometime next week.

Any ideas on what the problem may be or what I should be looking for?

Thanks!

Re: Penn Senator Special with stuck drag

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 1:29 pm
by JETTYWOLF
corrosion?

Damn ya just need a nut driver that's all.

When grouper fishing round here we bang them star drags down with a hammer and lock'em tight so BUBBA can't pull any line!

Once in make sure you layout the drag washers in the right order. Penn Senator drag washers (metal ones) can be really buffed down and made super smooth on the edges with emery cloth since they are just stamped steel, add in some "smoothie" drag washers (fiber) and then you'll have a smooth drag.

Either that, or toss in the ocean as a small boat anchor and get yourself a REEEELY smooth drag as in a Shimano reel.

Senators are so heavy and outa date, that I could only get $2.00 for the last one I sold at a swap meet, where there must have been 25 for sale or swap...and none sold, but mine.

That's the ole trick though, is to make those metal washer edges as smooth as possible, and add in super smoothies.
http://www.smoothdrag.com/

Re: Penn Senator Special with stuck drag

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 2:19 pm
by Tin Cup
The nut driver doesn't work, tried it with both US and metric sizes. It's a custom nut that requires the Penn wrench (53 cents, ordered it today). Too bad, I was hoping to have this reel ready for my Sunday-Monday trip.

Re: Penn Senator Special with stuck drag

Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 12:47 pm
by JETTYWOLF
I must have 20 of those and another 30 of the shimano's. I MacGyver everything. Sorry it was the twin drag Accurates that you can use a nutdriver on. And then a small Torx for the screws.

Yeah, I still see allot of the New Englanders using those ole heavy beasts, in the Cad and Haddak photo's. They build character and arm muscles. But can be made silky smooth, with some R&D.

Re: Penn Senator Special with stuck drag

Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 3:33 pm
by Tin Cup
So last night I got the handle nut off using a pair of electrical crimps and managed to do it without damaging the nut. The nut has an 'oil' port yet the factory has it loaded with grease?? Major corrosion on the top two layers of washers, I had to pound the crap out of them to get them out of their gear seat. Other then a zebco, I've never taken a reel apart before. Pretty straight forward but had to drive an hour each way to get the replacement washers but we're good to go. I'm fired up to service my reels after the season, most importantly it's ready to roll tomorrow.

Re: Penn Senator Special with stuck drag

Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 4:46 pm
by JETTYWOLF
I see "so-called" Anglers bring in their reels to the boat shop to have them fixed and cleaned. And I'm blow away by that.

I keep the schematic of all my reels and even if I need parts I just call the company. No biggy.

If you can change a sink faucet you can clean and fix a reel.

~I guess there's allot of busy plumbers doing faucets these days.

Re: Penn Senator Special with stuck drag

Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 8:19 pm
by Tin Cup
I have changed many sink faucets before (I'm a landlord) and say that fixing a reel is a lot easier. It's part of the down fall of our country, most of the US population has become fat and lazy. :soap:

Re: Penn Senator Special with stuck drag

Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 10:06 pm
by 21ftcc
Tin,


I have the wrench if you need it sooner. Sounds like the washers have burned out. You will need new fiber and metals washers. I changed to the smooth drag washers and Cal's grease. I have a tub of grease if you want some.
http://www.smoothdrag.com/

Re: Penn Senator Special with stuck drag

Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 7:55 am
by JETTYWOLF
21CC........already threw out that tid bit of info.

Re: Penn Senator Special with stuck drag

Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2011 4:45 am
by 21ftcc
:beer: I'm getting old, I don't read long posts. :rotfl: :rotfl: :skillet:

Re: Penn Senator Special with stuck drag

Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2011 9:59 am
by JETTYWOLF
I know....it's the cellphone/pocket computer/pocket TV set/pocket video game console and no need to talk to actual people via texting world out there.

16 years ago, people used to book their charters 3-6 months in advance.

Today, people have the attention span of gnats.

I know, I take them fishing...... or is that "On water texting sessions?"

Re: Penn Senator Special with stuck drag

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 8:26 am
by Tin Cup
21, thanks for the offer, I got everything sorted out on Saturday. Fished Monomoy on Monday; a handful of small stripers, many bluefish and one small flounder. The stripers are fresh into the area, still with sea lice on them.

Re: Penn Senator Special with stuck drag

Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 5:17 pm
by 21ftcc
Tin,

Thats good to hear.

Jetty.

I NO wHaaT youR talkin BOUT. damn English spell texting program.... :rotfl: