Abu 44 or Abu 44x - Service Manual

[TemeLAD]

Question for my esteemed colleagues: one of my 44x has a small circular circlip that holds one end of the boomerang to the shaft via a small brass block. However it occasionally works loose! - can it be tweaked to fit better or if not, any ideas on where I could purchase a replacement.

In advance I thank you for your time

[Nobby]

I can't recall if that circlip should have a washer underneath it to stop the metal beneath turning it and helping it lift off when in use....certainly the very similar DAM reels have such a washer, I recall.

It may be that the circlip has opened out a little when being removed in the past and would benefit from closing-up again. Also most circlips are only ground flat on one side, the other remaining rounded in profile. This sharp ground side should, in this instance, be facing out towards you so that its sharp edge grips onto the outer edge of the groove making it less likely to lift off.


A likely source of a new circlip would be Jim's Reel Shop.

[TemeLAD]

Thanks Nobby - closing it up seems to have helped. I will try and source a replacement though as it looks worn!

As always very much obliged - thank you

[TemeLAD]

My normally reliable user 44x has developed a problem with the drag setting wheel in that it continues to turn beyond number 9 and also when wound back it rotates beyond 0. By trial and error the drag will engage at the right tension but it does not appear to correspond with the numbers on the wheel.

Would stripping down and cleaning the drag components help? and apart from making a note of the sequence the components fit back together again are there any pitfalls I need to be aware of?

My grateful thanks for any information received

[BeechmereLake]

Find it hard to understand how the drag knob can carry on turning and the clutch adjusts itself, I would of thought a part is missing from the drag set up somewhere. Have you also checked all 4 of the little lugs are inside the hole of your drag knob, I have seen these missing before giving the same sort of problem.
The picture below shows the 4 pickups which turn the drag to get its setting

[TemeLAD]

BL - thank you for the photograph and notes. My drag setting wheel has the four lugs intact but getting it off was a challenge as the retaining screw had been screwed back on slightly off centre at some point in its life - fortunately it hadn't damaged the thread and went back together straight and true after a bit of fiddling. I also cleaned and removed loads of gunk from inside the wheel which along with the misaligned trained screw had prevented the circular spring load thingy from engaging properly with the inner teeth (hence the weird action when tightening and slackening the drag). It all works as it should now and peace has returned to my man cave.

Your knowledge of these wonderful little reels saved me from unnecessarily stripping down the drag mechanism and for that I am eternally grateful. So once again to you Sir! and thank you.

Cheers Les

[BeechmereLake]

Your welcome temeLAD, anytime, glad I could help out.
Just another quick note about the drag knobs, IF they are yellow and off colour pop them in some diluted bleach in a tablet container or something similar which has a lid on in case you have kids, couple days it will come out looking brand new

[TemeLAD]

Ooh! I will give that a go. I stopped at a mild detergent, worried that anything stronger would take the numbers off!