Lewmar Winches - Repack With Lithium Grease?

[Ducati]

I took apart the Lewmar winches, cleaned and repacked them using lithium grease.

I like lithium because it is cheap, easy to slop on and seems to keep the water from getting to the metal.

Question? Is lithium grease good stuff for winches?

Thanks

 

[rardiH36]

First of all, from a purley technical/scientific standpoint, I really don't know.

But last month, I did the exact same thing you did. Most importantly we took apart our winches and cleaned then of all the old caked grease and other grime. I used lithium grease because it was available as a spray can application. I liked the idea of the spraying on easily in a thin film. I sail in protected waters, so immersion of the internal workings of the winch with salt H20 isn't severe. Also, winches aren't subject to high temperatures, high rpms, or continuous use (as is a wheel or ball joint on a car). So is a highly specialized grease really necessary?

I've read some winch maintenance procedures that say lithium grease is fine. Others say teflon grease. Others specifiy to use only the manufacturer's proprietary product.

A modern formula good quality lithium grease I would think is probably a much better product than greases available at the time many of our winches were manufactured.

Highly unlikely that our winches will fail because we used lithium grease!

 

[Stu Jackson]

Doesn't anybody read instruction manuals anymore???

http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5716.0.html

 

[Joe]

Never SLOP grease on the winch.... lithium or not.

I took apart the Lewmar winches, cleaned and repacked them using lithium grease.

I like lithium because it is cheap, easy to slop on and seems to keep the water from getting to the metal.

Question? Is lithium grease good stuff for winches?

Thanks

It's interesting that you would wait till after the fact before you ask this question about such an important/expensive piece of hardware. Anyway.....

Don't pack grease inside your winch like you were loading bearings into a wheel hub.

Every Lewmar winch comes with a very detailed set of pictured instructions for maintenance. You can also get this information online by simply googling "Lewmar Winch Maintenance" http://bristol29.com/Sources/lewmar.pdf

You can purchase a Lewmar service kit at any chandlery that also includes these instructions. The kit will include a tube of their special grease, some oil, applicator brush and extra pawls.... http://www.reddenmarine.com/marine-...s/lewmar-19701500/winch-maintenance-pack.html the grease is probably lithium, but it doesn't really matter because... the tube will last you for many years. Why, because you don't SLOP grease on to any part of a winch... you brush on a thin coat of the grease to areas specified in the instructions.. you never put grease on the pawls, or anywhere around them... that's what the light machine oil is for. Winches are very expensive... don't disrespect them.

 

[Maine Sail]

First let me say that ANY winch cleaning and lubing, unless done incorrectly, is probably far better than the thousands of boaters who go years without servicing a winch. But....

For my expensive $$$$ Lewmar winches I use, what else, Lewmar grease. I still have the same tube I bought about six years ago for about $12.00.

I suppose if you could find a calcium sulphonate grease for less money it would work just as well as the factory Lewmar grease but it seems foolish to even search for it when I know the Lewmar grease works so well, is easily available and a $12.00 tube lasts for many years. So far it has cost me perhaps $2.00 per year for winch maintenance and my tube is still about a third full... If I had Harken winches I'd buy Harken's suggested grease.

When my bell hosing cracked at 2800 hours on my Westerbeke, and I was trying to figure out why, their first question was "are the motor mounts Westerbeke?" to which I replied "yes". Long story short is they sent me a brand new bell housing, at no charge, because they decided it was an underlying manufacturing defect. I am going to guess that if I had skimped and saved a few bucks on aftermarket motor mounts Westerbeke never would have sent me this very expensive part at no charge.

Despite the price I like to stick with what the manufacturer recommends. I also use 303 Fabric Guard on Sunbrella and IMAR products on my Strataglass and AwlCare on my Awlgrip. These are all manufacturer recommended products that have proven themselves to me over the long haul.

Not saying the grease used won't work but Lewmar has a specific type of grease they recommend, that is reasonable price wise, and easy to get.. As others have said a light coating is all that is necessary..

 

[Ducati]

Winches are very expensive... don't disrespect them.

Thanks Dad for the scolding.

It wont happen again.

 

[Johnb]

Grease is really two things - a lubricant and a soap that it is dissolved in. As it comes under stress the lubricant comes out of the soap, does it's job and then gets absorbed again. For a winch you want grease that has been optimised for water replusion and a long shelf life, differant from high performance greases, no matter how exotic, that have been optimised for high rates of release/reabsorption and high temperature. That is what makes what the others have said about using the right stuff true.

Getting grease on the pawls could ultimatley make them stick, the little springs don't have all that much oomph. On the Lewmar there are as far as I know two pawls for every function/direction. If you rotate the winch very carefully you can usually hear two distinct clicks, if you don't then maybe one of the pawls is'nt working.

I replaced all my pawl springs when I did my last overhaul.

 

[Joe]

Thanks Dad for the scolding.

It wont happen again.

Ah, yes... my son... to grease in moderation and respect all things bronze... that is the way of the wise sailor... live long and prosper.