Windlass seized

[Nickannie]

I have a Logan's royal windlass that is about 10 years old. It is very stiff to use and getting worse to the point where it is easier to pull the chain in by hand. Does anyone know how to get these things apart so that they can be lubricated.

 

[Eeyore]

I suspect you mean a Lofrans Royal?

 

[Sammy Lou]

I've done one in the past. Our last boat came with a seized one. If you search on here there are some past threads about the dis-assemble/re-assemble and the italian manufacturers web site has all of the parts diagrams. The basic problem is that surface corrosion of the inner parts causes the nylon bushes/sleeves to swell and bind. Once stripped it is easy to clean and lubricate and should give good future service once done. From memory the problems were (1) the end plate? bolts needed drilling out due to corrosion & (2) the rope drum needs a considerable puller to start removal. Good luck.

 

[Talulah]

A friend of ours soaked there's for 24 hours in diesel before attempting to dismantle.

 

[ghostlymoron]

I've overhauled a few of these and as someone has already said, the problem is differential corrosion. Yours needs completely stripping down, greasing and re-assembling. After this it should give years of good service but should be stripped and greased annually. It can be tricky getting the screws out of the end cover but heat, plusgas and a well fitting screwdriver should do the trick. A puller is useful for removing the rope drum. I've got a re-furbished one in my shed at the moment, soon to go on ebay as it's too big fir Cobblers.

 

[Poignard]

And when you come to re-assemble it, it's worth putting some Duralac on the screw threads.

 

[KellysEye]

We had a Lofrans winch that seized up due to corrosion it was also impossible to free the winch form the deck. The deck was cut, steel so easy to re weld a plate, and a twenty ton press was used to pull it apart but even that couldn't get the winch apart. So new winch. As mentioned above I would also recommend taking a Lofrans winch apart every year to clean any corrosion. The problem is Lofrans has has aluminium and stainless parts. I hope Nickannie doesn't have the same problems.

 

[mcalan]

I managed to save this one which was in a very bad state so yes it can be done

 

[ghostlymoron]

Yes, I forgot to say use grease (or duralac) on all threads when re assembling.

And when you come to re-assemble it, it's worth putting some Duralac on the screw threads.

 

[AliM]

We had a difficult few weeks wrestling with a Lofrans Royal! which was less than 3 years old. We soaked it in diesel, which allowed us to get the drum and gypsy off the axle, but the screws would not budge. We gave up and took it to a local boatyard. They got the screws out, but could not free the axle from the casing, until they managed to break the casing in a press. Rather sheepishly, they got it welded back together and reassembled it using new brushes (supplied, very efficiently by the firm who now handles the Lofrans spares). It wouldn't work, so the boatyard had another go, grinding off some of the weld, and breaking, and replacing, another part. Eventually, we managed to get it working again. The boatyard were not sorry to see the back of it, and us. It has performed perfectly all summer, anchoring many times. We will strip it down and grease it every year from now on, and at least we now know exactly how it works!

But that was a Lofrans, not the OP's type. Perhaps his is more resistant to getting soaked in salt water!

 

[xeitosaphil]

" should be stripped and greased annually. "







I'm interested, how far do you think it should be stripped down annually?

I have a Lofrans Kobra and in the past just removed the chain gypsy and greased the shaft but would like to know if I should be stripping it down further, and if so, how far is considered necessary.

This is unfamiliar territory for me as I have not had one before.

 

[ghostlymoron]

" should be stripped and greased annually. "







I'm interested, how far do you think it should be stripped down annually?

I have a Lofrans Kobra and in the past just removed the chain gypsy and greased the shaft but would like to know if I should be stripping it down further, and if so, how far is considered necessary.

This is unfamiliar territory for me as I have not had one before.

I'm not familiar with the Kobra, is it an electric one? I would strip a manual one down completely. It doesn't take very long unless some of the fixings are seized. But if you do it annually this shouldn't be the case. That's my experience anyway.

 

[xeitosaphil]

I'm not familiar with the Kobra, is it an electric one? I would strip a manual one down completely. It doesn't take very long unless some of the fixings are seized. But if you do it annually this shouldn't be the case. That's my experience anyway.

Yes the Kobra is a electric one - 1000w instruction manual here http://www.safety-marine.co.uk/downloads/Lofrans-Kobra-Windlass-Instruction-Manual.pdf?did=239


Just wondered how far to strip down is deemed necessary

 

[Talulah]

I have stripped several Kobras. It's worth stripping annually if you have the time.
If you don't the long thin bolts that hold the motor together and then pass through the Windlass base seize and you end up having to drill them out. The motor itself will seize to the underside of the base. A new motor is £500.
On the bright side we managed to source a brand new 1000W Kobra at Bealieu Boat Jumble for £300.

 

[ghostlymoron]

On one of the ones I've done the shaft wouldn't budge from the housing. I found that a good wack with a heavy sledgehammer was the only way to free it.

We had a difficult few weeks wrestling with a Lofrans Royal! which was less than 3 years old. We soaked it in diesel, which allowed us to get the drum and gypsy off the axle, but the screws would not budge. We gave up and took it to a local boatyard. They got the screws out, but could not free the axle from the casing, until they managed to break the casing in a press. Rather sheepishly, they got it welded back together and reassembled it using new brushes (supplied, very efficiently by the firm who now handles the Lofrans spares). It wouldn't work, so the boatyard had another go, grinding off some of the weld, and breaking, and replacing, another part. Eventually, we managed to get it working again. The boatyard were not sorry to see the back of it, and us. It has performed perfectly all summer, anchoring many times. We will strip it down and grease it every year from now on, and at least we now know exactly how it works!

But that was a Lofrans, not the OP's type. Perhaps his is more resistant to getting soaked in salt water!