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Random Quote: No matter how you measure it-dumbass is expensive! (LSC-101)
I have three Avets, an MXL4.5, LX4.6 and Pro EXW50. I have been playing with testing the drags and noticed some things. First off the drags have been "broken in" on the LX and 50, but not the MX. I test my drags by lifting dumbells. Full spool and line is through the guides on the rod. Little knob is set so there is just barely freespool at the Bait setting. Here is what I have found:
MX - Claimed is 9/16, I get 10#'s at Strike and 24 at full. Broke my rod at 21 #'s and had to switch to a heavier rod.
LX - Claimed is 15/20, I got 7 at Strike and 11 at full. Turned knob up and got 11 and 17 before lever was to difficult to move into Full and obviously no freespool in the Bait position. Sent it back to Avet and they found the female cam was out of spec. Replaced and sent back. Now I am getting 8 at Strike and 12 at Full. If I turn the knob so there is just barely freespool in the Freespool position rather than the Bait position I get 3 at Bait, 21 at Strike and over 28 at Full (wasn't breaking another rod).
50 - Claimed is 50/57, I get 50 and 58 (not much fun trying to lift 58 pounds of dumbells). No matter where I set Strike to I get 8 to 9 pounds more at Full.
Issue 1 - MX. If I "Break in" the drag do we think the numbers will come into line or should I just be happy with the extra amount?
Issue 2 - LX. Should I just use the reel with the settings for just barely freespool in the Freespool position and be happy with the extra drag or try to get it so it gets decent drag with freespool in the Bait position? Am I not understanding how to properly set the drag using the little knob? Which position is correct, Freespool or Bait, for just barely having freespool before getting any resistance? The reason for setting it this way is so I can cast it. No issues with moving the lever or turning the handle when set with the 21 and 28+ drag.
No issues with the 50.
I know, lots of questions, but no specific answers were found searching (this board or others). Thanks for any insight.
let me first say,i own several avets from the sx-80w.for one thing those figures they{in this case,avet}claim are really a rough baseline. i believe,no one reel is goin to be the same.imo,no reel should be maxed out to barely have freespool.i would fish them{mxl,50,lx} with full free spool{aslightly less drag adj.than your setting}and let the drag numbers fall where they will at strike,full.remember that drag setting should be adjusted for the lb.test line being used.1/3 the breaking strenght of the line.
Just some clarification.
The MX has 50# solid Jerry Brown spectra. It hought this would be overkill for 9 and 16 pounds of drag but 10/24 not so much. It is used for smaller fish that don't pull the drag anyway so not so worried.
The LX has 60# JB Hollow Core and 80# Jinkai mono for the topshot. Agian I figured this was fine for 15/20 but 21/30 is pushing it. The drag has been broken in by pulling 100 yards of line off at 25 mph three times in a row. It is smooth. It is just that I do not get that drag unless I turn the knob up past where I get freespool in the Bait setting.
I have no issues of sticky drag, lever too difficult to push up or handles having any pressure or resistance when turning even at the highest of drag settings. They all turn easily.
My only real question is with the LX. What else could be wrong with it that is causing me to have to turn the drag pre-set knob way past where there is freespool while in the Bait position to get decent drag? Or is it normal to have freespool only in the Freespool position when getting 15 pounds of drag at Strike and 20 at Full.
The LX's just have a suckass drag/freespool mechanism. Mine is just as you described even after coming back from the factory with a $50 repair bill and ZERO explanation of what was done to the reel.
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2008 Hobie Revolution
2008 Native Watercraft Magic 14.5
I played around with the dumbells some more tonight. I set the drag to 15 at Strike. This gave me freespool in Freespool, 3 at Bait, 7 a little above bait, 10 a little below Strike, 15 at Strike and anything after Strike is 24. I am very happy with this arrangement. Never have I been able to get anything besides no drag, Strike drag or Full drag so having a gradual ramp up from Freespool to Strike is great. No more 15 pounds of drag to just set the hook while trolling or casting. Apparently the new female cam that was replaced makes a difference. And the lever is still easy to push and turning the handle is effortless. Pretty cool.
Alan is well respected in the online community, but is not an Avet fan. I believe he is biased against Avet since they do not recommend greasing their drags and he does. I have asked Alan questions and he has been very responsive and helpful. I certainly mean no disrespect (his 50 rebuild tutorial helped me out).
As a sidenote, I sent my reel to Avet on Monday overnight. It was received, worked on and sent back out on Tuesday. I received it Thursday (CA to MA). All free of charge.
just for reference, I have an LX 4.0 and when i set it for 13 lbs at strike i get just a whisper of drag at the bait setting. I never tested the full position.
I have 2 JXs, but no LXs. I have no problem getting mid range drag from the cam. But I also can't get 24lbs at full with freespool.
If I run across anyone with LXs, I will ask them how their drag reacts.
Friction of line going through eyes on a rod can increase drag 15%.
Test the reel.
There is not that much friction. If there is, you need new guides. The actual friction from the line passing through the guides/rollers is not whats causing the drag to increase. Roller guides have virtually no friction and good ring guides have hardly any.
i think through the rod would be a better reading... you dont fish with your rod upside down and the line not through the guides...
True. But if you want to measure the drag and compare against the stated reel specs, then you need to take the rod out of the equation. If you are trying to set your drag for fishing, then including the rod is needed. However, there are times when you just want to measure the drag of the reel.....one specific one is to test your guides to see if there is an issue. Alan Tani discusses this on his forum where I think he was on a long range trip and a guy had a bad guide and did not know it. When Alan tested the reel drag by itself, he found that the guides were adding about 50% more drag.
True. But if you want to measure the drag and compare against the stated reel specs, then you need to take the rod out of the equation. If you are trying to set your drag for fishing, then including the rod is needed. However, there are times when you just want to measure the drag of the reel.....one specific one is to test your guides to see if there is an issue. Alan Tani discusses this on his forum where I think he was on a long range trip and a guy had a bad guide and did not know it. When Alan tested the reel drag by itself, he found that the guides were adding about 50% more drag.
There's one way to find out ... pick up a weight from the reel and then pick it up from the rod tip by going through the eyes.
The guides aren't adding pressure. You want minumal friction on the line from the guides. The rods acts as a lever, depending on the lenght of the rod, that will give a different reading than pulling drag directly off the reel.
The guides aren't adding pressure. You want minumal friction on the line from the guides. The rods acts as a lever, depending on the lenght of the rod, that will give a different reading than pulling drag directly off the reel.
Curiosity got the best of me so I tested straight from the reel. 12 and 21. This was with the drag set at 15 at Strike getting 24 at Full when tested through the guides. Interesting. The rod is an 8' with 8 Fuji SiC guides and a SiC tip top. The line is 80# Jinkai mono. I then put the reel on a rod with all Aftco rollers. 15 and 24. Who knew guides added so much drag? I guess the guys who posted before.
Question for Avet Owners on Drag
