Pro Max 8 bearing reels

Simon Everett · February 17, 2014, 02:17:02 AM

I have two of these and haviong done the search nothing came up, so is there any information I should know. After about 15 years I feel I should perhaps strip them, rather than just wash and oil them! My other Ambassadeurs I have done, this will be the first time either of these has been apart. One is a 16oo and the other a 5600. I use them in the sea and freshwater, if that makes a difference. Thanks for any help anyone can provide.

LTM · February 17, 2014, 06:25:01 AM

Simon,

Yes it does make a difference if you use them in the ocean or fresh water. Were you able to find a tutorial that is close to the reels that you have. Alot of the information is transferable across platforms if you cant find the specific reel. For ocean fishing we use a thin coat of grease on all surfaces for corrosion protection, whereas for fresh water we still coat with grease but oils come more into play due to the lack of salt water. Check out the section on tools and lubrication (some very long discussions on this particular topic) and start out following Alans suggestions then customize to your particular needs LATER as you gain more knowledge/experience.

Cheers mate,

Leo

Simon Everett · April 16, 2014, 08:21:20 PM

Thanks Leo. I have found a schematic of the parts, for ordering, but I haven't found anything to give hints about putting them back together. Are they near enough the same as a Black Max? Not ever having seen a Black max I don't know. Taking the side plate off the immediate difference to me is the spool spindle coming out with the gears!

That was a surprise the first time I did it. I haven't taken either of them apart further than this - in 20 years of use! They are still on the original bearings and everything too. The grease is getting very hard now though and they are getting stiff.

The handles have bearings in the paddles, but I can't work out how to get them - or do you just yank the paddles off on an interference fit?

bassgod · April 17, 2014, 02:39:20 AM

Hey Simon,
the abu black max and pro max are almost exact copies of each other. however the pro max had two bearings on the levelwind as opposed to plastic bushing in the black max, and 1 bearing per knob in the handle and a bearing supporting the pinion gear. they are pretty easy servicing I took one apart and put one back together no problem with, just be careful with all the e-clips as well as the plastic bit in the cast control knob that holds that spindle in place i broke that piece before, but good thing abu maintains these reels for life and have pretty much all the parts in stock to repair these reels.
As for the handle knob bearings, the knobs are riveted on, so there is no removing the handle knobs to get at the bearings unless you feel like drilling out the posts and installing new posts. You are better off getting a new handle, some folks suggest the handle off the abu c3,s same grayish knobs but with bushings so they won't rust and bind. however if your knobs still spin freely you can just add a few drops of oil and make sure to take extra care and wash out the knobs and lube them after a trip to the salt. I did this to one of my reels and the knobs are fine so far.
I can try to do a tutorial, however I do not have a really quality camera, let me know if you have any questions, I will do my best to help.

bassnwhaler · May 08, 2014, 05:05:45 AM

I fish with these reels. 1 pro max 1600, 2 black max 3600, 1 each black max 5600 and 6600. They are very solid reels and great casters. I upgraded to carbontex drags, loaded some with braid (they were meant specifically for braid with their cross x line laying system) and use them for steelhead. The 3600 is my fav size. The 1600 is amazing with light lures. All sit low, so are kind of early low profile reels, but fit my hands better.

I learned a lot from This article.

http://www.realsreels.com/servicing/servicingtuningABUBlackMax.html

Cheers

Bassnwhaler

Simon Everett · June 30, 2014, 08:43:21 PM

Hi chaps. Sorry for the lay off from joining in but I have been travelling all over the place and not getting the chance to do any fishing or reel maintenance!

I took my 1600 Pro Max apart today and gave it a good clean, relube and started to put it back together. I got it all back inside, but whilst the handle turns the gears around and they drive the spool - I cannot get the freespool thumbar to do anything. It is moving up and down but not making contact with the release lever in the gear housing. I have had apart and back together about a dozen times now, and I still haven't got it working...I am missing some minor little technique or placement somehere, but I am darned if I can recognise the mistake I am making - no parts left over and no parts missing. Everything is in good order, there was no salt build up inside and all it needed was the dried out grease being removed and relubing...I was hoping to use it this weekend in a fishing comp too! It is the Runswick kayak fishing tournament in North Yorkshire, Engalnd. If I can't get it working I will have to use my old 5500c which is working fine!

I am sure it merely the way I have got the freespool release arm lined up. I have had the 5600 apart to use as a pattern, it does look right but something isn't meshing. What have I done wrong please?

