Need help customizing an Abu 5600c4 for swimbaits

[Cbump]

I want to try my hand at customizing a reel for the first time. Bought a 5600c4 today for $50 and thinking if could be a cool swimbait reel. I’m thinking new spool, handle/knobs, drag, etc. but I literally have no idea where to start. Any suggestions would be great. 

[Deleted account]

Someone check on Bulldog, his life alert battery may have died...

[Cbump]

He’s been messaging me some directly lol

[bulldog1935]

I set this up to fish 1/2 oz, but it casts 3 g to an ounce 100% backlash proof, and without making an adjustment. 

Also my best skipping combo. 

 

 

my life alert battery was knocking out metabolism miles on the greenway system. 

At 65-y-o, I'm still the guy to beat in Sunday morning sprints. 

[Cbump]

I ordered this

 

https://gomexus.com/products/carbon-baitcasting-reel-handle-carbon-knob-lc75-fa38?_pos=18&_sid=0940d68e0&_ss=r
 

Then I thought I’d take the reel apart and see how It looks. Never taken one apart lol. May never get It back together lol. 
 

Here’s some pictures. Let me know what I’m looking at please. Where are the brakes and where would spool bearings go?
 

pic 1, what’s the silver thing with springs? That idler gear is one of the parts I’m going to replace but I couldn’t figure out how to remove It for now. 

 

pic 2, I don’t know what any of this is but doesn’t look like anything I need to upgrade??

 

pic 3, these came out when I took the star drag off. Do they go a certain way when I put them back in? They have a slight curve to them.

 

pic 3, gears? They well stay as is. I like 6.3:1. I was going to ask where the drag washers are but bulldog sent me a photo and I figured that out. I will be upgrading those. 
 

 

pic 4, spool, worm gear, and pawl will be upgraded. Also the spur gear, although I couldn’t figure out how to remove anything off the spool for now. 

 

 

pic 5, other side of the spool. Is that the brakes?

 

Where would spool bearings go in all this? 

[Cbump]

Btw, I’m $240 in and still need a spool and spool bearings. Definitely not economical if anyone was thinking about doing the same thing. 

[bulldog1935]

8 hours ago, Cbump said:

these came out when I took the star drag off. Do they go a certain way when I put them back in? They have a slight curve to them.

they go back in shaped like a football, to give you max drag load

[redmeansdistortion]

7 hours ago, Cbump said:

Btw, I’m $240 in and still need a spool and spool bearings. Definitely not economical if anyone was thinking about doing the same thing. 

Look for a spool from a modern 5500 C3 or 5600 C4, they are considerably lighter than the spools of their brothers made years back.  Abu calls them an anti-distortion spool.  They also have a little more line capacity.  They come up on eBay often for $25 or less.  While you're at it, look for a line guide from the same reel, those too are much lighter than the old ones and can be found cheap on eBay.  This is a 5500 I built for salmon fishing.