# What parts do I need to upgrade this Abu



## bigphil (Jul 9, 2006)

Please advise. This thing casts like crap. I hate it. Something has to be done.

It's an ABU TGC6000C. Was going to get ABEC 7 ceramic bearings. Was also thinking of picking up a dual bearing worm kit for the level wind. Does anyone know if it will make a difference? Worth it?

Not looking to upgrade the drag right now. Anything else I am overlooking while I'm building a parts list? Idler gear?


----------



## AtlantaKing (Jul 7, 2002)

First things first. When was it last serviced? Take a look at this link: Abu 6500 Service for details on stripping down an Abu round reel. Cleaning out all the old grease and applying fresh grease, as well as flushing the bearings and reoiling does wonders. Be sure to clean out any crud or dirt or other accumulation in the levelwind gear, pawl and shaft and lightly reoil. See if that does the trick first before spending money on upgrades. If it doesn't help, it'll still be clean, which makes upgrading much easier.


----------



## bigphil (Jul 9, 2006)

Thanks. Tried that already. Helped just a hair, not much.

It's brand new.

ETA: That thread you did is the bomb. Wish I would have seen that before I disassembled mine.


----------



## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

bigphil said:


> Please advise. This thing casts like crap. I hate it. Something has to be done.
> 
> It's an ABU TGC6000C. Was going to get ABEC 7 ceramic bearings. Was also thinking of picking up a dual bearing worm kit for the level wind. Does anyone know if it will make a difference? Worth it?
> 
> Not looking to upgrade the drag right now. Anything else I am overlooking while I'm building a parts list? Idler gear?



Not familiar with that model Abu. If it's of the cheaper (not made in Sweden) variety, you might be better off looking at a different reel, instead of wasting money trying to make it into something it will likely never be. If it casts that crappy now- ceramic bearings are not likely to help.


----------



## HuskyMD (May 19, 2000)

Are ABEC 5 better for casting than ABEC 7? That's what I was told. 

I think I agree with Surf Cat. Even my cheap 6000 that has bushings instead of bearings casts smooth as butter stock. It was at least made in Sweden though...

What are your complaints about the way it casts? Too slow? Wobbly?


----------



## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

I believe Abec 5's are better, at least for tournament casting, than 7's. the tolerance on 7's is too tight for a very fast running reel.


----------



## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

The dual kit and the A5's will help it.


----------



## bigphil (Jul 9, 2006)

It's a steelhead combo, made in sweden reel. It's a cheap one for sure, and made in sweden.

http://www.abugarcia.com/prod.php?k=50145&sk=50011&p=PURTGC5000/OSSC862MH

I'll check into the abec5's. I have heard that this one has one bearing and one bushing. I'll try to get some pics up in the next day or so.


----------



## Railroader (Apr 13, 2005)

Phil, before doing any mods, make sure that the reel has an IAR bearing on the handle side...If it has the plastic bushing on the drive, with the anti reverse cog and dog, I wouldn't bother with it. Use it for spare parts, and get a different reel...


----------



## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*2nd that*

I'll agree with RR on the Anti rev deal .... Hookless(Jerry) might be able to give us some good input .... You can look at the Schemetic for the parts to see what it has or just tear it down ....


----------



## bigphil (Jul 9, 2006)

a couple pics. will try to take some after i get it apart. The wife is leaving early am with the digital.

What about this black piece of plastic holding the shaft on under the spool tension knob?


----------



## bigphil (Jul 9, 2006)

You talking about the plastic piece in the bottom right hand corner?


----------



## chris storrs (Aug 25, 2005)

It will never cast good, you should give it to me

but seriously, what makes you say it cats bad?


bearings(or bushings) grinding/making alotta noise?
levelwind sticking?
Reel Feel tight?
casts not going far?

cog bearing,dual lw bearing, and upgraded spool bearings may help, but if its taht horrible now something bigger is prolly wrong..

the plaistic pievce they are talking baout is under the handle,drag star, etc...youd have to remove teh handle and drag star to find it...


----------



## chris storrs (Aug 25, 2005)

sorry, didnt se ethe pic at first, yea thats the piece they are talking about


----------



## Railroader (Apr 13, 2005)

Phil, that reel ain't worth pimpin' out.

That plastic bushing in the bottom right of the last pic is the killer. There should be a one way roller bearing in it's place, pressed into the right side cover. Not a conversion you can make on that reel. 

That reel will ALWAYS be sloppy, and NEVER make you happy. There are some good parts there that you can save for another day, but I'd certainly not spend any money on it.


