Grinding Simpson Lawrence anchor winch

DavidJ

DavidJ

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home in Brum. S37 sold, was in Med Spain.
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Lovely day in a bay (in Spain) and came to bring up the anchor with my Simpson Lawrence winch (2002 Sealine S37 ) and all I got was a grinding noise. Sounded like stripped gears going over each other. Hand pulled up the chainand it fed through the windlass with no noise and of course with no load. Winching down works perfectly.
I am a competent mechanic but what am I likely to find when I strip down the unit. Are spares still available?
Is there some sort of clutch arrangement.....maybe it just needs tightening up??.....if only!!
Any tips on strip down, links to schematics etc
Cheers
David
 
have you checked the clutch mechanism - it's there to minimise the chances of stripping the gears/burning out the motor. it could just have come loose/corroded a bit. if you undo the 8 pointed star where a winch handle should fit, on the top, you can take the winch drum/ chain wheel/gypsy off and have a look at the cone clutch - its just two tapered metal faces normally pressing against each other. a good clean with wire wool/wet & dry/emery cloth and tighten it up again might do the trick.

p.s. you did well pulling the chain/anchor back up - that must have been hard work
 
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kashurst said:
have you checked the clutch mechanism - it's there to minimise the chances of stripping the gears/burning out the motor. it could just have come loose/corroded a bit. if you undo the 8 pointed star where a winch handle should fit, on the top, you can take the winch drum/ chain wheel/gypsy off and have a look at the cone clutch - its just two tapered metal faces normally pressing against each other. a good clean with wire wool/wet & dry/emery cloth and tighten it up again might do the trick.

p.s. you did well pulling the chain/anchor back up - that must have been hard work
Click to expand...

Thanks kashurst
I'll see if I can take a look tomorrow. I'm riding out a Tremontera in the wrong marina at the moment and flying home the day after so things are not working out quite as planned. Fortunately I have my 40 year old son with me on this occasion for chain pulling.

Do I just put the star spanner (that came with the boat) and gently tap anti-clockwise or does it usually take some grunt with the drum held somehow?
 
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DavidJ said:
Thanks kashurst
I'll see if I can take a look tomorrow. I'm riding out a Tremontera in the wrong marina at the moment and flying home the day after so things are not working out quite as planned. Fortunately I have my 40 year old son with me on this occasion for chain pulling.

Do I just put the star spanner (that came with the boat) and gently tap anti-clockwise or does it usually take some grunt with the drum held somehow?
Click to expand...

You might want to try just tightening it up first - it could just be the clutch is slipping.
 
+1 on its just slipping, but when they start to slip worth cleaning the salt etc out. yes you just undo it - might take more than a bit of a tap anti clockwise. Son should have no problems. When you put it back together don't go stupid tight - its there to protect the gearbox and at some point should slip
 
Can't help with whats wrong, but to answer your initial question, yes you can get spares. I had an different issue with mine a few weeks ago and took it to SL Spares in Paisley for a repair. He has the parts for the model I have (a sprint 1000). Very fast turnaround so ideal, he will ship anywhere: http://www.slspares.co.uk/
No connection, just a happy customer..
 
Thanks for help so far.
Between showers I've stripped down to the cone and cleaned up with emery paper. Put it all back together and it still whirls without pulling the chain up. ....in fact it's worse which might give a clue. It now slips so much it struggles to pull in the chain under no load.
I'm thinking a new cone (or whatever the opposite of a cone is ...cup perhaps?)
Or is there anything lower down that could slip.....shaft with shear pin?
Fly home tomorrow.
....just looked at the schematic, I'm thinking gearbox. Maybe it got worse through me trying it out.
 
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Gearbox stripped down and failed bearing was causing to much gap between gears. I will now take it home for a good cleanup and inspection but I guess that the gears grinding away haven't done them too much good. Recon or new for me. Have contacted slsspares (thanks bojangle) for quote
Thanks to all for your help.
Trim tab failed this morning......does it never end!!!
 
DavidJ said:
Gearbox stripped down and failed bearing was causing to much gap between gears. I will now take it home for a good cleanup and inspection but I guess that the gears grinding away haven't done them too much good. Recon or new for me. Have contacted slsspares (thanks bojangle) for quote
Thanks to all for your help.
Trim tab failed this morning......does it never end!!!
Click to expand...

D,

don't write it off, maybe after a good clean you see that things aren't that bad and a new bearing is all it needs!
If it only has been grinding for a couple of days, it wont have removed enough material out of the gears to scrap it...

My Lofrans tigres was in a very sorry state wouldn't drop or lift, final cost was a set of o-rings and seals (and many hours!). Hasn't missed a beat since (touch wood)

cheers

V.
 
Thanks Vas
Actually you have inspired me to rebearing it myself if the gears still look ok. I guess I was getting a bit lazy and it is something I have done in the past many times. Need to figure out how to get bush bearings out of a blind hole. YouTube here we come.
Cheers
D
 
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Just a bit of latest information after a detailed inspection. The 1st compound gear was actually broken at the shaft so very clear what the problem and cure is. I'll replace the needle roller bearings at the same time so the job will cost about £150 plus £35 to Ryanair for my overweight cabin baggage going into the hold.
 
DavidJ said:
I've ordered all my bits from John (excellent chap) at slspares and during our chat he told me that the cones need to be greased. I bet you all knew that but it was news to me.
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well done David!

yes a bit of grease is needed as IF you ever use it in loose mode to drop the chain the two sides will be slipping against one another. Same at a much lesser degree applies if/when it slips a bit when retrieving the anchor.
Make sure you fill with the right viscosity oil! Check with this chap what SL recommended. The dealer in Greece was v.specific on what oil I should use on the gearbox of my Lofrans (which I don't remember now...) Make a habit of checking and filling with oil, mine has a glass inspection thing so I can easily see if oil is missing, not sure how you inspect on a vertical winch though as box is under deck?

cheers

V.
 
vas said:
Make sure you fill with the right viscosity oil! Check with this chap what SL recommended. The dealer in Greece was v.specific on what oil I should use on the gearbox of my Lofrans (which I don't remember now...) Make a habit of checking and filling with oil, mine has a glass inspection thing so I can easily see if oil is missing, not sure how you inspect on a vertical winch though as box is under deck?

cheers

V.
Click to expand...
The vertical gearboxes are just greased up. I actually had this conversation with John and he is enclosing grease in the packaging. He said the boat trailer bearing grease that I was intending to use is too tacky.
I don't suppose there is much else to be done with a vertical setup or oil would eventually drain into the motor. I noticed with mine water has got in and the surface of the gears were quite rusty.. The bottom bearings were non too healthy either.
 
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