Wet windlass woes

[AngusMcDoon]

I have a Quick 800W vertical axis vertical motor windlass which is not in a happy state. The top seal has failed and water has got down the shaft through the gearbox (grease filled, not oil) into the motor. It still works, but unreliably unsurprisingly. I need to decide if it's worth salvaging or if it should be replaced. Quick say it's obsolete, no spares available and won't even give details of the off the shelf parts like bearings and seals.

Firstly the top seal. Quick said just read the sizes from the top of it but I can only see the outer diameter. If I measure the shaft diameter and seal height with callipers will that be sufficient to identify a replacement?

Next the motor. It's looking a bit world weary...




Despite the muck and surface rust it still works but the commutator is a bit pitted and worn down. The brushes are near the end of their life...


Quick can't supply replacements. Would it be possible to get replacements that come attached to the bracket already, or would they need to be soldered on to those brackets? I can't see how the original brushes' wire braids are attached. Would an auto alternator repair place be able to overhaul the motor for a reasonable price? All the gears in the gearbox are so well slathered in grease that they don't seem to have suffered at all from the chain water dribbles so it would be a shame to replace the whole windlass. Also Quick, in the ultimate bit of customer unfriendliness, have changed the position of the bolt holes in the current model.

 

[dunedin]

Which precise model of Quick windlass is this? There should be a code on it which says.
Some of the larger windlasses can be replaced by a new model that fits onto the same bolt and chain drop holes. However, I discovered that there is no easy replacement for our Aster (AS 1012) model. Hence ours has been rebuilt with new seals and bearings - and about to replace the motor with a new one, as that seems to be common across multiple models. The engineer was very un complementary about the standard Quick seals and bearings so bought generic items to the same size spec.
Ours has had a LOT of use and abuse, so happy to invest in rebuild (having abandoned replacement due to the fit issues).

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Quick Crystal C1000. It went obsolete just after it was installed. I've spoken to Quick UK and no spares, no drawings, no information and no direct replacement with the same footprint.

 

[dunedin]

Quick Crystal C1000. It went obsolete just after it was installed. I've spoken to Quick UK and no spares, no drawings, no information and no direct replacement with the same footprint.

As noted, I am no expert but my local (Largs) expert sourced generic - and better - seals and bearings. If you can get the motor model type off its housing this may be available. Or mine was rebuilt by a company in Glasgow though perhaps not quite as good as new.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

The label on the motor housing is gone - just a sticky patch where it once was.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

As noted, I am no expert but my local (Largs) expert sourced generic - and better - seals and bearings. If you can get the motor model type off its housing this may be available. Or mine was rebuilt by a company in Glasgow though perhaps not quite as good as new.

It's not the seals & bearings that concern me the most - looking around every size combination seems available & I doubt Quick used anything obscure. It's the motor that I'm most concerned about. I don't know if it's repairable & if replacement brushes can be found. I surprised no-one else has any opinions or advice on the state of my motor. I can't be the first with a soggy windlass motor or worn brushes. If the exact brushes aren't available could an auto electrician fit generic ones & reattach the wires to the brackets manually?

I've looked at Quick, Lewmar, Lofrans & South Pacific but no-one makes a replacement that will fit without boat surgery so it would be much better to get this one overhauled.

 

[dunedin]

It's not the seals & bearings that concern me the most - looking around every size combination seems available & I doubt Quick used anything obscure. It's the motor that I'm most concerned about. I don't know if it's repairable & if replacement brushes can be found. I surprised no-one else has any opinions or advice on the state of my motor. I can't be the first with a soggy windlass motor or worn brushes. If the exact brushes aren't available could an auto electrician fit generic ones & reattach the wires to the brackets manually?

I've looked at Quick, Lewmar, Lofrans & South Pacific but no-one makes a replacement that will fit without boat surgery so it would be much better to get this one overhauled.

