Autohelm belt slipping

[muckypup]

Harlequin comes equipped with an autohelm (either 3000 or 4000 I can't remember, but the control unit does not have a display) autopilot. It's the one powered from a motor with a drive belt around a wheel clamped to the back of the helm.

problem is that the wheel is as smooth as a babys bum and the belt slips rendering the autopilot useless.

Does anyone know of a product I could maybe paint on or stick on to make the wheel much more grippy?

Steve

 

[boatbuilder]

Get another belt and glue it teeth out on the drum on the wheel. No more slippage.

 

[ColinHuggins]

PM me, I may have a spare wheel somewhere . . .

CJH

 

[muckypup]

I actually have a spare belt... Thats not a bad idea apart from to disengage the autopilot I would have to unpin and take the motor off the wall....

Steve

 

[muckypup]

Is it like this one?

Steve

 

[boatbuilder]

Just slide it off the main wheel when you release the tension from the motor.

 

[muckypup]

I shall have to have a play around with it this weekend!

Steve

 

[homa]

I have the 4000 and had exactly this problem.
I looked at the belt it appeared OK
But I bought and fitted a brand new belt after recommendation from the dealer and it works great now.
The belt was only a few punds from the local swindlery.

 

[cliff]

[ QUOTE ]
Does anyone know of a product I could maybe paint on or stick on to make the wheel much more grippy?

[/ QUOTE ]Rosin or power transmission belt dressing compound/spray.
--------------------

"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
sailroom <span style="color:red">The place to auction your previously loved boatie bits</span>

 

[steve_cronin]

Bodges are just temporary..

... You can obtain from Autohelm a new drum and this will be a permanent cure.

Sounds as if the previous owner either didn't tighten the lever sufficiently and/or, (most likely) just slackened the belt when steering manually instead of doing the recommended, slipping it off the drum altogether.


Coatings and glueing bits of belt on will result in either flakes of residue all over the decks as any coating wears off or the belt snapping when the end of the glued on bit comes adrift. false economy. If you buy a new drum now and treat it properly as above, it will outlast you!

Steve Cronin

 

[muckypup]

Re: Bodges are just temporary..

There isn't a lever to tighten. The only pressure placed is via the weight of the motor it'self!

S.

 

[steve_cronin]

Re: Bodges are just temporary..

There must be something.

I need to know which model you have.

Is the motor unit removeable but otherwise mounted on a bulkhead away from the wheel with the belt, a longish one open to view? If so, this is a 3000 and it is mounted on an eccentric hub through which a chrome plated pin is pushed to hold the motor but around which is a "banjo" which is rotated by a lever to tension the belt due to the eccentric design.
It looks like this:-

If the whole of the drive unit, including the motor, is mounted on the wheel, then this is a 4000. 4000s are usually coloured grey. The 4000+ looks like this:-

This one has a lever under ther motor unit which can just be seen.

take a look at thie:- ST4000+

If your autopilot is just relying upon the weight of the motor to provide grip then it is small wonder that the drum is worn out.

Steve Cronin

 

[Danny]

Re: Bodges are just temporary..

The older ST4000's have a black control head and drive assembly but are otherwise similar to the ST4000+. The old and new heads and drive assemblies are interchangeable.

 

[muckypup]

Re: Bodges are just temporary..

Here is a pic of the unit...

No pic of the motor though, but from memory it is the black unit similar to the one in the ST3000 above. There is a silver pin which is used to fasten it to the bracket on the wall. I can't remember any tensioning lever though...

Steve

 

[steve_cronin]

Re: Bodges are just temporary..

Well, there MUST be one otherwise it can never function properly. That bracket to the left of the Dri-Plug looks like an alternative mounting point to me.

THIS is what it should look like, look at the little lever in the blow-up circle:-

Does the hub through which your silver pin goes have a serrated edge to it, teeth? If so, then the lever to which I am referring is missing on your unit. It is a ring with internal teeth which interlock onto those on the hub and it has the lever shown in the circle to allow you to rotate the eccentric hub so as to tension the belt.

Steve Cronin

 

[muckypup]

Re: Bodges are just temporary..

thats the only mounting point for the motor! Maybe thats why I can't get it to work correctly....

S.