Winch Maintenance

[jibes138]

I need to rebuild my winches and was wondering if it would be easier to remove the winches completely, take them home and rebuild them, or just take them apart on the boat? The obvious risk to boat disassembly is losing parts despite whatever precautions because Murphy is alive and well. On the other hand I could drop the whole winch overboard trying to remove it. Removing the winches would allow me to rebed them with properly bevelled holes and butyl tape. They don't leak but after 25 years the sealant is probably pretty much shot. Same question for the mast winches, capturing all the parts would be even more risky for those locations.

 

[Ross]

All of the winches in my experience need partial disassembly to mount them. The bolts are under the drum. I haven't seen them all but that is my observation. Get a nice box with a hole in the bottom and pad the inside with several layers of cloth to stop any bounce and proceed carefully.

 

[Eric M]

I've never seen a winch that could be removed from the boat without at least pulling the drum off to get to the heads of the mounting screws / bolts. Once you have done that all of the blind disassembly work is done and it is fairly straight forward to take apart the rest of the parts for cleaning. Good luck, you will wonder why you didn't to it sooner when they are turning smoothly again.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Yup, don't bother. If you buy a rebuild kit from, say, Lewmar, they include all the little parts that can fall out, like pawls and springs. Ya gotta be really hamhanded to lose any of the rest of the pieces.

 

[rardiH36]

To assist the prevention of parts going overboard:

- As already suggested by Ross, cut a round hole, just a bit larger than the winch drum, in the bottom of a suitably sized but shallow box. Then you can begin to disasemble the winch inside the box. But be sure that the box is secure on the surface around the winch .... you don't the whole box tipping over. I've used some duct tape between the box and the boat to help prevent this.

- Tie a very large towel or tarp up on the lifelines adjacent to the winch, then drape it across the deck towards the winch. Anything dropped has a good chance of being caught before going overboard.

- Because of the grease, parts can stick together and then unexpectedly fall off. