# Abu question...



## huckfinn38 (Jun 13, 2006)

I am in the process of building a 6000 with the end plate bearings. I was just looking at TG (Rocket Bearings) website and it says there are 2 different sizes of bearings that went in the 6000 and 6000c 
3.2X10X4 went in the 6000 made before 1981 that had the bearings on end caps
3x10x4 went in 6000c made after 1981 that had the bearings on the end caps

I never new there was a 3.2X10X4, did you guys?
Here is the reel I won on ebay.


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## kingfisherman23 (Dec 14, 2003)

Pre-1981 reels actually use 3.175x10x4 bearings. I believe these reels were only offered with bushings, the bearings are an aftermarket upgrade. I could be wrong about that. The 3.175 inner diameter isn't really uncommon, but it is more commonly referred to as .125 inches. Boca stocks them in stainless (Boca Bearings, 3.175x10x4, but unfortunately they aren't offered in the Orange Seal lineup yet.

That's an awesome catch, by the way. I have a 6000 on the work bench right now for a full overhaul. Are you building the reel for water or grass?

Evan


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## huckfinn38 (Jun 13, 2006)

For the field


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## jlentz (Sep 11, 2005)

Bearings are not made that will replace the bushings in that reel. If you want to add bearings you are going to need to mill down the ends of the spool shaft to make them fit if you want to use the existing spool. You could replace the spool with one from a 6000C or a 6500c that will fit standard bearings but you will also have to replace the pinion gear and the main gear. There is nothing wrong with the bushings for fishing but they may limit your distance in the field. I have a more than a few of the 5000 and 6000 reels that I fish with bushings and they actually work very well.

John


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## huckfinn38 (Jun 13, 2006)

JLentz, got to TG's Rocket Bearings Website. They make them.


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## huckfinn38 (Jun 13, 2006)

*and....*

Evan's link has them to


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## jlentz (Sep 11, 2005)

Thanks Jebson, I never knew they even had them available, I wonder when they became available. I guess I should have read your original post a little better, you did state that TG's had them. I and a few others have been converting 6000 reels for years and would always mill down the spindle. The price is high for those bearing but it is an easy swap, much easier than reducing the diameter of the spindle. I do like the rocket bearings. Thanks again. Here is pic of one that I converted a few years ago. It is a sweet reel.










John


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## Tacpayne (Dec 20, 2008)

Jlentz that is a sweet reel, where did you get the handle?


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## huckfinn38 (Jun 13, 2006)

Love that handle....
J Lentz did you upgrade the gears and drag?
I think the factory gears are 4:1 and the grag is leather washers. I think they make carbons for these now.

Thanks
Jeb


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## jlentz (Sep 11, 2005)

The handle is from Japan that are no longer made. At the 2009 icast show this year they said they would start selling them again but nothing has happened yet. They were shown in blue, red, silver and gold. Jebson, the gearing is stock but the drag was upgraded with carbon fiber washers. I would have to check but I did a custom drag stack in this reel using different washers from other reels. Ceramic bearing have been used throughout replacing all bushings.

John


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## kingfisherman23 (Dec 14, 2003)

Jeb, any idea what year that reel was made? If it does not have a click spring in the main gear there are definitely SmoothDrag replacements for the drag stack. If it does have the click spring, I'm not sure about a drag upgrade. I'm checking on a carbon drag replacement for the reel I have now (red 6000, circa 1969), I'll let you know how it goes.

Evan


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## jlentz (Sep 11, 2005)

kingfisherman23 said:


> Jeb, any idea what year that reel was made? If it does not have a click spring in the main gear there are definitely SmoothDrag replacements for the drag stack. If it does have the click spring, I'm not sure about a drag upgrade. I'm checking on a carbon drag replacement for the reel I have now (red 6000, circa 1969), I'll let you know how it goes.
> 
> Evan


Smoothdrag does make replacements for the gears with click drags. The most common one being listed as parts #Abu #079 which replaces part #7079 and part #3902. The other one I believe is listed as Abu 10271 which replaces parts #3902 and part#3903. I do not know the part number but with the 6000 reel you can get a replacement gear that does not have a click spring and allows you to make a drag system with more surface area. 

John


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## kingfisherman23 (Dec 14, 2003)

Thanks John, you saved me some time this afternoon! 

I asked the owner about doing the conversion to a non-clicking setup. But he wants the reel to stay as original as possible. I'll post pictures soon.

Evan


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## jlentz (Sep 11, 2005)

Evan, I kind of like to keep the older reels so them seem original while at the same time upgrading them. I am working on doing a drag system upgrade for the older Abu's that retains the clicker(I really like the sound of it when a fish is pulling line) but also increases the drag surface area. It is hard to do with the lack of space in the flat sideplate. When I get time I will work on it and post my results. 

