More reel Help: ambassadeur 5600AB

My reel went in the drink last weekend so first time I took it apart to wash it out.  Only took the side plates and spool off.  now when I put back together, thumb bar does not disengage the spool (free floating, does nothing). 

I took it apart again and looks like the thumb bar lever/pin (guy that sticks into the side plate and engages the bridge) is so short that it hardly makes it inside the side plate and cannot engage the bridge mechanism. 

Did i loose something when i took it apart?  i checked the schematic at mike's reels but little detail in that area.  Is is possible to remove the thumb bar?

oh, this one is easy!  see the pin that moves with the thumb bar?  it's pressed in quite a ways and barely sticks out.  it was probably pressed in when you put the right side plate on.  you need to grab the pin with a pair of needle nose pliers and pull it out just a little.  then it should work just fine.  alan

I use to have that reel, rememeber Alan,     and at least once a year the thumb bar would get stuck in freespool. Turning the handle wouldn't engage it. This also happens to my 6600c5. For some reason, the Abus with the thumbars always get stuck...eventually.

all right, got it.  finally managed to get a grip on the thumb bar pin with some miniature vice grips.  works like a charm now, thanks Alan!

anytime!