Gibb 28 winch two speed but not self tailing - advice please

[Burnham Bob]

I have a pair of these as supplementary sheet winches. I used to have single speed Gibbs on the old boat and they were really quite simple. One of them has become stiff so I'd like to remedy that although they rarely get used. They have a screw in the middle of the handle slot and IIRC correctly, on the old single speed winches the barrel just pulled off.

Anyone got any advice about the two speed version. The old ones revolved around a simple spindle and it was there that they got stiff. I'm horribly tempted not to take the stiff winch apart whilst afloat, just remove the screw and pour boiling water down the hole to see if that shifts anything. What do you think my chances of success are?

Or would I be better using red diesel as a flushing agnet on the basis that it acts a penetrating oil?

 

[ghostlymoron]

I had some Gibb two speeders but they were self tailing. The barrel was removed by pulling out a circlip but yours sound different, more like lewmar with a central screw. They certainly need dismantling and the fact that you don't know how to do it leads me to think that the haven't been serviced for years. Strip them down clean all parts with paraffin and lightly grease except the pawls which need a few drops of machine oil. If you're worried about losing bits overboard, cut a circle out of the bottom of a cardboard box and place it over before you start.
You could try flushing with hot water but I don't think it will work. Flushing with diesel would make an awful mess and not likely to help.

 

[Burnham Bob]

thanks ghostlymoron. as for losing the bits I normally tape an old dinghy sail to the guard rail but as i hardly use the winch and its still serviceable with a handle I think i'll try the hot water and wait until the boat is in a marina on a calm day to get the bits off. i just thought of diesel as a lubricant and penetrant and a thimbleful down the handle recess with the screw removed wouldn't be too messy!

it would still help if anyone has an exploded diagram of the winch though. the old single speed was very, very simple, but the two speed will be more susceptible to bits flying off. my amtal and arco winches have circlips and the barrel just lifts off. my experience with the old gibb winch with a screw in the handle recess was that I had to remove it to get it apart as the stiffness was caused by the barrel binding on the central shaft and it needed a drift to remove it which is hardly conducive to stopping springs and pawls flying off.

 

[ghostlymoron]

Yes best done in calm conditions. Re diesel, I had visions of you pouring a bucketful over it!

 

[Sailingsaves]

thanks ghostlymoron. as for losing the bits I normally tape an old dinghy sail to the guard rail but as i hardly use the winch and its still serviceable with a handle I think i'll try the hot water and wait until the boat is in a marina on a calm day to get the bits off. i just thought of diesel as a lubricant and penetrant and a thimbleful down the handle recess with the screw removed wouldn't be too messy!

it would still help if anyone has an exploded diagram of the winch though. the old single speed was very, very simple, but the two speed will be more susceptible to bits flying off. my amtal and arco winches have circlips and the barrel just lifts off. my experience with the old gibb winch with a screw in the handle recess was that I had to remove it to get it apart as the stiffness was caused by the barrel binding on the central shaft and it needed a drift to remove it which is hardly conducive to stopping springs and pawls flying off.

EDIT - hold the front page. If yours are like this, then the forum has done it again - photos !

http://www.yachtrhumbdo.co.uk/genoa_winch.htm



I recently serviced 2 old Gibb 2 speed winches.

Are yours the huge buggers? About 1 foot diameter at base?

If so, it was simply take centre screw out and the washer, then the bit the winch handle sits in (I think there were 2 pawls there, so be careful not to drop), then a plastic 'washer' to stop water ingress.

Then the whole (heavy) drum lifts off and nothing else to drop. The drum contains 2 bushes that rub on the central phosphor bronze spindle. Actually, maybe lifting the whole drum without lifting centre piece out may hold all pawls etc in place.

In my case the bearings and spindle had worn so drum was too loose and wobbled upon shaft.

Dribbling some plus gas, or other lube as you suggest may help, but they are very easy to work on.

I can photograph the actual winch in detail in parts if you like, but it is not with me and may take a week to obtain photos.

Meanwhile, this thread starts with a photo very much (if not identical) to the winches I worked on. The pdf is not of the winches I serviced though.

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?242027-Gibb-Winches-help-needed!

 

[Burnham Bob]

thanks for the links - one looks identical to mine