Need to service winches. If I use white spirit,should I wipe it off or air dry

[tudorsailor]

I need to service the winches. I have 7. Hopefully I can do this on a nice sunny day (in Corfu in April).
I plan to use white spirit to clean (yes I know I could use diesel, WD40, brake cleaner. kerosine, lighter fluid)
My simple question is what to do with the bits once I have de-greased them - before reassembling and re-greasing? Can I dry off with kitchen paper or do I have to use "lint free fabric"? Can I let them air dry? Does it matter what I do?
Thanks for any advice

TudorSailor

 

[Bobc]

Not sure I'd bother with all that mucking about. Just wipe the old grease off onto some kitchen roll, whack a load of new grease on, and put them back together.

 

[vyv_cox]

I doubt whether it matters in the slightest. Air drying might work in Corfu but you would wait for days for UK temperatures to evaporate white spirit. Drying off with a rag will be perfectly OK.

 

[ghostlymoron]

I clean mine with paraffin because that's what I have and leave to air dry on newspaper before greasing lightly, oiling lightly and re assembling. A toothbrush is useful for removing accumulations of grease.

 

[Pye_End]

I use paraffin plus a toothbrush to get in the gears, and wipe/leave them on some kitchen roll when moving onto the next component. Need to take a little care with the ball bearings as they tend to pop out when wiping with kitchen roll (at least they do on mine).

 

[alahol2]

I clean mine with paraffin because that's what I have and leave to air dry on newspaper before greasing lightly, oiling lightly and re assembling. A toothbrush is useful for removing accumulations of grease.

Ditto.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Just done mine the other day , , I used white spirit , in the med sun it didn't take long to dry .
As far as wacking on a load of Grease has suggested , I wouldn't unless you want it to run out all over the place as soon as it start getting hot , just smear lib amount on the shaft and bearing and oil the paws .

 

[alahol2]

...and oil the paws .

That's the best way to get it all over the deck.

(sorry Vic)

 

[sailaboutvic]

That's the best way to get it all over the deck.

(sorry Vic)

Only used an little oil on each paw but the cat manage to lick most of it off before he walked over the deck .

 

[lpdsn]

By the time you've rubbed on a thin layer of grease to the components (except the pawls of course) it probably doesn't matter.

I use variously diesel, parafin, WD40 or white spirits to clean the old grease off, depending upon what's convenient at the time.

 

[jac]

use white spirit - place on something absorbant then let air dry.

on;t whack on grease. It should bea very light coating!

 

[typhoonNige]

use white spirit - place on something absorbant then let air dry.

on;t whack on grease. It should bea very light coating!

Anything more than a light smear and, particularly in a hot climate, grease may find it's way into the pawls as happened on our Lewmar 48's. It's unnerving when your self tailing winches start going backwards!