Stiff Ambidex

[Jeff Smith]

I’m currently working on a beautiful Ambidex for a friend that is very stiff to wind.
I’m not familiar with these reels so can’t quote the model but hopefully the pictures will help.
I’ve had it apart and the pinion seems to run very freely, as does the main gear in its side plate but, despite being very clean, on reassembly, the reel is still very stiff.
I note that the main gear appears to be a fibrous material rather than a metal.
Any experts out there offer any advice please?

FF9E50AA-020D-4EB8-B52C-5B966A364546.jpeg

[Bobby Marlene]

Perhaps it can be solved with a thicker washer. See this thread:

http://www.traditionalfisherman.com/vie ... 07&t=20054

Good luck, Bobby

[NiceRoach]

Quintessential model, and indeed as Bobby points Nobby's the man, me? - I'v'e opened some and put the side plate back on again.

[Myford]

I’m currently working on a beautiful Ambidex for a friend that is very stiff to wind.
I’m not familiar with these reels so can’t quote the model but hopefully the pictures will help.
I’ve had it apart and the pinion seems to run very freely, as does the main gear in its side plate but, despite being very clean, on reassembly, the reel is still very stiff.
I note that the main gear appears to be a fibrous material rather than a metal.
Any experts out there offer any advice please?FF9E50AA-020D-4EB8-B52C-5B966A364546.jpeg

Have you tried dropping a bit of Paraffin in and winding it? It normally works, if it does not I'd start taking parts out in sequence until the problem is found.

~ the Helical Gear is made of a compound called "Tufnol" still used to this day, in fact some of the latest BMW engines have Tufnol gearing.

In fact always do this when servicing my Reels - then blast out with an Air Line, put thin oil in work the reel for a while then coat the moving parts with Marine grade semi-fluid grease.

[Wallys-Cast]

I am probably telling you things you already know but its better to start by eliminating possible causes.
Start by removing the spool and try the reel to see if its that, then remove the oscillation lever and spring and try it again. If it is still stiff, the answer is either the bearing is too tight and needs backing off slightly or the winding shaft is rubbing on the outer casing.
If get stuck let me know and i'll sort it out for you.

Wal.

[Jeff Smith]

Thanks for all your replies guys. I tried all your suggestions completely stripping the reel down , using thin oil etc and finding out that there is no room to place shims on the gear shaft.
Eventually, I had a ‘eureka’ moment when I discovered that the nylon washers either side of the roller bearing had been installed the wrong way round. They have a slight groove that the balls rest in.
I noticed that when turning the handle, the action of the main gear on the worm pulled the rotating head back towards the body of the reel , jamming it. Back winding was much looser. This caused me to look at that bearing more closely.
Someone at some stage had assembled it incorrectly.
She’s now running smoothly and I’m sure the owner will be very pleased.
Trouble is, now I’ve had a close look at one of these Ambidex reels, I want one for myselfso if anyone’s got a ‘user’ they would like to part with???
It’s interesting that they used ‘tufnol’ for the main gear. I seem to remember the same material being used in the manufacture of a centre pin style sea reel some time in the last century.

[Wallys-Cast]

The early half bails are even nicer Jeff.
Glad you got it sorted, your mate will be pleased.

Wal.

[Myford]

Thanks for all your replies guys. I tried all your suggestions completely stripping the reel down , using thin oil etc and finding out that there is no room to place shims on the gear shaft.
Eventually, I had a ‘eureka’ moment when I discovered that the nylon washers either side of the roller bearing had been installed the wrong way round. They have a slight groove that the balls rest in.
I noticed that when turning the handle, the action of the main gear on the worm pulled the rotating head back towards the body of the reel , jamming it. Back winding was much looser. This caused me to look at that bearing more closely.
Someone at some stage had assembled it incorrectly.
She’s now running smoothly and I’m sure the owner will be very pleased.
Trouble is, now I’ve had a close look at one of these Ambidex reels, I want one for myselfso if anyone’s got a ‘user’ they would like to part with???
It’s interesting that they used ‘tufnol’ for the main gear. I seem to remember the same material being used in the manufacture of a centre pin style sea reel some time in the last century.

Glad to sorted it, they a cracking little Reel – I’ve a pair of the next version to the one you have stripped, the MK4‘s I believe (Blue main body, Silver Rotor, Casting Reel wrote at the base of the badges)

Noticed your has just one Oil Port on the left hand side in the pinion housing, so has one of mine – but the other “Identical serial number Reel “ has Oil Ports on both sides!

[Silfield]

Please be aware that tufnol from the 60's and 70's could contain asbestos. At work as an engineer in the 80's we were banned from working with old tufnol and any refurb jobs undertaken had to use new components. Looking at the data sheets for the current product the bonding agents and ingredients are very different.
What are the Ambidex like as a user?

[Delaminated]

I had lots of problems with stiff winding in four of my collection of Ambidex reels. I stripped them all down fully, cleaned every component in white spirit and re assembled them after a light lubrication in thin oil.
In winding some were smoother than others, and after multiple strip down and re-assemblies I narrowed the problem down to the nylon washers on either side of the ball race behind the rotors.
Each one of these was in varying stages of wear, and some had had a groove made by wear from the ball race. Changing the face of the washers presented to the ball race made some small improvements, but no real solution to the stiffness
Replacement washers seemed to be a good idea.
I found some ptfe Teflon washers on eBay sized 20mm x 12mm x 0.5mm , not an exact replacement, but other TFF threads had noted that the original washers sometimes bound tight on the shaft so I took a chance on these.
The first trial with a Teflon washer on either side of the ball race was not a success, but I had not allowed for the difference in thickness in the washers (and the thickness between my ears).
A light bulb finally came on and a combination of two washers on one side and one on the other was tried.
Bingo! Reels transformed, lovely smooth winding, this has rejuvenated my collection.

Regards Tom.