What is the function of those two little sliding brake blocks that ride on the spool?

I cannot tell any difference in the reel performance with or without them.

I must be missing something.

Bill

My 5500c3 has them and there are two sizes that I have collected over the years. Some are around 50 years old. I like the smaller round blocks. It just fine tunes the pitching distance and the drop of the lure when you turn the knob under the wheel which is the drag setting. They are for fine tuning.

If you play with it enough you will see some difference. If you take them off there is no fine tuning; but it still works just fine. Put them back on the two pins and work with it. The slightest turn of the round cap makes the difference. The big Star Drag is a totally different setting. It works against the plastic washer. Eventully it will burn a grove on the plastic washer and it will need to be replaced. This comes form turning the handles without loosening the star drag wheel.

I dropped one in the lawn when I had to take the reel apart to get out an overrun.

I ordered all three sizes from Southwestern in Dallas.

I will try them all. I have the small one on at the moment.

Thanks for the reply.

They brake the spool when it is spinning rather than provide constant tension. Basically it is a centrifugal brake. If you back the tension control knob way off, you can see the difference on a cast. Agree that it is more or less fine tuning, however.

What specific model of Ambassadeur reel??? I throw the old round Black Max reels ( built like tanks ) and I swapped out the old black ones and put in blue ones. World of difference!!! It'll outcast my Revo's now with light lures.

I am throwing the original black 5000C with the small pearl handles.