I have a pair of 6500 C4's that I bought for the high-speed gear ratio (over 6:1) to help guys that fish with me to recover line a little faster between deployments of backtrolling gear, or during the heat of battle when a hot king is charging the boat.

The problem with this reel is the hi-speed ratio results in excessive loss of torque. There is a HUGE difference between a C3 and a C4... a lot of guys simply can't get enough leverage by just spinning their wrist on the C4. Does ABU Garcia make a bigger crank that fits on the crankshaft of this reel? I would even use one that isn't double-paddled.

Try the Antique Angler in Puyallup, he has a big stock of different handles and probably coud find out if they make a variety of sizes for the C4. probably find a custom one to fit.

http://www.gatorgrip.com/replacement-reel-handles-originals.html

try this...hope it helps

FNP - Try this link to Hattaras Outfitters.

http://www.hatterasoutfitters.com/index1.html

In their "reel candy" section they have power handles for your reels listed. They sell a lot of
"tweaked" ABU reels and parts for the do it yourselfers.

I,ve got one on my C3 that I use in the salt. Its a single handle crank with a small counter weight on the opposite side. Bought it at Johns Sporting Goods In Everett, pretty sure it was less than $10........

My advice is to replace the entire reel! Ive had nothing but problems with Abu's the past few years so I finaly spent the money and switched over to Shimano.

Just remember that handles are sized to what the reel can take as far as stress and torque goes, kind of like why 1/4" wrenches have a shorter handle than 3/4".

Garcia's advise is good.
A friend of mine replaced the handles on some of his 5500Cs with a bigger single paddle handle to get better canking leverage. He got the handles though John's in Everett.
Ever since, those ambassadors have given him trouble. Even a couple of stripped gears, and numerous visits to the reel repair shop. (He also has these reels loaded with 30lb braid which probably also contributes to the seemingly excessive wear on these particular reels.)
And of course the 5500 C3's have the 5.3:1 ratio.
I believe those same handles on a 6+:1 ratio C4 reel would cause you even more problems than what my buddy has delt with so far.

J.D.

Don't fight........switch!!!!!!

Have to agree with the person that said "just replace the reel with a Shimano". Have caught a "few" kings over the years.......never had ANY trouble with my Shimano Curado's. I have used the 201B and the 201BSF for "many years. Curado's cast great, low maintance, and have a awesome drag system.


"Worse day sport fishing, still better than the best day working"

BTW, my C3 is a 6500 not the smaller 5500, it has caught its share of big kings as well as some small tuna and roosterfish in Cabo, no problemo. Its going to the Keys with me in 5 days, see if I can get it into a snapper or Kingfish.......

The 6 to 1 ratio C-4's have reinforced gearing. They'll be fine. The surf casters on the east coast cast long distances using a lot of weight using heavy lines for some big fish. No Curado's for that crowd as there's too many plastic parts that break.

you could always gear the reel down to 5.3:1, the gearset is about 20 bucks. you could also buy a single power handle(like the ones on the 7000, and a few 6500s like the trophy series) from abu.

people who knock the C series must never take care of them. it's all i use, never have a problem with them

Good assumption but incorrect. I do take very good care of my fishing equipment. The problem I've been having with the Abu's seems to be with the later production reels, the older reels with the black spools seem to be ok. The reels I have bought in the past 2-3 yrs with the silver spools are the ones giving me the problems. I have rebuilt them and they are still giving me problems after one outing, so now any new reel I buy is a Shimano!

check with John's Sporting Goods in Everett he has reel parts