Spool tension seems tight after rebuilds

Started by agdodge4x4, May 01, 2012, 03:50:38 PM

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agdodge4x4

I have rebuilt a few of my ambassadeur reels...5500, 6500, etc.  They all have the axle clip and a shim.  I have noticed that almost all of them seem to be 'tight' after rebuild.  You can feel the resistance when reeling.  Also, most of the caps don't seem to come down past that o-ring past about 3/4 of it.  If I screw them on tighter, the spool is very difficult to move.  Is this normal?  Is there some sort of 'break in' period after a rebuild that I need to work around?  The axle clips are correctly installed and clipped.

Ken_D

#1
Hi. Is the axle clip oriented correctly inside the cast cap. if you attended to the shim there is a chance the clip is upside down, or distorted/broken.  There should be just one shim behind the clip. Abu uses several cast caps: some deeper or shallower than others. A test you can do is: take the clip out of the cap, place on the axle (also out of the reel) and see if it really does capture and hold on to the axle when you lightly pluck it off. Many times, it looks just fine, but it's dead.

There are several methods to get things square to the world and operating to spec. I like to ensure the good clip is in the cap OK, then screw the cap all the down on the boss as far as it can go. As you screw down, you will feel resistance at the 0-ring, lessening as you encapsulate it, and go by, and re-increasing as you near the bottom of the boss on the sideplate.

Then, engage cast button or thumbbar, and flick the frozen spool. Now, start to unwind the cap until the spool becomes good to cast. If you unwind too far, the clip comes away from the axle, and it's all for naught, so you have to go again.  

Abu uses a shallow cast cap on the 4-5-6 sized reels, to compensate for drag stack wear. If they used a tall cap, the star would rub against the cap, when the star is forced down as low as it can possibly go, as many rodsters are prone to do, at the of the drag washer useful lifespan.
Hope this helps.

agdodge4x4

#2
It has the clip in correctly, but I have not verified that it is 'grabbing' the axle.  Ill check tonight!


agdodge4x4

Ok, its all together.  I think the 'tightness' is just the nature of the reel.  Its not  really 'tight' so much as 'heavy' feeling.  It turns smoothly.  Still can't get the cap to go past the oring very far, but my other reels are like this and I think its OK.  I have noticed all of my reels that have lots of bearings in them feel this way.  They feel like they are turning a lot of mass.  Could be grease and oil.  They are fished in saltwater, so I keep them lubed.  My old reels with antir-reverse dogs and handle bushings or brass bushings are much 'lighter' feeling.  Also, this is a 6500 reel so there IS more mass to it I guess.

alantani

if you put grease in the spool bearings, then you will feel resistance when you crank.
send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

agdodge4x4

I ReelX the spool bearings.  I only grease the IAR.