Servicing a winch

[Alcyone]

I have a lewmar two speed no 16 winch that needs servicing. It slips badly when trying to wind one way, and I've been told it probably needs a good clean and regrease.

How do I get it apart, and any advice on how to do it/what the gotchas are?

Cheers

ps, yes, I know it's rough, but it will have to do for a bit. Recession and that.

 

[ksutton]

Turn it around so we can see the top, it will either have a circlip or a dome type nut to unscrew. Then lift off the drum, your problem will be sticking pawls on the ratchet,

 

[Pincoya]

I can't identify which winch you have due to the angle of the photograph. Try this link http://en.lewmar.com/products/index.aspx?lang=1&page_id=562

It should tell you everything you need to know.

Paul

 

[Danny Jo]

Weather permitting, I think it is easier with the winch in situ on the boat. /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif The perfect job for that balmy summer day waiting for crew to arrive.

 

[FairMaid]

You shouldn't have taken the winch off - the earlier replies are right - take the winch apart from the top - placing everything carefully in order (don't worry - nothing springs out like a jack-in-a-box !) - clean everything and lubricate with proper winch grease - and replace the pawl springs - tiny wee things that cost a few pence in your chandlers - and you will wonder could ever be the key part of you winch - go for it ! - worrying the first time but it really is straight-forward if you take your time - then do the rest of the winches on your boat because I guess they need it - you'll be an expert in no time.

 

[Alcyone]

Aha, don't remove it from the boat, eh? Must remember that.

Appreciate the replies, thanks, here's a picture of the top.

 

[Pete7]

Circlip in red. You might want to price up having it re-cromed whilst it's off the boat.

Pete

 

[Ruffles]

Place little finger of left hand in the hole. Using small croc pliers tease out the end of the circlip and unwind from groove. As long as you keep you finger on the hole the circlip can't fly off! Most important if winch is on deck.

PS: Brasso will clean the corroded drum.

 

[FairMaid]

You will be able to turn the ring (I think anticlockwise - it's strong - hit the notch with a mallet on a screwdriver with some sort of cloth protection to avoid scratching) on which "two speed 16" is etched - below that there will be screws - and you are on your way ;-) - a bit late but all of this is easier with the winch firmly attached to the boat - I wouldn't relish taking my winches off ! - but the servicing from the top is easy

 

[Danny Jo]

Wow! That's a mean-looking circlip.

 

[ksutton]

Its a circlip around the top which you remove, after that as other posts say its fairly straight forward to strip. A bit surprised that you got the nuts off the screws as am sure they must have been rotating, there are flat head screwdriver heads on the inside. When you put it back on the boat, don't use too much of the white sealant on the base, if you do when you tighten it down sealant will get squeezed up past the gear shafts inside the winch and can go onto the gears - warning.
I think I have two winches, done only two seasons so are just about as new, think they are same, I need to check if you are interested, save you chroming will let them go cheap.

 

[mandlmaunder]

Once the dome is removed ,that the bit with"two speed" writen on it the drum will pull up and off, hopefully leaving the barrel bearings in place around the centre shaft.
take out the big bolts from the bottom that held it to the boat.
Now take a long look at it and take piccys if you have never taken this winch to bits before.
Remove into a petrol or solvent bath all the bearings and internal sprockets.
When you get to the bottom you will see either 2or 4 Pawls, these are the flappy spring loaded bits that determin the amount if travel under load that the winch does before it Loads Up.
Clean all old grease off all moving parts, in the bath.
once each part is degreased give it a dunk into light machine oils so that all parts are free running.
Now you apply lots of winch grease or heavy grease if you have to.
Push grease into the ends of the barrel bearings , smear onto all surfaces that the bearings will contact, also inside the sprockets.
Now reassemble starting with the last thing to come off, the Pawls n spawl springs <this is usually the really really fiddly bit and plain sailing after that.
Good luck. It's easier than it sounds.

All this from memory , think I got the sequence right!
/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Skyva_2]

One caution: all parts only need a light smear of grease, don't overdo it. I clean parts in paraffin, not petrol. Make sure the parts are dry before greasing. Lewmar grease is expensive but you do not use much.

The pawls only need light oil; do not grease them as they can stick and the winch might slip under load.

The Lewmar winch service manual is here:

http://www.pyacht.com/Lewmar-Winch-Service-Manual.pdf

Your winch may not be identical but the principles should be OK.

Keith

 

[samwestwood]

Over greasing can result in seazing if your not carefull

 

[Alcyone]

Once again, many thanks for taking the time to reply, everyone.

I think I'll have a crack at it this afternoon.

I'll set the digital camera to wide angle then, and take a picture of the spread of bits when it all opens up like a jack in the box. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Refueler]

main thing .... I agree with various above ...... SPARING with grease .... in fact I don't like grease - I use good quality cycle oil or 3in1. Reasoning is that grease can hold salt and crud and reproduce the problem you probably are suffering now - sticking pawls.

Of course you may have worn highs on ratchet section ...

 

[AlanRD]

The instructions state a winch should be stripped, cleaned and lubricated two or three times a season. So how many people do that? More like once every two or three years, if that.