ABU Ambassadeur 6500 C3 CT Mag Elite - Assembly Question

[hotajax]

On the left side, the knob that controls the spool tension:  Has a brass / bronze colored metallic square sitting inside the cup.  Supposedly  to center up the spool.  I don't understand how it centers the spool, but so they say. What do I know?  What is that, and is there a trick to installing?  How many?  Thanks.

[Gfish]

Can you post a picture? Sounds like the copper looking tension spring, but it doesn't center the spool, it just applies a flexible bit of tension on the spool shaft, for cast control. Could easily be wrong, I've only seen those on the gear side plate in Ambassadeur's.

[hotajax]

No, it'a a flat square, about 10 mm, with rounded corners.   Also called a "centering shim".  Fits in the cups that control the spool shaft tension.    Made from a "composite" material on ereplacements.com  I have seen references that call for up to 4 for the reel.   Definitely not a spring.

[Swami805]

Mine has 2 in the cup. I believe it is a spring of sorts that applies a bit of tension to the end of the spool shaft

[hotajax]

Yes, that's the part.  Now I see what's up.  Those shims in varying numbers center the spool in the frame.  I'm having an issue there. 

[Swami805]

Those copper squares are used in a lot of abu's, should be no trick finding them if you need them. I think they should be in both end caps and the trick is adding or deleting them to get it centered   You could probably make some out of thin copper sheet and some snips. Even an aluminum beer can in a pinch

[JasonGotaProblem]

You continue to benefit from me being slow to ship. I'll drop some in the box.

[hotajax]

Yep.  Maybe if I hold on long enough you'll toss the 970 in da box, too.

[kevin cozens]

There is a cap on both sides of the reel. Each one should have a shim or 2 inside it. The spool is set to the middle of the cage by tightening one cap while slackening of the other side. You want minimal side play in the spool but DO NOT tighten up too much or you will put side pressure on the bearings leading to premature wear. Make sure that the rubber O ring is present on the threaded part where the cap goes or the caps will keep coming loose or even fall off. Dont forget that this reel also has adjustable magnetic and centrifugal brakes as well as the caps. You can also alter the speed the spool runs using different viscosity oil in the spool bearings.

[hotajax]

Trying to see how those centrifugal brakes work.  Scratching my head on that one.  Thanks for the write up

[Gfish]

Man, that never occurred to me; centering the spool. Thanks guys.

[ExcessiveAngler]

Those copper squares are used in a lot of abu's, should be no trick finding them if you need them. I think they should be in both end caps and the trick is adding or deleting them to get it centered   You could probably make some out of thin copper sheet and some snips. Even an aluminum beer can in a pinch

I needed some shims in a pinch, made them out of thin stainless steel.
Vertical blinds, have super thin stainless steel Sliders, there's a ton of them hooked together and they telescope back-and-forth in the aluminum track. Usually, I can get away with throwing a copper shim in front of one of them, depending on the thickness needed.
Then I hammer it out nice and flat. I can also change the thickness, by hammering it out as well.

[ez2cdave]

These are the parts in question, right ?

THe PDF file may be helpful ...

Tight Lines & Merry Christmas !

Dave F.