Listed Full Drag Settings---How Realistic?

[gone fishin]

A newbie question.  Regarding both regular and Raptor Avets (I'm also interested in the Okuma Andros), it appears to me from reading the posts here, that increasing the drag force beyond the listed strike setting puts too much side load on the pinion bearing which damages the bearing.

MY QUESTION:  Is the listed full drag settings unrealistic on these reels?  Should I plan on the maximum usable drag to be the listed strike setting  

Thanks,
Norm

[alantani]

either the listed drag range or 30% of the line weight that the reel is rated for.

[SoCalAngler]

The "full" drag listings are just that, max drag for that reel, without causing damage, set at full on lever drag reels. I don't set the full rating at strike, like Allan I set my drag pressure from 25% to 33% of the weakist line on my reel be it the backing, topshot or leader at strike. I set my lever drag reels this way because if I need more drag pressure while fighting a fish I just move the leaver past strike to add more pressure. The more you move the lever toward full the more drag you add to your reel.

[gone fishin]

Ok, just to be clear in the example of the Andros 5II,  It is ok to button down the drag to 24 lbs.     The factory listed max drag settings are 15 lbs at strike and 24 lbs at full.

The reason I am questioning this is the following passage and similiar others for Avets:  In Alan's okuma andros 5II rebuild, he states  "the side load did not become noticeable until you had 15 lbs of drag at strike."

Keeping in mind that I have no experience with these reels and what I say may be stupid, logic tells me that increasing the drag another 60% to 24 lbs would increase the side load significantly.  Can you explain to inexperienced me why that significant side load increase would not be damaging to the pinion bearings on these reels?

Thanks again,
Norm

[alantani]

yeah, i'd stick with strike drag settings.  the full drag settings are probably accurate, but not realistic as a working drag range.  and anytime you start to feel that side load, it means that you are damaging the bearings. 

[SoCalAngler]

You also have to take into account what lb test your going to fish with any reel. The Andros IMO is a 30 lb test reel, of course braid backed but with 30 lb topshots. So as you can see you will have plenty of drag for 30 lb. Do you really need a 2 speed reel for 30 lb? Maybe, maybe not. I picked up a discontinued 2 speed reel NIB spectra backed last year to fish 30 lb on. Did I need it? No but I could not pass up the price. You could fish 40 lb or higher topshots on the Andros but for me 40 lb means bigger fish which in turn means I need more cranking power to bring the fish to the boat than that reel offers for the type of fishing I do.

[gone fishin]

Alan, that answered my question; thanks.  And I realize that would not apply to Makaira with it's thrust bearing nor the Accurate twin-drag system.  SoCalAngler, I look forward to your input when I start narrowing down my choice for reel.

Norm