Greasing Furlex - is it me?

[voicilesrosbifs]

Old Furlex B MkII self-furling gear. Thought a spot of grease would do the bearings good, so bought the proper stuff from the folks at Atlantic Spars and looked up the manual. This shows the greasing points, which are in truth easily marked on the upper and lower swivels. But how the heck do you get the grease in there? The grease tube has a nozzle too wide to go into the tiny greasing holes, and anyway there seems to be an inside flange in the way. There's no mention of having to dismantle or line anything up, so I'm stumped. Any ideas out there?

 

[Woodlouse]

Just guessing but your not supposed to screw a grease nipple into the holes are you?

 

[status]

Old Furlex B MkII self-furling gear. Thought a spot of grease would do the bearings good, so bought the proper stuff from the folks at Atlantic Spars and looked up the manual. This shows the greasing points, which are in truth easily marked on the upper and lower swivels. But how the heck do you get the grease in there? The grease tube has a nozzle too wide to go into the tiny greasing holes, and anyway there seems to be an inside flange in the way. There's no mention of having to dismantle or line anything up, so I'm stumped. Any ideas out there?

I have the same Furlex, getting on a bit, stripped and rebuilt last year and as good as new now, seems well built! Greasing, I have a tube of Furlex grease, the nozzle of which is about an inch long and the tip just wedges in the cut out in the bearings (would not realy call it a hole). I give one squeeze untill greese just about squwooges (?) out either side of the nozzle then roll the bearings a lot to distribute followed by wiping any grease on the out side.

The bearings do not need to be packed, just enough to ease the balls rubbing against each other.

Could you sharpen the nozzle on your tube of grease or possibly resort to a large syringe?

Stuart

 

[stav]

Must do mine actually.....But I do seem to recall putting the grease in a large sized syringe that I had bought as a pack of two for measuring out epoxy.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

I do the same as the post from Status except I just squeeze a big amount into the hole and then spin the swivels until they sound lubricated. It makes a huge difference. I dont wait until I see excess squeezing out the other side.

 

[Sy-Revolution]

I use a largish syringe, pence from a chemists. Squeeze the grease into it with a teaspoon and you're away.

C.

 

[Jeff Eatough]

Greasing Furlex - is it me ?

I have been trying to do what you are trying. Yesterday found out why I can't. The bottom "swivel" comes in two forms. One with a bearing and you can get grease in. The other does not have a bearing but the case fits over a rubber bush and does not swivel. I luckily had next to mine a Furlex swivel fitted with a bearing and so could compare the two. The part numbers on the casings are the same numbers but one with a bearing the other solid rubber bush. If you think about it, why does the bottom one need to swivel? The furler drum/ foil turns on an internal bearing so why does the unit holding the sail need to be able to swivel.
Take a small screwdriver and push it in where it says grease and you will feel the rubber resistance. I scraped some out to be certain. With the other Furlex you could seee the balls of the bearing.