Hoping for some guidance from some of the reel repair guys.

I have an Abu Garcia 5600 PLUS that was given me by a neighbor to clean up and spool to see if worked and fishable. Took it apart, cleaned and lubed as much as I could, spooled with some original Stren mono and took it to a local point and threw it a few times.

This reel has a flippin switch, very poorly placed, sliding magnetic brake adjustment and a cast control knob. Hidden on the plate side is a small door that has another adjustment dial under it that is calibrated for something??

I would like to change the handle to something more comfortable, the stock handle is very short and very small knobs.  The reel also has a slight grind even after cleaning and lubing.  How is best to attack this?

It is a cool looking reel, that I think with a nice tune up, may be something to be proud of.  My dad is a "hot rod driver".  Builds from the ground up, repairs and tunes himself and drives.  "Boy, I am a driver, not a hot-rod-looker-atter".  I figure if I can tune this up nicely, I can be a Fisher, not a "Really cool-Reel-Looker-Atter".

As always, thank you very much Gentlemen.  Twitch

Just another Garcia round reel (circa 84) that they tried to make into something they weren't supposed to be. Biggest piece of junk I ever worked on from them (next to the XLT's)...

I would like to change the handle to something more comfortable, the stock handle is very short and very small knobs.

You would have to have a stock of the other grips Garcia came out with, and try fitting each to see what you like, but those are probably all you will find..

The reel also has a slight grind even after cleaning and lubing.  How is best to attack this?

When you re-assembled the palming side of the reel. I'll be it is the mag plate that is rubbing on the spool edges.

The small dial fine tunes the mags.

This whole assembly when we serviced them back is the days (early 90's) was a giant nightmare..

That whole assemble is best setup by the factory.

IMPO I would contact Pure Fishing and see if they can service the reel and set it back up to factory settings...

Good Luck & Tight Lines!!!  

Would you suggest just clean it up cosmetically and shelve it? It is not like it has any sentimental value, thought would be a good project.  Also got a Silver Round 5000 and 2 5600C Red Round reels in the same box that seem alot nicer and definately more sturdy.  I will then probably put more time and money into those, they seem much more fishable.

Thank you for your input, these are my first "fixer-uppers" and all of the help I can get is appreciated.

Twitch

Twitch,

I would put the effort in the red and silver reels before that plastic black thing...

We had sent a couple to Garcia® back in the 90's to have that braking system re-set and they never really worked worth a darn. The duel centrificale block systems (of old) and a good educated thumb for the round reels was always the most reliable braking system I know of...

Good Luck & Tight Lines!!!