John


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## huckfinn38 (Jun 13, 2006)

I am going to put mine on a round bar ct frame, try and upgrade gears to hi speed, upgrade drag in case i decide it is not a field reel, change the bushings to abec 7 ceramics, and add qtc adjustable mono mag....I am butchering mine. Old school meets new school


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## huckfinn38 (Jun 13, 2006)

kingfisherman23 said:


> Jeb, any idea what year that reel was made? If it does not have a click spring in the main gear there are definitely SmoothDrag replacements for the drag stack. If it does have the click spring, I'm not sure about a drag upgrade. I'm checking on a carbon drag replacement for the reel I have now (red 6000, circa 1969), I'll let you know how it goes.
> 
> Evan



Circa de 1981...
I called abu and gave them the foot number. They know nothing there.


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## kingfisherman23 (Dec 14, 2003)

What's the foot number?

Evan


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## huckfinn38 (Jun 13, 2006)

If you turn the reel up side down and loot at the foot (reel seat tightens down on) there is a number. That is the reel foot number
Evan...I am an idiot...097002.


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## kingfisherman23 (Dec 14, 2003)

OK, what is _your_ foot number?


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## jlentz (Sep 11, 2005)

Jebson38 said:


> I am going to put mine on a round bar ct frame, try and upgrade gears to hi speed, upgrade drag in case i decide it is not a field reel, change the bushings to abec 7 ceramics, and add qtc adjustable mono mag....I am butchering mine. Old school meets new school


Jebson, I am not sure you can do a hi speed gear upgrade without swapping out the spool also. The spool and pinion on the 6000 have a different engagement than the higher speed reels. It may be able to be done but I have not seen it done. From the list of upgrades you want to do if I were you the first thing I would do is try to do the high speed conversion which may include swapping out the spool. That way you may save yourself from buying the incorrect size bearings. After that upgrading the drag and bearing would be next on my list. I do have a handful of the older reels with the round bar CT frame including the original 6500CT and they are nice, that is definitely a nice addition. I would also hold off and do the mag unit last. With the old style spool the reels are pretty tame and I do not think a mag would really help all that much. Let us know how everything works out, those older reels are awesome.

John


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## huckfinn38 (Jun 13, 2006)

I am working with Jerry Forhan on this. He said he has hi speed 4.7:1 gears and carbon drags that fit these. He also knows my reel was made prior to 1971 based on foot number 097002.


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## jlentz (Sep 11, 2005)

Working with Jerry is the best way to go, he knows more about these older Abu reels than anyone. By working with Jerry it will save you a lot time, money, and experimenting with part compatibility. Although experimenting with them is pretty fun in itself.

John


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## blakdog_tackle (Jan 31, 2010)

Jebson38 said:


> I am working with Jerry Forhan on this. He said he has hi speed 4.7:1 gears and carbon drags that fit these. He also knows my reel was made prior to 1971 based on foot number 097002.


The reelfoot number shows 1970 (middle two numbers indicate the year on that model) so it will be a 3 screw model (i.e. three screws in the left side plate). The very early models that the collectors look for are generally the 4 screw models which started in I think 1957. Can't remember exactly but I think you'll find that they started putting the numbers on the foot of the cage in 64? and converted to a 3 screw sideplate in 62? Or maybe the other way round.

The problem is (and we have masses of these floating about in the UK) that what you know for sure is only that the cage was a 1970, the rest could be from a variety of reels as so many of them are mongrels ... but it looks right for a 70 (and it most certainly looks very nice). The white handle ones were earlier, either a single or a double white knobbed jobbie.

In the mid 90s I upgraded an earlier (4 screw) one of these into an ultracast using a random red brake plate and spool, spindle and gearbox from the 1990 ultracast CT and it didn't cause any major issues if I remember - it looked and cast beautifully (as did a black ultracast CT) though the ultracast wasn't so far removed from the red 6000 as the modern elites are it has to be said. The Ultracast ct has a 4.7:1 ratio and a clicker on the drag so I imagine thats the parts being mentioned. I think you will also find you can do a UC bearing upgrade on the drive shaft which will reduce wear on the shaft and gears, its certainly a worthwhile upgrade on other old models I have.

Just for info, a number of customers have the TG bearings fitted in these old reels and they work fine and cast exceptionally well. Strange coincidence is I've two other people emailing me about this very model today ....


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## huckfinn38 (Jun 13, 2006)

Russ,
Good to see you on a us board


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## blakdog_tackle (Jan 31, 2010)

Jebson38 said:


> Russ,
> Good to see you on a us board


Hiya Jeb,

I lurk all over the place and very occasionally post over here. I was doing a bit of searching on the 6000s and came across this thread. Its a strange coincidence - so much interest in one model in one day. I have an early 4 screw myself but its for show so no butchery will happen to it, but I am occasionally tempted.

