Winch service grease and or oil

[MJWB]

For winch servicing I've heard mixed views on what to use for lubricating the pawls and springs. Some say grease is fine. Some say no grease on pawls, use oil. Any thoughts? And if so what oil?
Many thanks.

 

[vyv_cox]

Grease on bearings, oil on pawls. It seems fairly unlikely that grease could prevent pawls and springs from operating correctly but it is possible.

 

[Stemar]

It seems fairly unlikely that grease could prevent pawls and springs from operating correctly

You didn't see the grease on my winches the first time I serviced them. Plenty of grease, but it had set hard, so the ratchets barely worked. I cleaned everything up and lubricated them with 3 in 1 oil. No more problems.

 

[jac]

No grease on the springs a touch of any light oil instead. Gears should have a VERY LIGHT smear of grease. you use so little it barely shows. I bought Lewmar winch grease - it's more expensive than cheaper ones but it's one area when scrimping to save £10 over 5 years seems silly.

Pawls shouldn't ever be greased - it can make them less likely to spring into position so some light oil ( 3 in 1 for me)

Lewmar have an official you tube guide that walks through it

- See how little he applies.

 

[penfold]

Harken charge a fortune for a thimbleful of some thin oil to go on ratchet pawls; I use Muc-Off wet chain oil, as it does the same job for perhaps a tenth of the price and being intended to resist wash out seems appropriate. Bearings can be greased with near on any grease as long as it's fresh.

 

[Close hauled]

I agreee - grease in gears and oil on pawls. Maybe I’m a sucker but I’ve always used Lemar or Harken products which are expensive but as you only use a tiny bit last for years and years and years. Only problem is remembering where you’ve put them.

 

[V1701]

If it was me I'd use ACF50 because I have it in stock, very light, about the best penetrant I've ever come across, used as rust protection on aircraft originally, a lot of bikers now use it. I also "paint" boat engines with it. You don't want to get it on brake discs it's as slippy as...

Edit - I would add that if you do it regularly I don't think you need get hung up on what you use, i.e. no real need to buy expensive Harken snake oil...

 

[johnalison]

We had a demo from a Lewmar agent, along with a take-apart and reassemble race that I nearly won. We were give little freebie kits that included a brush to apply the grease with, and that is what I have used since. As said, you use very little. It is so little bother to use light oil on the pawls that I can’t see why anyone would want to pass on this. I dare say that pawl failure is rare but it could be very unpleasant if not disastrous.

 

[graham]

I have had to strip down winches where the pawls were jammed open by old hardened grease so its a drop or two of light machine oil for those.

Problem is you are unaware of the problem until the last pawl doesnt engage and the handle wizzes around and breaks bones in your wrist or hand.

 

[Biggles Wader]

I have a little tube of oil, I think it is sewing machine oil, which I use to splash a tiny amount on the moving parts every few months. Otherwise I leave them well alone. Has worked for me so far.

 

[Beelzebub]

We were racing in Cork week a few years ago when the pawls in one of our sheet winches jammed open, causing the winch to backspin under load.

Not having time to perform a full service before rounding the next mark, we whipped off the drum and poured whisky onto the offending parts. Although it was a sad misuse of whisky, the winch worked OK for the rest of the race.

 

[Cardinal]

Less of a waste if it had been whiskey!

 

[Beelzebub]

Less of a waste if it had been whiskey!

Indeed, though we only had Scotch! The boats near us couldn't believe what they were seeing, whisky into a winch

 

[Bobc]

I use silicone spray on the pawls

 

[PabloPicasso]

I use silicone spray on the pawls

I have a toothpaste sized tube of harken winch grease. Bought 17years ago and still plenty left.

I'm not sure why I'd consider using a different lubricant given, as others have said, we use such a small amount.

 

[Stemar]

If you've got it, by all means use it, but I don't see a need for anything special. ISTM that, as with most things, the important thing is to do regular maintenance, not wait until things stop working, which is potentially both expensive and dangerous.

 

[Close hauled]

And always remember ‘efficiency will soon decrease,if you forget the oil and grease’

 

[MJWB]

Okay thanks all. Opened mine up and judging by the color it appeared they had been greased with Blakes seacock grease. Green stuff. All done now with light amount of marine trailer grease and 3 in 1 on the pawls. Thanks all for advice and anecdotes

 

[KevinV]

Okay thanks all. Opened mine up and judging by the color it appeared they had been greased with Blakes seacock grease. Green stuff. All done now with light amount of marine trailer grease and 3 in 1 on the pawls. Thanks all for advice and anecdotes

I did mine for the first time (on new to me boat) - they appeared to been greased with bitumen

 

[Refueler]

Would not use Silicon spray ... attracts crap.

Light oil as said ... nothing more.