Harken Winches problem

[tidclacy]

Discovered to my horror that to fully service the Harken winches on my boat I have to take the whole winch off their mountings. This means taking headlining down and removing lights etc on some of them. Why o why do they not make it easier like Lewmar.

 

[Stork_III]

Discovered to my horror that to fully service the Harken winches on my boat I have to take the whole winch off their mountings. This means taking headlining down and removing lights etc on some of them. Why o why do they not make it easier like Lewmar.

re you sure, see here http://www.harken.com/Videos/Harken...5457001&bclid=590099123001&bctid=704600518001

 

[Norman_E]

I did not have to remove mine to service them. You undo a screw in the centre then remove the drum, from memory. I keep mine covered when the boat is not in use, and only have to regrease every two years.

See this http://www.harken.com/winches/Harken_servicingwinchesmikelee.php

 

[pagoda]

re you sure, see here http://www.harken.com/Videos/Harken...5457001&bclid=590099123001&bctid=704600518001

I agree, centre screw out - lift off drum - gain access to the base plus gears etc- what could be simpler- this layout was inherited from pre-Harken days?
If you've broken the drum mounting... then you might well need to go for headlining removal (!!!) but not otherwise.

Graeme

 

[alan]

Harken Winches

I am surprised! On mine you just need to remove the centre screw, lift off the whole "drum" and clean and grease ............................... I have just done eight last week!!

Alan.

Oh! Winches ...... I thought you said Wenches!!!!

 

[CET1]

All depends on how far you wish to go. lick and polish then just remove drum. Just finished doing ours found that we had one with a broken washer which could not have been replaced without total removal. It also allowed for complete clean without without making the boat dirty. The winch shown in the clips looked nearly new ours are 12 years old.

 

[tidclacy]

To remove center spindle, winch must be removed from deck.

This is from the Harken winch parts and service instructions pdf, I think you are all missing the central spindle which includes pawls etc. I have a two 16st and two 32.2 st. If you look at the videos on the net you have to take them off their mountings, its the only way to get at the central spindle or am I missing something.

http://www.harken.com/winches/winch.php

 

[tidclacy]

Still not happy with Harken

 

[Nostrodamus]

I have just serviced 8 Harken winches which are 14 yrs old but otherwise in good condition (well now they are).
The bigger winches do not have to be totally removed as all the parts can be got at. On the smaller winches you do have to totally remove them to get at and service all the parts. On my winches I saw that the previous owners had decided this was too much trouble so only half serviced them. I took them off totally and I am glad I did as the grease was old, thick and not doing anything. Now they are like new and move and sound wonderful.
The problem I have are the mast winches which are fixed to a plate. The only way I can service them completley is to remove numerous rivets between the mast and the plate so I can get at the screws and nuts holding the winch on.
Afer all this they will need to be riveted back unless there is another way!

 

[tidclacy]

Yes I suspect the newer winches have overcome this problem. What the hell Harken were thinking when this design was introduced beats me.

 

[Nostrodamus]

I agree that this does cause problems but I have aslo found Harken aftersales to be very good.
Winches are an understated work of art. They are functional and simple yet do a job in the worst enviroments for years.
Do bear in mind that if you take the winches off a bit of something in the bolt holes through the coachroof save them leaking and dont put sealent all around the bottom of them as I found on one. They have drain holes round the bottom and sealent there just keeps salt water inside.

 

[tidclacy]

Thank you Nostro will be careful with the sealant when I put them back.

 

[Adamastor]

There is an adaptor plate available from Harken which means you can remove the winches from the "outside", so to speak.
[PM me if you need more info, cos I'm "trade", so can't post all the info here, really...]

 

[Nostrodamus]

There is an adaptor plate available from Harken which means you can remove the winches from the "outside", so to speak.
[PM me if you need more info, cos I'm "trade", so can't post all the info here, really...]

Now you tell me just when I have got it all back together.
You dont happen to carry spare for Harken electric 56.2's circa 1996?
Thanks for the info and I am sur it will assist someone.

 

[DaveRo]

I remember posting a similar question here - I couldn't believe you had to take them off!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7544154@N07/3489500312

 

[tidclacy]

Yes its crazy, one good thing is that when I put mine back on I will fit proper backing plates and bigger washers than exist at present.

 

[duncan99210]

On our boat, the 2 smaller Harken winches are secured to the coach house roof by means of bolts threaded through a metal plate glassed into the moulding. This was fine except one bolt decided to shear when being removed, which meant drilling the thing out and replacing it with a nut and bolt. Thankfully, there's a removable panel in the headlining, which made the operation fairly simple.

I can see how having a mounting adaptor would make sense if there was no removable panel. Otherwise, i have no problem with the winches, which were easy to service apart from the fun and games of removing several years worth of grot - I think it was the first time they'd been serviced since being fitted.