----------



## bigphil (Jul 9, 2006)

Dang, that's what I needed to know. You think I could just buy the sideplate with the bearing in it?


----------



## Railroader (Apr 13, 2005)

Yes, you can get a bearing side plate, but the guts are not the same, due to the anti-reverse dog, cog, spring, and pin. I don't think it'll all match up, since the reels that come with the IAR bearing don't have these parts...Also, by the time you buy a bearing side plate, you are well on your way to buying a used, properly equipped reel.


----------



## AtlantaKing (Jul 7, 2002)

Actually, the plastic bushing and the anti reverse isn't necessarily a bad thing. If you're going to be using it as a bait chunking reel, the anti reverse dog and cog is a bit more reliable as there is no IAR to corrode on you. The cranking aspect of the reel will be sloppy, as RR alluded to, but it should not affect the casting of the reel. In place of the plastic bushing, if you can get your hands on a bearing that is the same size (ID, OD and W), you can actually replace the bushing with a bearing. This will smooth out the cranking. All of the other parts look fine from the pictures, and shouldn't affect the casting aspect. 

The black piece holding the spool shaft is the spool shaft retainer; it should not affect the rotation of the spool as the current Abus use a "Ultracast" spool design with a pair of inboard spool bearings. 

Bigphil, if you'll refer back to my Blue Yonder thread, take a look at how to disassemble the spool and pull the bearings/bushing to ascertain if you have one, two or no bearings in the spool. I think the issue with your reel is that the spool does not have the pair of bearings to spin on, but rather has a bearing and a bushing (or possibly two bushings) like you mentioned. This would cause the spool to not spin as smoothly or as freely as it should, and make the casting poor. If you have another 5500/6500 Abu reel, you can take out the spool and put it in this reel and try it. If it casts fine with the other spool, then you know it's the spool issue, and you can go look for a pair of regular Abu spool bearings. Conversely, you can polish the inside of the bronze bushing in the spool to make it very smooth. This may help the spinning of the spool.


----------



## Surf Fish (Dec 16, 2005)

A great big whiting about 12" long pulled my PVC sand spike over today and drug my 525 Mag down the beach into the water. Can't even crank the handle on it anymore, so much sand got in it, had to pull the whiting in by hand. 

Wanna trade a slightly wet 525 Mag for that nice red Abu?


----------



## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*parts*

dual levelwind bearing kit with ceramic pawl $30
ABEC 5 bearings $20
cog gear with bearing $10 

Seems like alot to put in a reel you probably won't be happy with anyways .....

Take that $60 and put it on a Good C4 if you want a levelwind ... that's my opinion


----------



## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

surfchunker said:


> dual levelwind bearing kit with ceramic pawl $30
> ABEC 5 bearings $20
> cog gear with bearing $10
> 
> ...


The upgrades cost more than that reel sells for NEW! BTW the guts in the right side plate (IAR,Bushing or whatever) have absolutly nothing to do with how the reel casts. It IS an ultra cast model with 2 onboard spool bearings.

http://mikesreelrepair.com/schemati...eur, Cardinal/Ambassadeur 6000C TGC 10 00.pdf


----------



## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

But yes...The cranking will always be sloppy..Sell it to a bass fisherman and buy a Mag ELite.


----------



## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*Oh No*

Barty's pulling out the Mikes Schemetics  

gotta love that Mikes


----------



## bigphil (Jul 9, 2006)

Thanks All. It indeed has one bearing and one bushing. Recleaned them and reoiled.

Surf Fish, PM inbound on a possible trade.  

I'm going to replace the bushing with a bearing and see what happens. If that dont work I'll find me a bass fisherman.

I'm going to try and give it a fling tomorrow.


----------



## Surf Fish (Dec 16, 2005)

Wet 525 Mag sold to BigPhil.


----------



## bigphil (Jul 9, 2006)

Well, just a little update on the Abu. With another cleaning and oil job, removal of one of the two brake blocks and some advice from another fishmaestro, I took the ABU 6000 out for a little casting practice. Put it on the Daiwa Emblem 12' and tied 3oz bank sinker on.

I wasn't throwing enough weight with it before. Slight oversight on my part. Needless to say the spool was getting very empty when I tossed 3oz. I was pretty surprised and quite pleased actually. Lets just say it wont throw 1oz very good.  

I'll probably still upgrade the bearings and actually add another so it has two. A little slop in the handle never bothered me (at least for now).

ETA: Surf Fish, it took three days for all that saltwater to dry outta that 525.  I think I might have to replace the drag washers, they seem pretty burnt up.


----------

