Hi guys !
I normally take apart every reel i own after they´ve been used in saltwater, clean them, new grease and so on. One thing that always are the same, no matter wich reel, is the braking capacity. The specs talks about 10 - 12 kilos and sometimes more, but when i test it i manage to get out 6-8 kilo MAX. I use a scale, tied to the line and pull, watching the scale. Is that the wrong way to do it ?
Are you testing with new drag washers or used slightly glazed washers? Greased washers versus dry washers? It would probably make a difference.
I´ve tested this with brand new reels, and the same results... Also with brand new Smooth Drags in my Tekota 500, with just a thin layer och Cal´s. No rod is used, just pulling the line straight out of the reel.
So many factors influence drag numbers. It's not uncommon at all to come in a few pounds lighter than advertised power. Lapping metal washers helps...completely flat washers give complete surface area. Something else to remember, those numbers always fall a little short from the top of the spool. Peel off about half the spool and make another pull...you'll probably see the specified numbers...maybe even more. 8)
Mabey the best thing's to buy/upgrade a reel that'll give you higher advertised/estimated drag numbers than you're shootin for. At a certain point, when testing my drags just like you do Putte, I'll get alotta "vibration "at the higher settings. Don't think it's the grease or the washers, but perhaps the torque a the drag system bein on only one side a the reel?... Best drag I've tested is the "twin drag" system on the Accurate present I bought myself. Wanted a good example of American engineering, I could mabey pass down to my son. Come on you Swedish guys! I'm swedish-american, and I've been real impressed with Abu's engineering tricks(cardinal 4, ultra mag XL 5, Revo toro beast)over the years. Could they best the Accurates? Probably, but I know market reality might prevent somethin like that...
Gfish
Putts, what Mo said is more reality and fiction. Also the manufactures may fudge the books a little also to get better numbers and sell more reels......Bill