Abu Cardinal 66- 77 plastic to brass conversion

[Polecat501]

Excellent - I will have my nylon ones replaced over time.
- When you have a non-busy time - next year or the year after?

I have a few spools from Les, ABU close face including the 507 plus 66 & 77. Well made without any problems.

The good thing Olly is you can keep the original plastic ones for if you decide to sell on the reels

Yes, it’s always a valuable extra when you keep original parts with the collectible they came from. If nothing else, it shows you care about your reel.

I’m currently selling one of my prized SIG Sauer German Meistershop P226 X-Six Scandic pistols, and all offers so far have been far higher than I expected. No doubt due to the fact that I not only have an absolutely mint condition firearm, with all original paperwork, tools, manufacturers lubricants, and the original test target, but also the Meistershop match upgrade spring set, AND the original springs.

On an engineering note, I can see why the Svangsta Engineers originally had that part made out of a high quality nylon plastic. As it’s basically carrying out a gear train carrier and gear alignment function, it shouldn’t come under a lot of strain, but at the end of each stroke it’s possible a certain amount of flexibility will be needed, particularly as the gear train wears under heavy (or indeed excessive?) use. And I think that’s part of the problem. These reels were never designed for the purposes we now sometimes put them to. Take heavy feeder fishing for example. That’s cruel and unusual torture for a reel designed for casting spoons up to about 1 oz. Often we are casting method feeder weights more than 2 or 3X that, and cranking them back with fat & heavy Carp attached, is it any wonder that, as gear trains wear, these supplemental and supporting parts start to fail? There’s also the case that these parts may become more brittle over the years, as we extend the life of these reels far longer than original planned.

The other event is also true. My original 500’s (501, 503/520, 505, 506, 506M, & 507’s) were engineered for light to medium duty spinning (Perch to Salmon), so even 5 decades of light float fishing has left them almost as good as the day they left the factory. They also have one high quality nylon plastic component in their gear train. Do you have any thoughts on how long those last, their rate of failure in all the 500’s you’ve serviced, and how many you have left in New-Old Stock? This might be the next replacement component, reverse engineered in new material.

Polecat501 would you be talking about the white oscillation block which the spool holder is fitted too? If so in all my years I have never known one fail, even with those two brass legs and small circlips holding it all in place the pin on the main gear is also a very snug fit in the slot on the back of the part, not a lot to go wrong there but it is plastic and we all know Abu's and plastics.

Yes, part number 5680 on all the 500 series schematics I’ve seen. Good to hear that you’ve never seen one fail!

[John Milford]

I have just replaced the nylon axle holders on my two Cardinal 66 reels with the brass part kits from Les Shaw.

However, this entailed removing and refitting six E clips (C clips) and inevitably one of them has pinged off, never to be seen again.

Also inevitably, it wasn't either of the smaller spare ones which are supplied with the kits, but rather one of the slightly larger clips that goes on the end of the axle itself.

Can any kind soul tell me the size of that clip please, so that I can get a replacement?

[BeechmereLake]

I have just replaced the nylon axle holders on my two Cardinal 66 reels with the brass part kits from Les Shaw.

However, this entailed removing and refitting six E clips (C clips) and inevitably one of them has pinged off, never to be seen again.

Also inevitably, it wasn't either of the smaller spare ones which are supplied with the kits, but rather one of the slightly larger clips that goes on the end of the axle itself.

Can any kind soul tell me the size of that clip please, so that I can get a replacement?

Hi John, no idea how you size an E-clip but you could always buy a couple from Les and they would be genuine Abu ones too and Ford car parts

[John Milford]

I have just replaced the nylon axle holders on my two Cardinal 66 reels with the brass part kits from Les Shaw.

However, this entailed removing and refitting six E clips (C clips) and inevitably one of them has pinged off, never to be seen again.

Also inevitably, it wasn't either of the smaller spare ones which are supplied with the kits, but rather one of the slightly larger clips that goes on the end of the axle itself.

Can any kind soul tell me the size of that clip please, so that I can get a replacement?

Hi John, no idea how you size an E-clip but you could always buy a couple from Les and they would be genuine Abu ones too and Ford car parts

Thanks Martin, but I've sorted it now.

I bought a small selection online, which included the size needed.