In-mast main tough to get out - stubborn car?

[Cardo]

So over the last 2 to 3 weeks, our in-mast main has been getting tougher and tougher to pull out. It's got to the point where I have to stick the outhaul on a winch and winch it out. It's taken a while to narrow down, but it seems the friction is coming from the car on the top of the boom. If I pull out the sail by hand, this comes out easily, and there's no snags anywhere else on the outhaul rope.

When pulling the outhaul, the sail comes out easily until it reaches the car/traveller halfway along the boom. Then it's just nigh on impossible without the winch. I've had a look at the car, and it seems to have all its bearings still, but they don't seem to move happily when I move it around.

If it makes any difference, furling the sail is as easy as it's always been, so I think it's just the slight vertical pull on the car when pulling the sail out that's causing an issue.

So, onto the query itself. I can't easily remove the car, as this would require removing the end of the boom, which is riveted on. Should I try greasing up the bearings? Is there something else I should do? Or is the car a lost cause?

 

[prv]

Personally I always like to get straight to dismantling things (ask my mum about her washing machine when I was 10 ) but an easy first step would be a couple of kettles of boiling water over it. Might wash out a load of salt crystals gumming up the works.

Pete

 

[Skysail]

I had a similar problem, it was solved by a longer shackle for the block on the car; this raised the block and made the pull more horizontal.

As Pete suggests, keeping it clean and perhaps some PTFE spray will help too.

 

[Vegable]

I have this problem too. I've found a post on the Cruisers Forum web site with the same problem and they eventually solved it themselves. The outhaul rope was getting twisted with the topping lift rope inside the boom and jamming up. I have a similar set-up so I'll be checking that the next time I'm onboard.
I don't know how to post the link to it, but if you type "in mast reefing boom car" into google that's how I found the topic. (The topics called In Mast Reefing Problem)
If you find something else is the cause, can you report it back please. At times our outhaul rope is bar tight trying to get the b thing out. If we release the boom vang then the boom gets pulled up in the air!
Mike

 

[Monique]

As above. Thoroughly clean the boom/groove.

 

[Trop Cher]

As said by others, I would try the simple things first, like washing everthing and then a spray of lube and see how that works. Solved a similar problem for me last year.

 

[pvb]

The car does need regular attention if the system is to work easily. Spray lube is a big help.