ABU Wormdrive Pawls Overlength

[exp2000]

Here is some correspondence sent to a supplier regarding ABU worm drive pawls.
Anyone else experienced this problem?


Sent: Sunday, 24 August 2014
Got a bit of a problem here. Nearly all of the ABU pawls I have received are out of spec.
I have been picking gems out of the pile for a while but just left with a whole lot of discards now.
They are just too long and either catch at the end of worm travel or bind altogether.
I estimate they are over length by approximately 0.2 mm. The barrels on the supplied ones have no rim at the end.

Sent: Monday, 25 August 2014
The part number is 5176. This is the same part number for the pawl in the 5000 and 6000 C series as well which originally came with a ridge at the bottom.  Ridge or no ridge – I will use whatever works.
But I can tell you for a fact that they do not work in the C series reels. They do not work because the simple mechanics of it is that they are too long. You might get lucky with one or two but at least 80% don't work because they are too long and bind at the end of  the worm travel.

I have just opened up a few C series models.
5176 (original) on the left protrudes 0.2 mm less in situ than the supplied pawls.
because supplied pawls are 0.2mm longer as confirmed by direct measurement.

I have been troubleshooting this with at least three C series 7000's over the past few months now
and each time I have had to cherry pick from the supplied pawls to find one which works.
This prompted me to start taking measurements.


Sent: Tuesday, 9 September 2014
Just serviced a 5600 C4 HSC and the pawl measured 9.25mm.
This model was redesigned with Carbontex drag and large star drag.

Compared this with an older model 5600 LE (thumb bar with old style star drag)
Pawl was ridged measuring 9.05
Schematics verify that the part number definitely changed from 5176 to 51765.
Wonder if this is where things changed?  

[exp2000]

Got this reply from ABU Sweden:

The pawl was changed in the early 2000's and was made a bit longer to improve the durability of the level wind system.

This is bad news for the likes of older 7000's. They were a great reel and there are still lots of them in service.

So depending on manufacturing tolerances, the new pawl (51765) will most likely not be compatible with older classic designs.

Might be time to stock up on aftermarket ceramics provided the dimensions reflect the original pawl.
~

[exp2000]

Ok I had in mind an alternate solution for a while and as my stocks of 5176 are slowly dwindling despite my efforts to conserve them, I had to do something about it.

I guess we could back off the pawl cap a turn and secure it with wicking grade Locktite but an ideal solution would be a spacer ~0.2mm thick which would also back the pawl cap off a turn or so.

Shuffling through my washers, I found a close match which should do the job: BNT3918
It's not perfect but it is very close at approx 0.3mm thick with an ID a whisker oversize and a matching OD.
And it's a silver stainless? washer so even the finish matches.

I wasn't sure I would find a match and I was lucky to stumble upon one so quickly.

I have yet test it but I see no reason it should not work.

What are other pros doing about this?
~

[fishhawk]

Good info !! Thanx,  I converted all mine to ct's. Problem solved! lol

[exp2000]

Good info !! Thanx,  I converted all mine to ct's. Problem solved! lol

ct's
~

[fishhawk]

I think that's what they call the non-level wind abu's. ??
Mark