Ambassadeur centrifugal brake help needed.

Matt.T · September 02, 2020, 07:53:02 PM

This question actually pertains to an Akios 656 CTM, or Abus with the two-pin centrifugal brakes...

The other day I had the C-clip pop off mid-cast and get bent up inside the brake drum. It apparently started shaving away tiny bits of the drum, as there was an aluminum (?) dust inside the reel when it was all over. Also, the single brake block I use got chewed up a bit.

I fashioned a new clip and cleaned everything out. This morning when casting, that brake block got worn down, partially melted, and came off its pin. Not sure which order this all happened in.

Does it sound like the existing damage on the brake block caused it to get ripped off its pin and get mangled further, or do you think the drum, when scraped by the loose C-clip, turned abrasive (though it feels smooth enough to the touch) did the damage?

alantani · September 02, 2020, 08:09:06 PM

matt, welcome. i'm not sure about the braking system, but hopefully someone here will be able to help. normally i would say to just disable the braking system and go with your thumb..... $:-\$

oc1 · September 02, 2020, 08:38:35 PM

If it gouged the race/drum, then you may have deformed the centrifugal brake support ring (the thing that the brake pads ride on). It is such an odd shape that you may not have noticed it was deformed when you put it back on.

I'd try replacing the support ring with attached pads first, but only because it can be replaced cheaply. Replace the circle clip while you're at it. If the drum is ruined then you have to replace that whole brake plate assembly.

How was it casting? Did you feel like there was too much or too little braking before the pad burned up?
-steve

Matt.T · September 02, 2020, 09:46:38 PM

Great insights. The brake support ring looks fine. Nothing abrasive-looking on the race. The casts sounded sluggish, but distance didn't go down enough for me to get too worried about it at the time.

To be fair, the brake block may have only fallen off the pin as I was opening the reel up. The end of the block hitting the race/drum wasn't really melted (poor choice of words). It looks like some of the prior block damage caused the block to get caught and jam between the race and the pin at an angle where it was then ground down. Essentially the block looks like a sand spike now, only not as extreme an angle of truncation.

Good theory? Hope so. I have no idea where I'd get another Akios right interior plate assembly. I'll test it out again tomorrow with a fresh brake block.

Swami805 · September 02, 2020, 10:00:28 PM

Akios sell an assembly for a 5500, maybe it would fit in yours?

Ron Jones · September 02, 2020, 10:19:07 PM

I'm with the Boss, yank it all out and use your thumb. In this case that is my position because it is what I do with every Abu and so I have nothing further to submit. Good luck!:)
The Man

Matt.T · September 03, 2020, 12:50:48 PM

Thumbing is fine at the beach, but I'm also using the reel for distance casting on the field and bought the reel for its braking systems, of which the centrifugal is my favorite.

My fresh block got chewed up too, so it's definitely some kind of abrasion going on with the race/drum. I have three possible solutions:

1. Buy a new brake plate assembly for an Akios

Quote from: Swami805 on September 02, 2020, 10:00:28 PM
Akios sell an assembly for a 5500, maybe it would fit in yours?

Swami - where did you see this? Someplace where I can buy it online?

2. Buy a more common Ambassadeur brake plate assembly. Is the position of the cage screw holes the only difference between this and Akios for this part? Can I get the Ambassadeur plate and just drill a new screw hole where needed?

3. Buff/sand out the gouging and polish the inside of the race/drum. Any thoughts on how to do this?

Swami805 · September 03, 2020, 01:21:46 PM

Check the Akios website in custom parts, I saw a whole assembly there, 6 pin brake system

nelz · September 03, 2020, 03:52:32 PM

Matt, can you post some pics of the spool (blocks side) and the race?

Matt.T · September 03, 2020, 06:11:37 PM

Here you go. Again, not much visibly wrong with the brake drum, but you see what it did to the block. Luckily Joe Moore of One More Cast in Avon, NC is an authorized Akios US warranty center and he's hooking me up with replacements for the effected parts.

nelz · September 03, 2020, 06:55:11 PM

Wow, never seen a block so messed up! Hard to believe the race did that, like you said, it looks smooth enough.

oc1 · September 03, 2020, 07:08:21 PM

Where's the circle clip? If it doesn't fit right that could be the whole problem.
-steve

Matt.T · September 09, 2020, 12:52:07 PM

I'm perplexed. The brake plate (with the drum/race) has been replaced, but I'm still getting that horrible wear on my brake blocks (see photos above).

Steve: I took the clip off for that photo, but it's the one I fashioned myself and holds the washer in nice and snug. What are you thinking when you say the fit of that ring could be the problem?

tincanary · September 09, 2020, 01:19:36 PM

Have you tried polishing the brake drum? I do this as on all centrifugally braked reels. Any good metal polish will work. I like to use blue jeweler's rouge personally, but there are other good options such as Brasso and Blue Magic.

Matt_Tuers · September 09, 2020, 02:39:19 PM

Polishing was going to be my next step until I got the brand new brake plate and installed it. This recent "excellerated wear" phenomenon correlates with the originally-described clip pop-off event, and also my installation of ABEC-7 hybrid ceramic bearings... although neither seem to be related to the sudden occurrence of brake block wear.