Wow! This has been a fun project...and the finished reel is faster, tougher, and casts like a bullet. This mod brings your old favorite Ambassadeur into the 21st century. I started with the average looking 5500C pictured below.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50148044487_cfef65cfa7_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2jppQuF)
This Akios aluminum frame is the anchor of the build. It looks like it has more mass than the stock cage, but it feels lighter. All screw holes lined up perfect. The red arrow indicates the foot is off the table a bit, making the reel sit lower when on a rod, giving a more balanced feel.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50148044442_072bd2e93f_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2jppQtU)
First things first, lets see what kind of shape these bearings are in.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50147807061_a375158731_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2jpoBV8)
Although this CorrosionX HD is a thick oil, I used it on the spool bearings and related parts. The freespool is still great...plenty enough to get a bird's nest if your thumb goes to sleep.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50148044277_a73f83fbbe_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2jppQr4)
My 5500C had the old 4.7:1 main with the single drag washer inside the gear. I wanted a 3-stack gear, so I bought the Akios 5.3:1 stainless steel set. Yep, that's right, ss gears for an Ambassadeur! :o
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50147806916_83d2c6008c_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2jpoBSC)
As can be seen in the photo below, the newer gear requires a different gear sleeve, and a little sorcery to get it all to fit.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50147806866_590dae2602_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2jpoBRL)
Here's something to correct. The new drag washer crosses over the rim on the new gear.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50147806241_e03ce0b223_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2jpoBEZ)
A Penn #6-309 fit the inside diameter great...just a small trim of the outside diameter and we're ready to rock. The Penn washer is also thicker, so the metal washer won't bottom out on the gear's rim.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50147806776_1fee3b2386_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2jpoBQd)
Every project has a hiccup or two, the pinion was the culprit here. It wouldn't slide over the circled area on the axle. I only needed to remove a thousandth, but I burned up three Dremel bits trying. These are the hardest gears I've even seen!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50147261918_78403e883b_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2jpkPS7)
What a sweet pile of parts...this should be photo of the month. ;D
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50147262373_21c9f65cf3_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2jpkPZX)
On the final assembly I used Penn Blue on the gear teeth and Cal's on the drag washers.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50147262288_094726395d_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2jpkPYu)
I'm very pleased with the way this reel turned out...it looks and performs fantastically. 8)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50148043922_b594d8ae8a_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2jppQjW)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50147806311_74ad28e935_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2jpoBGc)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50147806386_faa321e385_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2jpoBHu)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50148043657_923281767b_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2jppQfn)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50147262168_974b79ae53_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2jpkPWq)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50147261893_415181dafa_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2jpkPRF)
WOW! That reel is smoking Mo!!!
Holy cow! :o
Mo, you're making me question why I haven't bought any of this bling yet!
That looks great! And thank you very much for giving us some priceless knowledge on the hiccups you encountered.
Nick
I have been looking hard at that frame for the last few months. How was the shipping from England, Mo?
The Man
That came out great. I've been contemplating doing one too. Those parts look top notch. So does it have 4 bearings now? 2 in the spool and 2 in the side plate? Also which gear sleeve did you use?
What a nice reel! Great build, no more level wind
Stunning looking reel. Well done!
Wow, someone around here finally made the plunge on those frames. Great job Mo. You will probably start a fad.
-steve
Quote from: ReelFishingProblems on July 24, 2020, 06:30:58 PM
Mo, you're making me question why I haven't bought any of this bling yet!
That looks great! And thank you very much for giving us some priceless knowledge on the hiccups you encountered.
Thank you Nick for posting that link to the Akios Superstore. Somehow...I had been under a rock or something...these parts have been around a few years. There are guys building them and selling on Facebook, and videos on Youtube, I had missed all of it until recently.
Quote from: Ron Jones on July 24, 2020, 06:49:30 PM
I have been looking hard at that frame for the last few months. How was the shipping from England, Mo?
It arrived in 2 weeks and I had to sign for it. The shipping was only 15 bucks. The biggest surprise was the dollar/pound conversion, our dollar ain't worth much these days.
Quote from: Swami805 on July 24, 2020, 07:31:10 PM
So does it have 4 bearings now? 2 in the spool and 2 in the side plate? Also which gear sleeve did you use?
No...still just two spool bearings. The gear sleeve(drive shaft in Abu speak) is the standard one used with the 3-stack gear. https://www.ereplacementparts.com/drive-shaft-p-1434631.html
The catch is...it fastens with a screw...and this model reel uses a drive shaft that fastens with a c-clip. You can either trim a bit off the end to fit the c-clip, or just do nothing, like I did. The side plate fits almost tight to the drag pressure plate when assembled. It holds just like the c-clip...with a few thousandths lateral play. The best thing to do, is use a C3 model as a donor, as it comes with the correct drive shaft. 8)
Wow, that frame looks sharp. ;D
So, about that pinion, was the gearset sold claiming to fit your model reel? Kinda surprised it didn't fit.
Quote from: nelz on July 24, 2020, 08:37:31 PM
So, about that pinion, was the gearset sold claiming to fit your model reel? Kinda surprised it didn't fit.
It was probably a fluke Nelz, 9 out of 10 probably
do fit. And it was almost nothing...001 to .002 removed. I'm certain a brass pinion would pop right on there, stretch to fit, but no way this stainless pinion is moving. I trashed a few Dremel bits just to remove that much. Let me add...I
never expected gears this hard to be smooth...and they are buttery!
I am glad the first person I know to take this plunge was you. The perfect person to add this to the site's treasury of information.
Good to see one of those frames being installed - thanks for sharing your build Mo.
Mike
Has anyone seen these levelwind frames for sale anywhere? They seem to have all gone into hiding.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgQQknawF5k
Great looking reel: strong and pretty !! Nice Job .
Cheers:
Todd
WOW!!!!
I wish they made the frames in LH 4000 size.
Quote from: mo65 on September 13, 2020, 01:54:02 PM
Has anyone seen these levelwind frames for sale anywhere? They seem to have all gone into hiding.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgQQknawF5k
Last time I saw them, Reel Kustom Reels had a few on hand but that was maybe 2 or 3 years ago. I haven't seen them since. If you do a Google search you can get to the page on the Akios website but if you navigate the site itself it seems they aren't listed anymore :(
Really nice. The only improvement would would be green side plates. First thought was the C5 MagX but they have the thumb bar. Only other dark green side plates that come to mind are the older v5000 or the current version of the carp special (https://www.amazon.com/Abu-Garcia-Ambassadeur-Special-Baitcast/dp/B086M3XDHG/ref=asc_df_B086M3XDHG?th=1).
Both of these have the metal push button rather than the thumb bar.