TUTORIAL: Ambassaduer 2500 C

[Killerbug]

This relatively rare reel, is a later revision(0700) of the legendary 2500C, from 1975.  This version, is 13 years old, and from the days where ABU still took better care of the quality of their products, than their shareholders.  This tutorial, also applies to the 1500 C, and the non IAR version.

I have tried to make this tutorial a little more detailed than my last one, and have added the schematics.  The 2500C is available in various colors, and is one of the all time greatest ABU reels on the Japanese market(Japanese language version below). It' a smooth little bass reel, and the simplicity and functionality of this great design, makes it one of the best casting multipliers I have ever tried.  Among reels this size, with engaging levelvind, the 2500C is unmatched.  In practical terms this means, that you can place a 0.3 oz x-rap  50 yards away by a wreck of your wrist.





The design of the spool, is like many other details of this reel, fairly different from the Classic Ambassaduers.



I began this session by dismantling, and cleaning the levelvind.





Unscrew the left sideplate,and lift off both the outer, and the inner sideplate.



Use both thumbs to release the levelvind, by pressing the two plastic claws inwards. This will release it from the frame.





Clean all the levelvind parts, I use gazoline, cloth, cottonsticks.



Resample the levelvind, and put it back into the frame.  Make sure that the plastic cap clicks itself properly into the frame.



Then I clean the frame, often weed and dirt from the water sticks to it.




Now it's time to take care of the coq wheel,  I use a plastic friendly teflon lubricant like Magnalube(Like ABU does), like this I will not get any decoloration
of the coq wheel, and it stays smooth for a long time.



Now grease and place the levelvind gear in the end cap, I also give the shaft hosting the coq wheel a drop off CorrosionX



On this reel ABU used the same aluminum brake collar on both sides(to host the bearings)



Clean the brake collar with a cotton stick




I now remove the bearings.  I usually clean the bearings in gazoline.  The 2500C, probably hosts a japanese EZO bearing, I have placed one next to those found in the reel.  The bearings measures 5x11x4, relatively large for such a small reel, but with a thin lube they spin.  I used to lube these small fast reels with Magura Blue blood(a thin non toxic hydraulic oil), but this week I received CorrosionX so that's what I use now. 



With CorrosionX I prefer to oil the bearings outside of the reel, then let them rest a bit on a piece of cloth, before i return them in the reel, like this I do not spill, or mix any oils with the grease etc.



Put the bearings back into the reel.



Clean the shims, the 2500 has two, but I found four in this reel.



Now it's time to look at the driveside, remove the handle(as on any Ambassaduer) and unscrew the two screw located on outside of the baseplate.



Lift the sideplate off




Clean the IAR bearing, I use gasoline and cotton sticks. I continue to rinse the bearing, until the cotton sticks stays clean.  I then give it a blast of CorrosionX



Clean the gear, driveshaft,  and the drag washers. I  grease the drag washers with Magnalube. The 2500 uses two washers, one in leather, and one a standard ABU.  No need to make any changes because this provides enough drag for this miniature reel.




Now remove the clutch mechanism and the pinion yoke/gear, To remove the clutch, move the upper part to right, while releasing it with both of your thumbs.




Clean, and carefully grease the baseplate with Magnalube, or another plastic friendly teflon grease. This guaranties a super smooth spool release even if the grease dries out.  Now remount the clutch.



Place the pinion in the pinion yoke,and mount it on the baseplate together with the gear(do not forget the small washer under the driveshaft).



In the right sideplate, the 2500 has a small plastic bushing, clean it and give it half a drop of CorrosionX. This could maybe be replaced by a bearing, It would need a 3x9.5x4.



Now we are ready to resample the handle, before i do this, I give the inside of the driveshaft, a drop of CorrosionX. 



Mount the handle starting with the parts, on the right(look picture above)



When mounting the e-clip, I use a cross headed screw driver, and press.



Mount the handle nut, and fasten it firmly(not tight) so that one of the nut edges or sides are parallel to the small screw hole  :oops: .



Finish, and ready to fish. Isn't this a beauty 

JAPANESE VERSION ===>http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=auto&tl=ja&u=http%3A%2F%2Fforum.esoxhunt.dk%2Fviewtopic.php%3Ff%3D98%26t%3D688%26p%3D4210%23p4210

[0119]

I just got a 2500CI in the mail today and had taken it apart to lube and oil it.  Its my second 2500 and they have become my favorite to use.  Excellent tutorial and it will be well used by me.

[Bryan Young]

That reel is cute.  Would love to get one some day to fish 4-6# test...okay, 10# spectra.

[redsetta]

Nice work Morten - thanks for sharing.
Cheers, Justin

[Abuadmiral]

Superb tutorial here!
Thanks for sharing
Wayne

[jbutler]

Cannot open the photos. Would love to see them. What am I doing wrong? Thanks

[Keta]

Cannot open the photos. Would love to see them. What am I doing wrong? Thanks

The photos were moved by the poster

[0119]

Too bad. It appears so on both posts on the 2500c. They were about the only useful tutorials for this reel series on all the net.

[Mooki]

The photos were hosted on Killerbug's Danish site which seems to be down.
The other thread was available through the Internet Archive - so at least those photos are viewable.