Avet MXJ issues

[Hff]

So I recently purchased an MXJ 5.8 for jigging the east coast of Australia (Kingfish up to 15kg hopefully!!!).

When the reel arrived I dissembled to pack bearings and grease drag, and found that a spool spring washer (MXJ5.8-015) was missing!
I've emailed Avet to try and arrange another washer, but have recieved no reply

Also I changed the Belleville washer config to (()) in an attempt to increase max drag, but I think i need a spacer washer to make this happen.

Does anyone know where to order additional washers, or should I just bide my time with Avet?

Cheers!

HereFishyFishy

[akfish]

I would be very careful tweaking the drag on an MX. If you push it over the max stated drag (I think that's 9 pounds) you will fry the pinion bearing immediately. These are nice reels but really not meant for more than 30# line. The MX Raptor does about twice that drag -- at twice the price.

[Keta]

you will fry the pinion bearing immediately.

Yup, like sometimes as soon as you push the lever to strike, or drop the reel under higher than designed for drag load.   The MX is a great reel and I love mine but they could be better.

The arangement of the bellville washers and number of them found in the reels has been inconsistant for as long as I've owned Avet reels.

[Hff]

Thanks for the replies,

I've set the drag to just before i get any side bearing load (handle doesn't get hard to turn), and it seems that I get just over 8kg (18lbs in old money) with the belleville washers in )()( configuration.

Can you see any problems with turning them this way?

All the other tutorials suggest (()) to reach higher drag pressures

Cheers

Laurence

[akfish]

I think 18# is a bit too much drag for that reel. Very soon the bearing will fry....

[Hff]

AK, I meant 18lbs max drag. Avet state the max drag is 16lbs.

Is 2lbs over really going to fry the bearing quick?

[alantani]

i dunno, lawrence.  i've had so much trouble with avet bearings.  under a heavy enough load, you can crunch any bearing, not just avet, but all of us have seen this problems pop up before.  in all fairness, there is a limit to any design, and we are constantly pushing those limits.  but i, for one, still see alot of problems with these reels.   

[alantani]

oh, to get back to your original question, is it a bronze washer or a stainless steel washer?  i have both and can send you either.  alan

[Hff]

Alan, They are stainless washers. You are a bloody legend!

Anyway...

Avet got back to me, and wanted me to call the Australian distributor in WA. I phoned them after they did not reply to my emails... and they dont deal directly with the public. Now thats customer service!

[alantani]

i'll mail them out.

[Dazza-K]

Alan, They are stainless washers. You are a bloody legend!

Anyway...

Avet got back to me, and wanted me to call the Australian distributor in WA. I phoned them after they did not reply to my emails... and they dont deal directly with the public. Now thats customer service!

Avet service is a joke for Australians , I contacted the avet distributor in WA for some bearings and they no idea on the sizes, but to be honest I've emailed Avet direct a few times and they flat just ignore Australians, shame, seems the company has got too big and busy for the current people running it. There is so much potential for big sale here as they are a nice reel.

[Hff]

While its reassuring to hear that others have experienced the same issues, it's sad that once again Australians miss out.

Do we smell or something???

I'm not even going to mention that we have to pay ~50% more for products compared to our friends north of the equator

[alantani]

i totally lost track of this post.  did i ever get those washers to you?

[Hff]

You sure did. They worked a treat!

[alantani]

getting harder to keep track of things!