Servicing a Quick Aleph windlass - gearbox oil query

[West Coast]

Hi - I have a Quick Aleph windlass on the boat, fitted new in 2012, lightly used, doubt its ever been serviced. No problems with it, but preventative maintenance. So decided to remove it to service it on a bench, just to keep all parts from seizing up if nothing else.

All seems fine, winch came apart easy enough. The various seals look and feel ok so do not intend to replace seals and bearings.

Question is the gearbox oil. Had wondered if I should replace it - if so, what with?

 

[Neeves]

I would have thought the Quick instruction booklet should tell you the oil, or download same. I'd look at the oil and if it looks clean and is not emulsified I'd leave alone. Our Maxwell has a sight glass to allow inspection without even opening it up. Remember to clean and lubricate the shaft - they are a major cause of seizure. When you replace use Duralac where appropriate, or similar or a replacement - so that you can get it apart next time.

Well done - I don't think many even think about their windlass - let alone service it!

Jonathan

 

[noelex]

It would be worth an email to Quick. It would be a shame to do a bench top service and not replace the gearbox oil.

Maxwell recommend:
Gearbox Oil: SAE 90, (e.g. Shell Omala 320, Castrol Alpha SP 320).

I suspect the requirements for Quick and Maxwell gearboxes will be similar.

Maxwell have a very short, but good article on winch servicing listing the preferred oils, greases and protective coatings (see the link below). Keep in mind that some Quick windlasses have a plastic outer casing to their motors. This is different from the mostly steel and aluminium exterior of the Maxwell winches, so the advice on protective coatings may not apply, but the rest should be broadly applicable and useful if specific recomendations from the manufacturer cannot be obtained.

http://www.maxwellmarine.com/support_maintenance.php

 

[RichardS]

I had to change a leaky shaft seal on my Quick windlass so I took the opportunity to change the oil whilst I had it all apart. Unfortunately, the Quick Hector user manual does not mention which oil to use but the stuff which leaked out was obviously hypoid EP gear oil so I filled it with synthetic GL5 EP gear oil that I had available. I think it was a 80W-90 weight but I didn't make a note.

Richard

 

[West Coast]

Hi all, so 4 years on, and the quick aleph windlass is back on the bench for servicing. I posted separately re the aluminium base corrosion.

Back to the gearbox oil question, in the end in 2019, I left the original oil in the gearbox, all seemed fine. This time around, opening the oil filler cap, the oil again seems OK, the gearbox seals intact etc. But thinking of draining out the oil to inspect it, check for any debris etc, and refilling with new.

After searching online, Quick dont seem to give any indication of what type of oil or how much. Other manufacturers seem to suggest SAE 80 - 90, so can go with this. My question is - how much oil should I put back n the gearbox ?

Cheers