Replace bearing on gear end of the worm

[oldieslover]

How do you remove the little brass gear on the end the worm on older model reels ( serial number 657206 )? I have 3 of these That I have used for over 40 years and would like to rebuild. Thanks for any help.

[tholmes]

I'm not sure it's removable. I've always just replaced the worm gear. In all the schematics that I've seen, the worm gear and the gear are listed as one part#, e.g. 5169 for the older model 5000 is the worm gear and the little brass gear together.

Tom

[akfish]

I think Tom is correct. That gear can be replaced on some reels but not Ambassadeurs.

[exp2000]

What's really bad is on the latest Ambassadeur models, the worm now has two bearings and one is integral with the drive.

When the bearing screws up, you have to replace the lot meaning a new worm drive.

I usually retrofit an earlier C3 setup with nylon bushes - a far more practical design.
~

[oc1]

The worm usually wears out before the gear.  You can upgrade the plastic bushings on the worm to ball bearings and squeeze a few extra yards out of the old ABU.  Brass spool bushings can be replaced with ball bearings too but the worm bearings actually seem to more difference in performance... or at least it did for me.
-steve