Anyone familiar with the fighting star system?

[sebastianr240]

I picked up this old speedmaster iv with a FS system. Everything works great with the reel, however I noticed that when backing off the star drag the preset knob likes to move out of position a little. Do it enough times and you've lost all your drag at the "strike" setting. Is this just a flaw in the design? If so is there a way to get around this and get the preset dial to stay snug?

[DaBig2na]

I've got a couple of the old SpeedMaster IIs ... fighting star was a good idea but just didn't work out.. It was supposed to mimic a lever drag system in my opinion.
The preset knob is not supposed to move when it's set.

Some of the UK speedmaster IIs came without the Fighting Drag Id love to find a C model in that configuration. The other turn off about that reel was the antireverse that wasn't infinite. Those reels are freaky fast and blowup easily

[sebastianr240]

I've got a couple of the old SpeedMaster IIs ... fighting star was a good idea but just didn't work out.. It was supposed to mimic a lever drag system in my opinion.
The preset knob is not supposed to move when it's set.

Some of the UK speedmaster IIs came without the Fighting Drag Id love to find a C model in that configuration. The other turn off about that reel was the antireverse that wasn't infinite. Those reels are freaky fast and blowup easily

Yea, It's a good idea. If i could actually manage to get the preset knob to not move it would work perfect for me. Do any of yours move when you back off the star?

I use the IV and don't really bother with casting it, I just like the high speed for king mackerel fishing.

[philaroman]

would guess design flaw, just going by the fact that 
Fightin'Drag spinners are still made after almost 40 years,
while the conventionals came & went in just a few years
 

[DaBig2na]

I've got a couple of the old SpeedMaster IIs ... fighting star was a good idea but just didn't work out.. It was supposed to mimic a lever drag system in my opinion.
The preset knob is not supposed to move when it's set.

Some of the UK speedmaster IIs came without the Fighting Drag Id love to find a C model in that configuration. The other turn off about that reel was the antireverse that wasn't infinite. Those reels are freaky fast and blowup easily

Yea, It's a good idea. If i could actually manage to get the preset knob to not move it would work perfect for me. Do any of yours move when you back off the star?

I use the IV and don't really bother with casting it, I just like the high speed for king mackerel fishing.

Tell ya what .. I'll take mine apart when I get a min over the weekend and post pics

[sebastianr240]

I've got a couple of the old SpeedMaster IIs ... fighting star was a good idea but just didn't work out.. It was supposed to mimic a lever drag system in my opinion.
The preset knob is not supposed to move when it's set.

Some of the UK speedmaster IIs came without the Fighting Drag Id love to find a C model in that configuration. The other turn off about that reel was the antireverse that wasn't infinite. Those reels are freaky fast and blowup easily

Yea, It's a good idea. If i could actually manage to get the preset knob to not move it would work perfect for me. Do any of yours move when you back off the star?

I use the IV and don't really bother with casting it, I just like the high speed for king mackerel fishing.

Tell ya what .. I'll take mine apart when I get a min over the weekend and post pics

Sweet! Please do!

[LanceV]

Hello I own several of these reels. Still like them Had them over 25 years and still going strong. The dial to set the drag has detents all the way around on the handle side. The handle retainer screw should come all the way through the handle and has a point on it that sits in the detents on the the dial that why there is a spring under the dial to push in to set the drag and when released the screw should fall into one of the detents. Im guessing but does the end of the handle retainer screw have a point that sticks out past the bottom of the handle. Could have been broken off or replaced with the wrong type of screw.

[sebastianr240]

Hello I own several of these reels. Still like them Had them over 25 years and still going strong. The dial to set the drag has detents all the way around on the handle side. The handle retainer screw should come all the way through the handle and has a point on it that sits in the detents on the the dial that why there is a spring under the dial to push in to set the drag and when released the screw should fall into one of the detents. Im guessing but does the end of the handle retainer screw have a point that sticks out past the bottom of the handle. Could have been broken off or replaced with the wrong type of screw.

This is why I love this site. This is the answer I needed that I would've never found out by myself. Found the right screws on ebay and ordered a couple. Thank you! Do you by chance have the original schematic? the only one i can find is very blurry

[LanceV]

Yeah its Shimano part TGT0170. And your very welcome. Be careful if taking this reel apart. The star drag has a very small ball bearing stuck in the the inner ring of the star. the cap that sits on top of the star holds it in it puts pressure on a spring also under this cap. If you lose this ball the drag wont work correctly and is very hard to find since it isnt manufactured anymore. I lost one a few weeks ago and was able to find some from Blackdog tackle in the UK. I Bought several just in case. Also some of the shimano bantam FS use the same ball. Was able to find this reel that was totally destroyed but still had the ball. These reels have some sentimental value to me so I have kept them in perfect working oreder and still use them ocassionaly.

[LanceV]

Yeah the schematics I have are blurry too. But i kind of figured the part numbers as of late.

[LanceV]

https://www.reelschematic.com/ if I enlarge these on my computer they are legible.