Setting the drag on SX 6/4 mc raptor

[ALASKAFISHMAN]

I have been fallowing this forum for only a short time and just became a member.  Everyone here has been helpful and there is a wealth of knowledge.  I hope to get a little more.  I fallowed the manual when setting my drag on my Avet SX 6/4 MC Raptor.  But, am not sure if I actually am.  Here is what I doing to set the drag.  Put the reel in free spool and adjust the drag.  Put the reel back to strike. Hook line up to a spring gauge and see how many pounds it take to pull line out.  I repeat this process until I have the drag set at 10 or 12 pounds.  At 10# pounds I am at 20% of the reels 50# line rating.  Does this sound right to you guys?  The other question I have is in the max drag weight.  It says 26# at full drag.  As I read it, I am under the impression that if my preset is 2# or 15# at strike (book shows 17# max strike weight), and I put the drag all the way forward it will be at 26#.  Is this correct?  I have read many times that you can damage your Avet  by applying to much drag pressure.  I guess it just is not making scene to me due to the fact that you have the same amount of forward travel from the strike position to full drag position.  So if you start at 2# and move the handle 1" forward to full, how can that be the same as starting at 15# and moving the drag into full position?  It just seems that you should end up with more drag when you start at 15# than starting at 2#.  Any thoughts?

Thanks Brent 

[Newell Nut]

Maybe best to just test with a scale at your strike setting and then slide the lever to full and test on the scale again. Then you know for sure no matter is written or maybe just stated in an unclear manner.

[MarkT]

If you've set the drag to 10# at strike for fishing 30# then you'd probably get 15# at full. The only time I go above strike is when a tuna is circling at deep color and you need to get it up.  The 26# at full would be when it's set to 17# at strike for fishing 50#.

[DaBigOno]

Here is what I doing to set the drag.  Put the reel in free spool and adjust the drag.  Put the reel back to strike. Hook line up to a spring gauge and see how many pounds it take to pull line out.  I repeat this process until I have the drag set at 10 or 12 pounds.  At 10# pounds I am at 20% of the reels 50# line rating.  Does this sound right to you guys? 

Yes

The other question I have is in the max drag weight.  It says 26# at full drag.  As I read it, I am under the impression that if my preset is 2# or 15# at strike (book shows 17# max strike weight), and I put the drag all the way forward it will be at 26#.  Is this correct?

Max drag at strike is 17 pounds
Max drag at full is 26 pounds

I have read many times that you can damage your Avet  by applying to much drag pressure.  I guess it just is not making scene to me due to the fact that you have the same amount of forward travel from the strike position to full drag position.  So if you start at 2# and move the handle 1" forward to full, how can that be the same as starting at 15# and moving the drag into full position?  It just seems that you should end up with more drag when you start at 15# than starting at 2#.  

Yes, the pinion bearing can be damaged, even in a Raptor series due to too much side load.  When adjusting the preset knob, you're moving the outer brake disk (key #19) closer to the brake pad.  

http://www.avetreels.net/uploads/SX_RAPTOR.pdf

[Three se7ens]

The drag at full will be dependent on the strike setting though.  If you set the drag to 5 lbs at strike, you will not see 26 lbs when you move the lever to full. 

[akfish]

I think everything that has been said is correct so hopefully this helps you set the drag the way you want it. But I have to ask: How much drag do you really want when fishing salmon? Those guys have soft mouths and if you're fishing in a boat, just let them run because they will tire themselves out pretty quickly with just a few pounds of drag. And remember: 10# at the spool becomes much more at the rod tip because the rod must bend before it take out line. Finally, the SX is a great LITTLE reel -- so if a fish takes a long run, or if you're fishing 100 feet deep off a downrigger, the effective drag will increase as the spool diameter shrinks. I generally fish an MXL for salmon and set my drag at about 6 pounds at strike.

[ALASKAFISHMAN]

Thanks to all the input, What you are all saying makes scene.  I thought that I was reading it wrong...  I was always afraid to go full drag on the avet, due to the bearing issues.  That is why I have not tested it after setting the strike.  I have seen in a few places that as soon as you turn the handle on an over set drag the damage has been done. I use this rod/reel for the most part for jigging rock, fish and ling cod.  S/X raptor on a Trevala, Some of the lings get big around the 50" mark and did not have to touch the drag (strike set at 12#).  I do catch the occasional Halibut while rock/ling fishing.  Butt love crab, crab like the edges between sand and rock.  I will use it for halibut if we are in a school of chickens (under 50#) halibut.  I even was nicely surprised with a 225# while fishing chickens with this setup (again did not have to touch the drag (Still set @ 12# strike). It was a good fight but the little SX held up.   I have not fished salmon with it, have caught a few while jigging for rock fish, and I did back the drag off a few clicks for the silvers.  They will throw a hook easily so I dont push them at all.  I know I push my gear a little hard, but it just more fun with a lighter set up.  But now that I have found this site, keeping my gear in top shape is not as daunting as it once was.  I feel like what ever I run into there is someone who can point me in the right direction.

Thanks again.

[day0ne]

Another thing. Most of the problems you have heard about are for regular Avet's and not the Raptor. It's the regular Avet's that people tend to push the drag too high on. Not saying a Raptor can't have a damaged pinion, just that it isn't as common.