Greased drag on brand new MXJ and now max is 5lbs...

[Bryan Young]

Ernie,

Since your reel is new and Avet is close by, I would pay them a visit.

Bryan

[SoCalAngler]

To me it sounds like the reel is operating the way Avets do now that you put the belleville washers back in the correct stock configuration (and yes (()) is stock). Now set your drag at 8-9 lbs at strike, once you do you should get a lb or two of drag at the bait setting. The pinion bearing should be fine as long as you didn't push it way past 9 lbs at strike while testing.

Try the (()) config. in the HX and see how that works.

EDIT: If your thinking about getting the Kodiak/South Florida cam from Avet check out what I found about it in my JX 6/3 here.
http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=7246.0

[Dr. Jekyll - AKA MeL B]

looking at the pic, just like what Bryan Young mentioned, it looks like the pinion gear is installed incorrectly. I'll open my MXJ, after eating lunch, and verify my hunch. Also my belleville washers are configured ()() and getting the drag specs without problems.

[Dr. Jekyll - AKA MeL B]

looked at the pic again and you have the MXJ 2SP, I have the single speed. Anyway this is how I assemble it, pinion gear properly seated with part of the pinion's teeth inside the pressure plate;  


And then insert the whole assembly to the right side plate.

[jonathan.han]

It shouldn't matter which way you skin the cat. If it's in, it's in. I do it either way (pressure plate on the sideplate or vice-versa), just depends on my mood.

You could always add another belleville washer to make it go ()()( or add a shim ()|() and play with the thickness.

Every reel design has it's idiosyncracies. I've come to hate all reels equally. Modifying drag cams can be a lottery if you don't have the proper equipment i.e. reproducible results. Also, many times during a fight I have backed the drag lever off halfway to almost off to alleviate pressure on the cam itself and thumb the spool as I adjust the drag knob. Also, using the lever to back off on runs is not hard to do on Avets. I don't think I've committed to one model or reel type. My quiver is a hodge podge of various manufacturers and models. It keeps me on my toes and I don't like to blame my equipment for not being able to manipulate my gear correctly while battling a fish.