Dr. Jekyll - AKA MeL B · July 01, 2014, 01:49:42 AM

make sure the thumb bar is in the up position when you install the right side assembly, this should do it.

Simon Everett · July 01, 2014, 12:52:08 PM

Thanks MLB - I will take it apart and have another go!

How do I position the lever arm that connects to the anti reverse ratchet under the main gear? Should that be engaged, or disengaged position? It all fell apart and I didn't have a chance to see how it fitted before I took it to pieces! So I don't know what it should look like when putting it back together.

All this familiarisation with the inside workings is going to be useful when I come to do the 5600! I will get some Yamaha blue grease and some yellow rocket fuel oil I think, while I am at it. New handles are going to be ordered, before I trash the originals - I'll keep the original bearing handles and use the non-bearing ones suggested from the C3 series.

All good stuff.Here is a picture of me using the 1600 in the sea for some big pollack - OK not big by USA standards, but my best on this trip went 12lbs, and they do give a good account of themselves when they dive for the kelp. The Pro Max is ideal for the job though and provides fabulous sport.

The stamp of fish we were catching - this is Denis, my friend and guide who has one of my kayaks.

Dr. Jekyll - AKA MeL B · July 01, 2014, 04:38:36 PM

If my memory serves me correctly my black max 1600 does not have an anti-reverse pawl and these 2 reels are basically the same. If you're are referring to this part #22044, this lever is that engages to give you free spool when you press the thumb bar. The upper part of this lever should be in the left position looking from above. No part should be touching/engage to the anti-reverse ratchet. hope this helps!

BTW here's a link to the schematics; http://www.abugarcia.com/sites/default/files/schematics/PROMAX1600%200201.pdf

tight lines!

johndtuttle · July 01, 2014, 05:34:50 PM

I still have one of the wide ones and was just playing with it the other day. Wish I had one of the narrow ones. Really the precursor to all of the Saltwater baitcast reels and tougher than most with their heavy duty frames.

Unutt · July 02, 2014, 01:45:33 AM

The 1600 does not have an anti reverse pawl. The bearing in the side plate is an anti reverse needle bearing. The 1600 and 3600 drive trains (pro and black max) are exactly the same, though there are two different versions.

I see bassnwhaler posted a link to my disassembly/assembly instructions at realsreels. At Wayne's request, I made the page about 10 years ago.

Simon Everett · July 02, 2014, 10:20:41 PM

I hate to say it, but I don't actually understand the exploded diagram - for finding part numbers, yes, but as a clue to how things go together it is meaningless to me. I have had the reel apart six more times and each time I cannot get the freespool mechanism to work or engage. I am obviously doing something simple wrong, that is putting one piece out of whack...but I am blowed if I can see what it is. I have been servicing my own Abu reels since 1973 too......but then I have troube with my 7700CL too, the auto engagement doesn't work on that, but the lever does so I still use it. It will be a similar kind of thing, one piece in the wrong place.

Any hints as to how to reassemble the 1600 would be very gratefully received, before I have ot post it off somewhere - but then I still won't learn what I did wrong. It is only the freespool /engagement of the thumb bar that isn't correct. The drag works fine and it cranks at full power with the collett engaging properly. Strange. I was supposed ot be fishing a comp this weekend too...I won't be if I can't get this little reel working. My big boat reels are way to big for casting lures!

Dr. Jekyll - AKA MeL B · July 02, 2014, 11:08:49 PM

have you look at this tutorial; http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=1512.0

It's very similar except the pro max has 2 additional parts in the shaft. Can you zoom/amplify the diagram so it's easier to identify parts with their corresponding #?

johndtuttle · July 02, 2014, 11:38:57 PM

Literally just a few days before your post I had mine apart to do some basic lubing. I'll see if I can post some photos to help.

This was definitely one of those things where I did not remove every part as the mechanism arrangement is not remotely demonstrated by the schematic (like a "bait runner" feature, total mystery how it goes together from the schematic) and I would not want to get in the same trouble myself.

But, let me see if I can sort this one for you. Will put up pics later.

johndtuttle · July 03, 2014, 03:22:15 AM

Ok, these are the promised photos:

"A" above is the pin coming through the frame from the thumb lever that puts the reel in free spool.

"A" (the pin) goes into the crook of that arm which moves the eccentric jack. It slides in easily in the center of the > formed by the arm. When you depress the thumb lever, the pin moves down and forces the arm to pivot.

Hope this helps.