I was also reading your thread about the blue QTC elite as well ... the guy selling it (Dirk) is a mate, very well known in the German circuit and an excellent bloke ... very well recommended and very good at what he does.


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## huckfinn38 (Jun 13, 2006)

*Just Found out...*



kingfisherman23 said:


> Pre-1981 reels actually use 3.175x10x4 bearings. I believe these reels were only offered with bushings, the bearings are an aftermarket upgrade. I could be wrong about that. The 3.175 inner diameter isn't really uncommon, but it is more commonly referred to as .125 inches. Boca stocks them in stainless (Boca Bearings, 3.175x10x4, but unfortunately they aren't offered in the Orange Seal lineup yet.
> 
> That's an awesome catch, by the way. I have a 6000 on the work bench right now for a full overhaul. Are you building the reel for water or grass?
> 
> Evan


These bearings do not fit the abu 6000. The spool shaft and the bearings are the exact same size so the shaft will not go into the bearing. From what I have been told by Jerry Foran, you need a .03 differnence for the shaft to fit in the bearing. Therefore the only bearing I know that will fit this reel is the 3.2 from tg.


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## kingfisherman23 (Dec 14, 2003)

A very good point and one I totally overlooked.

Sounds like Rockets are the way to go, unless you mill down the shaft.

Evan


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## blakdog_tackle (Jan 31, 2010)

Jebson38 said:


> These bearings do not fit the abu 6000. The spool shaft and the bearings are the exact same size so the shaft will not go into the bearing. From what I have been told by Jerry Foran, you need a .03 differnence for the shaft to fit in the bearing. Therefore the only bearing I know that will fit this reel is the 3.2 from tg.


Actually even the TG ones are sometimes a little tight and some help is required with the polish or some emery cloth.


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## Ferds UK (Mar 15, 2010)

I'm one of Russ's satisfied customers who fitted the 3.2 TG bearings to an old 4 screw 6000 - as he says, they are a tight fit and I found that 5 minutes twiddling fine emery paper around the spool shaft was necessary. Once fitted, the reel runs beautifully. I didn't bother with the monomag I had planned, just used one big fibre block and one small block for fishing. I've not bothered with upgrading the drag either - sadly not a lot of point this side of the pond, is there Russ?!

I like the older reels a lot - they are very robust and there's something about the heavy double click when putting them into gear.


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## blakdog_tackle (Jan 31, 2010)

Ferds UK said:


> I'm one of Russ's satisfied customers who fitted the 3.2 TG bearings to an old 4 screw 6000 - as he says, they are a tight fit and I found that 5 minutes twiddling fine emery paper around the spool shaft was necessary. Once fitted, the reel runs beautifully. I didn't bother with the monomag I had planned, just used one big fibre block and one small block for fishing. I've not bothered with upgrading the drag either - sadly not a lot of point this side of the pond, is there Russ?!
> 
> I like the older reels a lot - they are very robust and there's something about the heavy double click when putting them into gear.


Hi Mike,

As you say, the chances to use the drag are few and far between over here  Unless the weed starts running big that is. I like the old ones too - its funny really because for a company that like to make money Pure just don't seem to have realised how much they could make out of keeping these old things running and producing some better quality stuff.

I was getting very close to copying you on my own 4 screw ... until 3 Black 1990 Ultracasts turned up, now I'm playing with those and will probably put a custom sideplate on one rather than drill the original one - picture of custom plate below on a 5500 for anybody interested (apologies for being off topic).

I'm aiming to stick your picture of your 6000 (and Bass) on the shop for the end of the month Mike so keep an eye out - really appreciate you letting me use it.


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## huckfinn38 (Jun 13, 2006)

Russ,
That is a good looking reel. Are you making those sideplates yourself or working with a machinest?


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## Ferds UK (Mar 15, 2010)

That's a savage looking reel Russ! Very sexy - love the colour too! I've got some thoughts on a 5000 project that I'd like to bounce off you but I'll save it for another thread.


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## blakdog_tackle (Jan 31, 2010)

Ferds UK said:


> That's a savage looking reel Russ! Very sexy - love the colour too! I've got some thoughts on a 5000 project that I'd like to bounce off you but I'll save it for another thread.


It looks savage Mike but actually its a dream to cast. I have yet to test it on a 6500 which might be a little less friendly with the extra weight of the larger spool.....watch this space.

Jeb, everything comes from a specialist supplier who is extremely good at what he does ... all made in UK.


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## huckfinn38 (Jun 13, 2006)

*Abu update....*

Got my bearings this weekend while I was away fishing. Got home last night and installed them. I had to take steel wool and polish down the spool spindles on both sides. This is pretty easy to do. Put one end in the Dewalt drill and spin while holding the steel wool to the other end of the spool spindle. Wow what a difference replacing the bushings with bearings make.

Adding a mag tonight and will post pics of the update.


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