Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Howdy all, first post.  I picked up a couple of narrow frame 4600 Abu Garcia Ambassadeurs to use for trout fishing and wanted to service them first.  What is the best way to get the lightest smooth drag possible?  I went through the first one and greased the drag washers, but I'm wondering if the stiction from all that grease raises the minimum drag setting?  Should I clean off the residual grease?  All the grease, with solvent?

Try wiping the grease off but you should consider a smaller reel, I use Shimano Calcutta 50's.

You're using grease intended for drag washers and not some standard grease?

I've got Shimano grease, bought after a Tani seminar awhile back.  I settled on the small Abus since I wanted a line clicker - I got a Royal Express II with a clicker, and will modify a couple of the 4600s to match.

That Shimano 50 is a nice size.  I didn't know they came that small.  I use the old 400's for salmon, and have a 200 that I've been using for trout trolling, but really want clickers.  I never liked the clicker location on the Shimanos, don't know if that changed with the newer versions, but I don't believe they put clickers on the small ones anyway.

I'll wipe off the excess grease and give it another try.

Clickers are nice to have.  Does the reel have 1 drag washer or 3?

The Royal Express had 3 above the gear, one below.  I did that one to familiarize myself with the internals of the thumb bar reels, and to get a good look at the clicker setup and where to slot the side plates.  From the schematics it looks like the 4600s may only have one, you're right.  That should make for a lower minimum drag on it's own?

If it has 3 try CF, keyed, CF, eared, eared, top keyed or CF, keyed, eared, eared, top keyed or CF, keyed, keyed, keyed, top keyed. You might need to use extra washers as shims.

Thanks, I'll give it a try when I dig back into these.

I would try gear, eared washer, 3 carbon fiber washer, and the rest of the keyed washers.  You will effectively have only one working washer.

Quote from: Bryan Young on June 28, 2015, 06:51:52 AM
I would try gear, eared washer, 3 carbon fiber washer, and the rest of the keyed washers.  You will effectively have only one working washer.

This one will do it.

CF washer "spacers" should do it too.

Yes, there are also a few other ways, as one CF washer and all metal keys, or all CF washers and one keyed washer.
The one that  Bryan mentioned makes the most sense, that one will able spooplin to use what he already has.

Also consider replacing the drag washer under the gear with delrin.

Thanks all for the many tips.  I guess I haven't figured out how to get response notices, or else the web is gobbling them up like it seems to do from other boards.

I'm putting in an order for CarbonTex drag sets for these and some other reels, and will give these tips a try.