Drilling holes in Lewmar mainsheet traveller- too close to the end?

[tudorsailor]

I have an Ocean 3 traveller for the main sheet. The track end has split from the outermost hole to the end of the track. I now have a new track to fit. It comes without holes. The bolts for the end car are 8mm. The track comes with nylon inserts and a guide. The instructions say drill 9mm holes and insert the nylon inserts, The distance between the edge of the hole and the edge of the track will be about 4mm, which seems seems rather small

Of course the original install has the SS screws screwed into the aluminium track. Consequently the screw in the broken hole is easy to get out, but the other screw is stuck! I guess one advantage of the nylon insert is avoiding SS-aluminium corrosion

Has anyone else had the end of the track split from the screw hole?
What would be the harm in siting the end car slightly further inboard?





Thanks

TudorSailor

 

[Birdseye]

The end car pulls towards the centre so the margin to the end should not matter. But you can place it further in if you want - its your boat.

 

[RupertW]

The end car pulls towards the centre so the margin to the end should not matter. But you can place it further in if you want - its your boat.

Surely if pulls towards the centre that does put the strain on the end margin?

 

[Daverw]

I’ve just change ours to the size 2 but otherwise the same fitting, the end car fastenings are I think just to hold it in location, as said it only pulls in, you of course don’t drill the new track for fitting to boat but use sliding bolts the the track?

 

[tudorsailor]

I’ve just change ours to the size 2 but otherwise the same fitting, the end car fastenings are I think just to hold it in location, as said it only pulls in, you of course don’t drill the new track for fitting to boat but use sliding bolts the the track?

Correct, I do not need to drill holes for fitting the track to the boat, but do need to drill holes to fasten the end cars

TudorSailor

 

[tudorsailor]

The end car pulls towards the centre so the margin to the end should not matter. But you can place it further in if you want - its your boat.

Yes most of the force is towards the centre, but there must be some angular force too - otherwise why would the current track have cracked from hole to the end?

Thanks

TudorSailor

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

It's not ideal, but how about ignoring the 9mm instruction, make it 8 mm, use plenty of Duralac and get a square 8mm nut to fit inside the track and help spread the load - just on the outside ones?

I'm wondering if the crack is part corrosion and part hammering from tacks and gybes - if the old holes were a loose fit? You'll probably get the full picture once you have them off.

 

[Daedelus]

Didn't have the track crack but in a particularly hairy jibe (or is that gybe?) dear crew lost it completely and traveller whacked into the end stop which fired like shrapnel inside the cockpit.

When it had all calmed down crew remarks admiringly that in all her married life she had never heard me use that particular blasphemy.

Surely this would mean you could put some strain on the end of the track, although in my case it was the end stop that gave up.

 

[rogerthebodger]

I have an Ocean 3 traveller for the main sheet. The track end has split from the outermost hole to the end of the track. I now have a new track to fit. It comes without holes. The bolts for the end car are 8mm. The track comes with nylon inserts and a guide. The instructions say drill 9mm holes and insert the nylon inserts, The distance between the edge of the hole and the edge of the track will be about 4mm, which seems seems rather small

Of course the original install has the SS screws screwed into the aluminium track. Consequently the screw in the broken hole is easy to get out, but the other screw is stuck! I guess one advantage of the nylon insert is avoiding SS-aluminium corrosion

Has anyone else had the end of the track split from the screw hole?
What would be the harm in siting the end car slightly further inboard?

View attachment 79656


Thanks

TudorSailor

This look to me like the screw missed the hole and was tightened down onto the top of the track thus pressing down on the top and cracked the track

I have the same type but may be a different size.