Servicing a Lewmar 16 ST winch

[wicked]

I badly need to service a pair of Lewmar 16 Self Tailing winches fitted on my coach roof.

I'm assuming I need to unbolt them from underneath in order to get them apart as I can't see any other obvious way of doing it. Can anyone please confirm that this is indeed the case before I take down the headlining to get at the bolts.

Thanks, Dave

 

[Salty John]

No, you don't need to remove winches from the deck to service them. On self tailers you first remove the winch top (four screws), then pull out the retaining collets (wierd shaped flat metal plates under the stripping arm) and from then on the dissassembly procedure should be self evident. Suggest you get a set of instructions if you can. Watch out for springs and pawls that fly off and dissappear down your cockpit drains or over the side. Good luck!

 

[oldsaltoz]

Never had to remove the mounting bolts to service a winch, all are serviced by removing the drum (at least all the ones I have serviced) look in the centre of the drum on top, you will find a fixing screw/bolt in the centre, undo that and place a towel outboard to trap any bits that might fall out when lifting the drum.

 

[Talbot]

PBO did an article on serviceing winches not that long ago, and the explanation was based on the Lewmar system.

 

[tugboat]

Go to www.lewmar.com and you can view/download the service instructions complete with pictures.

 

[snowleopard]

Lewmar have used a variety of systems for holding winches together. On older non-self tailers there was a circlip around the handle socket. Some have a screw at the bottom of the socket. The only type I've seen on self-tailers is a large chrome cap that screws around the socket and has two notches that you can grip with a pair of crossed screwdrivers. I haven't dealt with smaller self-tailers.

The mounting screws are concealed under the drum so you have to remove the drum before you can get at the base.

 

[ROCKETSHIP_11]

Useful tip, get a cardboard box and cut a winch sized hole in the end, put over winch and strip winch into the box, transfer parts into a bucket for cleaning, I use petrol and a toothbrush to remove old grease, use teflon grease, and strip one winch at a time to avoid mixing parts up between the winches,good luck.

 

[starboard]

If its the same as my Lewmar ST16 first you take off the selftailing head. This unscrews anticlockwise, you have to give the rope lead guide a belt with a rubber mallet or block of wood and lump hammer. Once unscrewed the winch barrel just pulls up and off then the rest of the workings are self expanetary. The lewmar wib site will reveal all.

Good luck

Paul.

 

[xDinox]

[ QUOTE ]
I use petrol and a toothbrush to remove old grease

[/ QUOTE ] Please don't use petrol it's very dangerous, paraffin (Kerosene) is much safer, and doesn't cost as much!

The old toothbrush is a great idea tho', SWMBO thinks I'm very odd 'cause I never let her throw ours away.

 

[wicked]

Thanks - there are no visible screws or circlips etc. so I guess I probably do have the type where you unscrew the self tailing head.

Thanks everyone for the advice.

Dave

 

[sailorman]

some older lewmars required removal.
i used to have 2 of them that had to be completely removed /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[Ships_Cat]

The 16ST's, assuming the Ocean series, have (as Snowleopard has said) a retaining piece on the top of the winch. It is the metal ring piece that encircles the socket that the handle stub fits into and you will see that it has two indentations in it which allows use of a tool to rotate it anticlockwise (you will see that the the indentations are shaped so that you cannot use them to tighten it as it should only be done up finger tight).

If you unscrew that piece everything else of the winch just lifts off the base piece by piece, and do it piece by piece by unscrewing the screws (3 from memory for the 16ST) you will come across when you get to the plastic crown assembly after removing the metal stripper arm.

Is all straightforward from there. I use ordinary HP grease sparingly applied with a brush to the gears, bearings, etc and just oil on the ratchet bits.

If the winch has not been maintained for a while the metal piece that you unscrew at the top is often difficult to undo. If so, to avoid scratches etc from metal tools, I find that a small block of hard plastic which fits into one of the recesses hammered will usually release it and get it turning.

On the Lewmar site you will find a very detailed booklet for download describing the dissassembly and maintenance procedure with diagrams. It is very easy and the many comments people make about springs flying everywhere, etc are alarmist, I have never found a need to use boxes etc around the winch, which is anyway a bit impossible for winches on masts, for example - just watch the pawls when you remove them that you put a finger over their little springs, if you download the Lewmar booklet you will see exactly when you will get to them and how they are retained.

Don't remember exactly the insides of the 16ST's but most have plastic spacers around the central vertical shaft - if there is more than one, remember the order, they are not always the same height. From memory the bearings are same size top and bottom so mixing is not a problem. But, easy to just lay those things out in order as disassembled. Everything else should just only fit in its proper home so if doesn't fit you are putting it in the wrong place.

John

 

[jamesa]

Depends on the age of the winch - I have a 16ST for reefing, circa 1979, which needs to be taken off the deck for a full service. Best thing is to ring lewmar who will (a) help you identify what vintage it is and (b) send you the correct servicing diagrams