Putting balls back!

[Kurrawong_Kid]

An imprudent in mast furl of the mainsail allowed the car on the boom track to whack the end stop too hard. A little later the helmsman asked "what's this ball i've just found in my sandal?"! A search of the cockpit produced 17 of the little blighters. "We'll put them back later".
Then it dawned-How! If we draw the slide off the track then all the remaining balls will drop out even if we turn the boom upside down. The only way we could think of doing the job would be to get a short length of track, put it against the main track, having removed the end, and push the car on to it. But there is still the question of how we put the balls into the car. They appear to go round in a circle within the car. Any ideas?

 

[Stork_III]

An imprudent in mast furl of the mainsail allowed the car on the boom track to whack the end stop too hard. A little later the helmsman asked "what's this ball i've just found in my sandal?"! A search of the cockpit produced 17 of the little blighters. "We'll put them back later".
Then it dawned-How! If we draw the slide off the track then all the remaining balls will drop out even if we turn the boom upside down. The only way we could think of doing the job would be to get a short length of track, put it against the main track, having removed the end, and push the car on to it. But there is still the question of how we put the balls into the car. They appear to go round in a circle within the car. Any ideas?

Does the car have removeable ends, like my Lewmar genoa cars? If so, remove one end with car in situ, feed balls in up to end. Use shaving foam in end track to "stick" last few balls on to end, replace end. If not removal end, no idea. Good Luck.

 

[Kurrawong_Kid]

Does the car have removeable ends, like my Lewmar genoa cars? If so, remove one end with car in situ, feed balls in up to end. Use shaving foam in end track to "stick" last few balls on to end, replace end. If not removal end, no idea. Good Luck.

Thanks! It's a Selden Car. Cannot find any info on their website.

 

[sailorman]

Thanks! It's a Selden Car. Cannot find any info on their website.

there are plastic end cover plates either end of your car held in place with 2 allen bolts. guess how i know

 

[nimbusgb]

Vaseline sticks the balls in place and ends up as a decent lubricant

 

[charles_reed]

Does the car have removeable ends, like my Lewmar genoa cars? If so, remove one end with car in situ, feed balls in up to end. Use shaving foam in end track to "stick" last few balls on to end, replace end. If not removal end, no idea. Good Luck.

Lewmar provide short sections of track, on which to preload the balls. I would suggest that Sélden could provide the same.

Unfortunately, if some balls have escaped the damage will probably need more extensive repair than merely putting the balls back into the track.

One or both of the end-stops will be removable, probably you'll have to take the main fixing out. I'd suggest a careful survey of the track-ends and a call to Sélden to obtain any replacements you need.

 

[john_morris_uk]

Lewmar provide short sections of track, on which to preload the balls. I would suggest that Sélden could provide the same.

Unfortunately, if some balls have escaped the damage will probably need more extensive repair than merely putting the balls back into the track.

One or both of the end-stops will be removable, probably you'll have to take the main fixing out. I'd suggest a careful survey of the track-ends and a call to Sélden to obtain any replacements you need.

That sort of sums it up. When I was last fitting track with cars which had ball bearing in them in the way you describe, the car came with a 'loader' which you used to feed the ball bearings in with.

 

[clyst]

I'v done this . You definately need a short of exactly the same frofile track . Save all the balls you can find because they are eye watering expensive !! (I paid £24 for the few balls I lost)
DONT use vasoline or any other grease use shaving foam . Sounds silly be thats the advice I had from a rigger . It worked and dissolved away with a drop of water and the dried balls were free to "glide".
PM me if you want any further advice .

Cheers

Terry

 

[fergie_mac66]

if the balls are not metal dont use vaseline!

 

[Kurrawong_Kid]

Thanks to all for suggestions. I think a new end stop is required. Track seems OK. Not sure how many balls needed;saved 17 and quite a lot still in slide.