International 20

[swill88]

I did similar drag tests with my penn 16S
can you explain me how that test was made?
I dont understand what "preset off" means and then how it gets higher (I would like to know your method)

on my drag tests I turned the preset lever  until the freespool is gone, then turned back the preset 1/4 turn and keep testing until is way too light.

Here's how I did it Alex...  It's the first time for me to do this so it may all change. Who has a great system they can share?
 
First, the Cam Lever (21-30) is shifted all the way to the back, to freespool, every time I change the Preset Knob (144-50).
I read somewhere that's the safe way to change the drag.

1.  Turned the Preset Knob all the way counter clockwise and called it "off".  Checked the drag at Strike and at Full.

2.  Moved the Cam Lever back to freespool then turned the Preset Knob 1/2 turn to the right.  Check the drag at Strike and at Full.

3.  Repeat and turn the Preset Knob a quarter turn more each time and check Strike and Full.

Cal Sheets told me if the reel is blueprinted for 80# the max drag at Strike will be around 20#. He said expect strike at Full to be 7 or 8# more. I think that's what he said

I wonder, can you damage the reel bearings by over tightening the Preset Knob.  Anybody?

I haven't tried any higher tests because my scale only goes to 20#.

Steve

[SoCalAngler]

It's that way with all lever drag reels. Once you over tighten the preset and move the lever forward you risk damaging the pinion bearing by exceeding the max drag for that reel even if that max drag has been modified

[Mickeyfin]

I recently picked up the new United Composite Centaur rod rated for  80-100#. Pretty happy with the decision although for a different reel.  The tip is light enough to flip a sardine and plenty of pulling power.
Gogettum, Mick

quote author=swill88 link=topic=23703.msg263144#msg263144 date=1513477139]

If you indeed are looking for a new rod, most of the big game rods for our Southern California long-range fishing are now just using ring guides instead of rollers.

What's a newer rod choice for this heavy guy at 80#?

Can I cast and live line with this heavy guy?

Steve

[/quote]

[swill88]

Thanks Mick... I'm going to check those out. Hopefully someone will have them at the Sacramento ISE show in a couple weeks.

Here's a video giving a good explanation of setting lever drags.  Could have put this in the beginners board I guess. It helped me.


steve

[steelfish]

I wonder, can you damage the reel bearings by over tightening the Preset Knob.  Anybody?
Steve

Steve, that's a nice way to check the drag since zero drag to certain amounts of turns on the preset dial button, but if you are not careful you can pass the max amount of drag and crash the pinion bearing on your test.

since Im considering myself still a newbie (Im always learing) dont quote me on my next explanation but I was told my a experimented fisherman that his "best way" to set you drag lever is to find the max drag on the reel, that will be on the point when it lose freespool.
so, take your reel, put the drag lever on freespool and spin the spool and while is spinning turn the preset dial clockwise until barely the freespool is gone, now thats your maxdrag (please someone correct me if Im wrong), its also recommended to never use your reel on maxdrag to keep your pinion bearing working for many time.
so, now that you found your max drag, you can measure your drag on strike and full and keep it on your records, now you can keep writing down your numbers while testing the drag every 1/4 turn of the preset backwards.
next time you go fishing and forget where drag you were using, find your maxdrag (lose free spool) and lets say the drag there is 22#, then you turn back your preset dial 1/2 turn and you already know that "lets say" you are 18#, etc, etc.
(hope to have been clear, english is not my natural leanguage and even in spanish is hard to explain haha)

[Tightlines667]

You are close there.  To find max drag at strike.  Test for freespool, the spool doesn't turn at all when cranking, at each given preset setting.  So adjust preset, move lever all the way forward, then back to freespool, spin the spool, and try cranking with the spool stopped.  As soon as you reach a preset setting that causes a loss of freespool with the lever all the way back, that is your max preset before you will damage the pinion, when cranking under pressure.  You can measure your drag curve by checking at various lever positions from this max preset setting, and going backwards until your preset is all the way backed off. 
If you are fishing your reel at the max setting, and the drag curve is steep, it is still possible to damage the pinion when cranking under full load and the lever is pushed passed max though, so if you plan to crank at full setting it's best to fish the reel a little below the max preset setting.  You will feel binding and/or roughness when cranking in too high of a setting. 

Your way of checking the drag is fine, just make sure you determine the point at which you loose freespool, and don't fish the reel past this point, or at least don't crank the reel under heavy load past this setting.

John

[swill88]

You are close there.  To find max drag at strike.  Test for freespool, the spool doesn't turn at all when cranking, at each given preset setting.  So adjust preset, move lever all the way forward, then back to freespool, spin the spool, and try cranking with the spool stopped.  As soon as you reach a preset setting that causes a loss of freespool with the lever all the way back, that is your max preset before you will damage the pinion, when cranking under pressure.  You can measure your drag curve by checking at various lever positions from this max preset setting, and going backwards until your preset is all the way backed off. 
If you are fishing your reel at the max setting, and the drag curve is steep, it is still possible to damage the pinion when cranking under full load and the lever is pushed passed max though, so if you plan to crank at full setting it's best to fish the reel a little below the max preset setting.  You will feel binding and/or roughness when cranking in too high of a setting. 

Your way of checking the drag is fine, just make sure you determine the point at which you loose freespool, and don't fish the reel past this point, or at least don't crank the reel under heavy load past this setting.

John

Thanks John,

So, if I understand it, the loss of freespool is at that Preset setting where the spool turns, even ever so slightly, when the handle is cranked and the lever is pulled all the way back.

Then any setting less than this will be safe to move the lever to Strike or Full without worry?

Steve

[Tightlines667]

You are close there.  To find max drag at strike.  Test for freespool, the spool doesn't turn at all when cranking, at each given preset setting.  So adjust preset, move lever all the way forward, then back to freespool, spin the spool, and try cranking with the spool stopped.  As soon as you reach a preset setting that causes a loss of freespool with the lever all the way back, that is your max preset before you will damage the pinion, when cranking under pressure.  You can measure your drag curve by checking at various lever positions from this max preset setting, and going backwards until your preset is all the way backed off. 
If you are fishing your reel at the max setting, and the drag curve is steep, it is still possible to damage the pinion when cranking under full load and the lever is pushed passed max though, so if you plan to crank at full setting it's best to fish the reel a little below the max preset setting.  You will feel binding and/or roughness when cranking in too high of a setting. 

Your way of checking the drag is fine, just make sure you determine the point at which you loose freespool, and don't fish the reel past this point, or at least don't crank the reel under heavy load past this setting.

John

Thanks John,

So, if I understand it, the loss of freespool is at that Preset setting where the spool turns, even ever so slightly, when the handle is cranked and the lever is pulled all the way back.

Then any setting less than this will be safe to move the lever to Strike or Full without worry?

Steve

In a perfect world, yes.  However, a lot of lever drags have enough parts that are in slight contact with the spool in freespool, where you may have some spool movement in freespool.  You will know the point when you start to lose freespool though.

John