Rebuilding reel worth it?

[Bunnlevel Sharker]

I am considering sending my made in sweeden abu c3 bac to the company to be rebuilt and have a few parts replaced. There is alot of handle play. Is it worth it?

[Nuvole]

How much will it cost? If its a lot you better off buy parts and rebuilt yourself.

[saltydog]

x2

[Ken_D]

I am considering sending my made in sweeden abu c3 bac to the company to be rebuilt and have a few parts replaced. There is alot of handle play. Is it worth it?

Try tightening the handle nut. If you've been fishing with it loose, you have destroyed the 12.00 handle.

[mhc]

If the handle is worn, as Ken D suspects, it would be a good time to consider a power handle as a replacement. Have you had the reel apart? If the handle play is vertical, ie perpendicular to the side plate, check the e clip (or screw on some models) that holds the drive shaft on the post is in place. I have no idea of the cost of a factory rebuild but doubt it would be cost effective for a C3 unless it is a family pet.

[Keta]

The ABU 5xxx and 6xxx reels are easy to work on, I'd say strip it down and do it yourself.

[Ken_D]

Oops, I was too cryptic...a loose handle nut allows the hdle to wobble and move on the driveshaft, rounding the square mounting hole, so no amount of nut tightening will hold it tight. The hole goes egg-shaped, and cannot be tightened. It will always have play till replacement.

The factory techs in Iowa are the same caliber of talent as any tech in an Abu warranty center. And "wildcatters"
(the local dude with talent) are as good as also in most cases. If you can find a fellow with a good rep in town where you are, you can save stamps.   Or: do a diy. There's lots of web info here, and other sites, that you can easily save the postage, and the time tariff and re-do yourself, as the K-man above is indicating.

[Bunnlevel Sharker]

Got the reel taken down. Im gonna check the clips, its vertical play. Its an old made in sweeden and i got it for $25.00, so whats to lose?

[Ken_D]

Got the reel taken down. Im gonna check the clips, its vertical play. Its an old made in sweeden and i got it for $25.00, so whats to lose?

Everything to gain.  Alan has several tutorials here, for the 55 and 65...Abu had several 'variations' on the C3 going on in the late 80's into the last of the 90's.. can you advise the numbers you see on the frame foot underneath. If it's vertical play, then maybe that wee copper shim is no longer on the driveshaft post, under the shaft. Or sometimes, users lose that little e-clip on the top of the post and the driveshaft. Shim present in this pic, from AT's tutorial, just to the left of the driveshaft, fitting on the post on the brake plate.