substitute grease?

[Sailingsaves]

What type of grease could I use instead of proper winch grease for the gears of a winch?

I have white grease that is too thick imho. I have the 'normal' yellow type grease (high temp grease?) And I have black lithium grease. The winches will not see heavy work if any work at all, I just want to 'wash' them and rebuild for now.

I will only lightly oil the pawls.

 

[William_H]

It seems to me that it is the frequency of winch cleaning and servicing that matters much more than the type of grease. I have always just used car type grease. good lucck olewill

 

[Sailingsaves]

It seems to me that it is the frequency of winch cleaning and servicing that matters much more than the type of grease. I have always just used car type grease. good lucck olewill

Thanks mate.
Sounds most sensible.
Slippery yellow grease it will be...
Thanks

 

[VicS]

What type of grease could I use instead of proper winch grease for the gears of a winch?

I have white grease that is too thick imho. I have the 'normal' yellow type grease (high temp grease?) And I have black lithium grease. The winches will not see heavy work if any work at all, I just want to 'wash' them and rebuild for now.

I will only lightly oil the pawls.

http://www.gaelforcemarine.co.uk/49187/Gael-Force-Ramonol-Advanced-White-Marine-Grease-500g.html

Also available in tubes

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ramonol-Advanced-Marine-Grease-squeezable/dp/B00BZ6EWB6

 

[nigelmercier]

Why not buy the grease recommended by the manufacturer? I've just bought a new tube; the original lasted 12 years, about £1 a year.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B006ZW28IO/dolcetto-21

 

[cliff]

Why not buy the grease recommended by the manufacturer? I've just bought a new tube; the original lasted 12 years, about £1 a year.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B006ZW28IO/dolcetto-21

rearrange these words: wad sailor tight

 

[ghostlymoron]

I just use this http://www.morrislubricants.co.uk/scripts/prodview.asp?idcat=93&idProduct=163 Saves buying anything special and seems to do the job perfectly.
Mine is in a metal container so you can tell how long I've had it - a little goes a long way and I'm not anticipating buying another tin - ever.

 

[Sailingsaves]

Why not buy the grease recommended by the manufacturer? I've just bought a new tube; the original lasted 12 years, about £1 a year.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B006ZW28IO/dolcetto-21

I wish it was as Cliff stated, but I am so skint that I it is unbelievable. Anything I buy is for potential investment / profit, except for necessities such as food. Wish I could buy a beer but all luxuries are on hold.

It will pass, it has to. And I am working hard to achieve that end. Strangely, I am happier than I have ever been, even if terribly skint. Although I do have some down times and wife knows to just let me slink off to a corner until it passes.

I know I have white, marine grease, but thought that was too sticky for winches and goes hard.

This link
http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/winch_clean_and_grease

certainly shows a different type of grease, more like my thinner yellow grease.

Thanks for replies.

 

[alahol2]

Many years ago we had a talk given by a Lewmar engineer/designer and he was asked about the high price of winch grease. He explained that it was because they had to search for a very high pressure grease and they could only find one supplier, in Germany if memory serves. Not sure what specification one could look for to get a high pressure grease?

 

[jerrytug]

You can have some free grease if you pass by Harwich, don't buy special stuff.

 

[Sailingsaves]

You can have some free grease if you pass by Harwich, don't buy special stuff.

Very kind of you, but I have done the job now. I used my 'normal' yellow as opposed to white 'marine' grease. The yellow Castrol did not seem too thick and I only smeared it on rather than great globs. I liked the links others posted though _ interesting stuff out there.
The winches are only going to sit there until / if I get a boat. Or until I am forced to sell them, so no dramas of bearings seizing up just yet. I just wanted to clean and service them; a job I find really satisfying and Lewmars are so easy to work on.
Thanks again.

 

[laika]

Why not buy the grease recommended by the manufacturer? I've just bought a new tube; the original lasted 12 years, about £1 a year.

Hmmm...I seem to recall your boat is bigger than mine and although my primary sheet winches are pretty chunky, I doubt you've got fewer winches. I've always erred towards "lightly greased" (which the forum seems to agree with: http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?376265-Two-winch-servicing-questions ) but I'd be pushing it to do all my winches twice from one of those tubes (which is what I've been using)

 

[jdc]

Many years ago we had a talk given by a Lewmar engineer/designer and he was asked about the high price of winch grease. He explained that it was because they had to search for a very high pressure grease and they could only find one supplier, in Germany if memory serves. Not sure what specification one could look for to get a high pressure grease?

I'm sure he said it, but did you believe him? On the face of it it sounds fishy: the horizontal force on a normal sheet winch is what? < 1 ton I'd guess. Quick back-of-fag-packet calc: 50kg on the handle (strong man), 10x leverage (long winch handle), 2:1 reduction gear. Turning very slowly and few shock loads, couple of thousand revolutions between services.

Compare this to the bearing in a truck axle, with maybe 2 or 3 tons per bearing, turing fast, all day, while driving over bumps. 100,000 miles between services.

Maybe there are complications in winches due to materials having to be stainless which call for special properties, but pressure?