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[Easywater]

Last year, I got a couple of Abu 6500 C3s in a bundle with a few other reels (2 Penn 320s, a Penn 330 and the 2 Abus).
One worked reasonably well and the other wouldn't cast very well (didn't freespool properly).

I decided to try some upgrades to get a little more performance out of both reels.
One reel was older with the rounded drag adjustment and the poor working one looked brand new and had the newer pointed drag adjustment.

Here's the upgrades that I installed (in the older reel):
- ceramic main bearings
- ceramic pawl (pin that fits into the groove of the worm gear and makes the wire loop move back and forth)
- dual bearing worm gear bar
- bearing idler gear (translates handle cranks into spool turns)

In the newer reel, I just put in new stainless steel main bearings and the ceramic pawl.

I tried the fully upgraded reel last night in the park and the difference is amazing.
The reel feels much more solid and smooth when you crank it.

Casting distance is unbelievable - paced out to almost 50 paces which is near 150 feet.

Total cost for all the parts was about $80 for the 2 reels.

[purplehelmet]

I must be weird because I hate ABU.  I find Shimano way better, set-up & perfromance-wise!

[typhoon]

I made exactly the same mods to my C3 2 years ago and the performance is spectacular.
I do find myself using my Curado more often though, just because it is lighter. I can cast way further with my Abu.

[Easywater]

I must be weird because I hate ABU.  I find Shimano way better, set-up & perfromance-wise!

That's kind of why I did the upgrades to the 6500s.

I started out with a Calcutta but burned it out after 6 or 7 years and now use a Corvalus for most of my fishing.
I really prefer the free spool lever setup vs the button on the Abu and was kind of disappointed in the performance.

The original plan was to use the fully upgraded Abu for a backup reel but it is now going to be my steelhead reel since it performs so well.
The lesser upgraded Abu is now going to be my backup reel.

Just a note that A&N in Langley had some great deals on rod & reel combos.

They had a 6500 and Convergence rod for $144.
They also had deals on Shimano combos - I think the Corvalus combo was around $150 and they had another Shimano combo for $160.
I forget what rod they had in the combo - it was not the Convergence.

[BladeKid]

Just be careful to not throw off the balance of the reel, or "make a part work"... I've seen this classic move many times, with guys returning (in some cases) days later, from either needing that exact replacement part again, or needing major part replacements from having prematurely worn out other things..

[typhoon]

Just be careful to not throw off the balance of the reel, or "make a part work"... I've seen this classic move many times, with guys returning (in some cases) days later, from either needing that exact replacement part again, or needing major part replacements from having prematurely worn out other things..

Talk to Mike's Reel Repair if you are uncertain. Their upgrade kits are pretty idiot-proof.