That was exactly what I found with my Quick Aster motor, but it was fully rewound and new bushes by a company in Glasgow

 

[Rum Run]

It's not the seals & bearings that concern me the most - looking around every size combination seems available & I doubt Quick used anything obscure. It's the motor that I'm most concerned about. I don't know if it's repairable & if replacement brushes can be found. I surprised no-one else has any opinions or advice on the state of my motor. I can't be the first with a soggy windlass motor or worn brushes. If the exact brushes aren't available could an auto electrician fit generic ones & reattach the wires to the brackets manually?

I've looked at Quick, Lewmar, Lofrans & South Pacific but no-one makes a replacement that will fit without boat surgery so it would be much better to get this one overhauled.

I think that a place that reconditions starter motors should be able to rebuild it. It looks like needing the commutator skimming and new brushes. As brushes are only carbon blocks, if there isn't the proper size available some oversize ones could be filed to fit and the braid soldered on.
The bearings and seals are simple as you have said.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

I think that a place that reconditions starter motors should be able to rebuild it. It looks like needing the commutator skimming and new brushes. As brushes are only carbon blocks, if there isn't the proper size available some oversize ones could be filed to fit and the braid soldered on.
The bearings and seals are simple as you have said.

Thanks. That gives me hope. I guess an ultrasonic clean may help to get the salt and grime out. I imagine that the slight rusting on the iron core between the coils is nothing much to worry about.

 

[Rum Run]

Thanks. That gives me hope. I guess an ultrasonic clean may help to get the salt and grime out. I imagine that the slight rusting on the iron core between the coils is nothing much to worry about.

Dunno about ultrasonic cleaning for this job- I'd seek advice from the classic car bods on that. A good scrub in deionised or distilled water should take the salt away, then another in isopropyl alcohol or even surgical spirit to dry it out well.
There used to be lots of motor rewinders about for whom this would be a routine job, but most large towns with a bit of industry likely still have one.

 

[rogerthebodger]

Dunno about ultrasonic cleaning for this job- I'd seek advice from the classic car bods on that. A good scrub in deionised or distilled water should take the salt away, then another in isopropyl alcohol or even surgical spirit to dry it out well.
There used to be lots of motor rewinders about for whom this would be a routine job, but most large towns with a bit of industry likely still have one.

Angus I agree with Rum Run just a good clean an brush down will get rid of most of the curd. A light sanding of the commutator will fix that and a scrape out of the commutator gaps will clean that.

Measure the size of the brushed and go to somewhere that suppliers brushes.

I have done similar on several starter motors on my classic cars

 

[RunAgroundHard]

I have a 50 year old windlass, complete redundant as far as SL are concerned. However, I found that it was rebuildable. I did not get the motor rewound, but that service was available should the motor have been shot. At the end of the day, a total strip down, clean, reassemble with new bearings and seals from component suppliers, respray at car body shop, and it works like new.

The bearing sizes were discussed with the supplier and they identified a suitable bearing and associated seals. The hardest part was compressing the clutch spring on reassembly with nearly cost me my front teeth.

Ultrasonic cleaning machines are excellent for this kind of work, low cost items, also plenty second hand on eBay et cetera.

 

[MontyMariner]

You should find brushes to match here All Carbon Brushes by Size - Free Delivery - Carbonbrushes.uk

 

[B27]

Brushes should not be too much problem.
Maybe you could back-up the top seal by also changing the top bearing to a 2RS variant?

 

[AngusMcDoon]

You should find brushes to match here All Carbon Brushes by Size - Free Delivery - Carbonbrushes.uk

That looks like every possible size. Thanks.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Maybe you could back-up the top seal by also changing the top bearing to a 2RS variant?

Thanks. I shall investigate once I know the size.

 

[Bodach na mara]

I had the brushes problem with a Simpson Lawrence Seawolf Seawolf windlass and the SL spares guy in Paisley couldn't help. The braided leads to both brushes had corroded through. I searched online and even found a place in Southampton (in Millbrook Industrial Estate IIRC) which supplied a pair of new ones when told of the measurements and give a photo.
Good luck Angus.

 

[PetiteFleur]

You can also get seals with stainless springs. Good idea to use 2RS seals.