'Quick' anchor winch gearbox oil leak

[DaveRo]

It's a Quick Antares 1000W and the gearbox oil is leaking slowly from where the motor shaft enters. Probably just an oil seal. I see no obvious way of getting more oil in on a temporary basis.

The winch still works but it's started to squeal a bit. I don't know how much oil it held or how much is left.

See the photo here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7544154@N07/5712395040/in/photostream

Anybody had a similar problem?

We're in Greece, heading for Turkey. Current plan is to get sombody to look at it in Marmaris. Recommenadtions? I got a quote in Kos for a new gearbox - €650!

Dave
http://yachtvigdis.wordpress.com/

 

[vyv_cox]

Dave,

It looks like that blue seal has failed. Very easy to replace once you have the correct size, just lever the old one out and tap in a new one. If there is no part number on the seal, measure the shaft and housing and a new one should be easy. Ask Bob on Commanche Krystal, he will probably be able to source one on the island.

Best regards, Vyv

 

[misterg]

The manual for Bonfiglioli worm drive gearboxes is on this page (about 1/2 way down):

http://www.bonfiglioli.it/vfpres_uk.html

Some are 'lifetime lubricated', some are not. Lubricant quantities & specs are given. Hopefully you can match some markings on your gearbox to the details in the manual to find out which it is. (Ignore the 'Atex' rated section).

There seems to be a filler / level plug on the output shaft face of the gearbox, but maybe this isn't fitted to 'lifetime lubricated' ones.

HTH

Andy

 

[misterg]

Dave,

It looks like that blue seal has failed. Very easy to replace once you have the correct size, just lever the old one out and tap in a new one. If there is no part number on the seal, measure the shaft and housing and a new one should be easy. Ask Bob on Commanche Krystal, he will probably be able to source one on the island.

Best regards, Vyv

I agree that's what it looks like, but just a word of caution: The cross sections in the parts list for worm gear boxes (also on the link I gave) shows the oil seal inboard of a bearing on the input shaft. Would need to know which specific gearbox it was to be sure - they do give the seal sizes though.

Andy

 

[vyv_cox]

I agree that's what it looks like, but just a word of caution: The cross sections in the parts list for worm gear boxes (also on the link I gave) shows the oil seal inboard of a bearing on the input shaft. Would need to know which specific gearbox it was to be sure - they do give the seal sizes though.

Andy

I think if you look at Dave's photo you can see quite clearly that the lip of the seal is twisted. Looks like it may never have been installed correctly.

 

[DaveRo]

Many thanks to you both.

Viv: I didn't notice that the blue thing was twisted - I think that's some trick of the camera flash. I wasn't sure whether that blue bit was itself the oil seal or whether the seal is behind it - it looked like a plastic plug to me but I'm not familiar with oil seals (at least not ones made since the Mk I Cortina).

Andy: I'd never heard of Bonfiglioni - I wonder if they're used on lots of anchor winches? If so parts might be easier to get. Thanks for finding those PDFs. I'll download them when I can connect a proper computer - I'm using a palmtop and phone here. Hopefully the parts diagram will identify the seal. Useful also having a Turkish version to show someone what I need. (Interesting that the Turkish PDF is bigger than the English one: I wonder why?)

The Quick manual doesn't specify any maintenance. There may be an oil filler on the output end (top) - I'll have to unbolt it from the clutch/drum unit to see (but not while the anchor is at the bottom of Simi harbour). I may be able to introduce oil through one of the bolt holes to keep it going.

Could be a while but I'll report back.

Dave

 

[misterg]

Dave,

Not sure if it helps, but the parts diagram for the smallest gearboxes is below:



N.B this may not be the correct one for your gearbox (it doesn't show any sort of seal on the outside of the input shaft bearing) - if you could find a part number on it, we might be able to get closer.

Bonfiglioli worm gearboxes are used on all sort of plant and equipment (we've probably got a few dozen of them at work in various sizes). The bearings and seals, however should be standard parts obtainable from bearing factors / industrial suppliers, etc. I think I would go that route rather than the 'marine' route - I would imagine that 'Quick' just deal with complete gearboxes.

Good luck

Andy

 

[DaveRo]

It has a plate:
Type VF49 F1 P71 B14

I'm pretty sure there is no oil level/filler plug

The VF parts list PDF:
diagram page 4 item 9 oilseal
which for VF49 is specified as 20x42x7
(Is that id, od, width?)

and it /is/ the blue thing I can see - there's no cover outside it.

The plan is to find someone in Marmaris to fix it. Perhaps I'll email Netsel marina.

 

[misterg]

It has a plate:
Type VF49 F1 P71 B14

From their catalogue section on decoding serial numbers:

VF = type
49 = size
F1 = version
P71 = input configuration
B14 = motor mounting option

I think the page you quote for the spares diagram is for the HS input configuration.

I'm pretty sure that the 'P71' means yours is the IEC input configuration (the alternatives are S or HS) - the spares diagram for these is on page 2 and lists the oils seal (item 8) for a '71' as 25 x 42 x 7

I would interpret that as ID x OD x width - should be possible to check ID & OD pretty accurately without removing the seal.

I concur that it's the 'blue thing'.

It's a standard size seal, so should be widely available. Give the shaft a wiggle just to make sure that the bearings haven't collapsed before you finish your shopping list.

There are techniques for removing seals like this without any dismantling, but they tend to be a bit 'agricultural'.

Worm gearboxes *really* don't like running with marginal lubrication.

The blurb in the 'VF' manual confirms that filler plugs, etc. aren't fitted to VF86 and smaller (page 28).

Let me know if you want me to post pages from the pdfs.

HTH

Andy

 

[DaveRo]

Got it fixed here in Marmaris the same afternoon that I arrived. A Marlin Yachting engineer came to the boat, took the gearbox away, and brought it back 2 hours later refilled and with a new oil seal. Not cheap (the seal was 60€!) but efficient.

BTW, as an example of relative prices, I was quoted 620€ for a new gearbox from Athens, 370€ from Istanbul.

 

[misterg]

Glad to hear it worked out. My eyes would have popped out at 6 euro for the seal, let alone 60! Getting it fixed is the main thing, though.

Andy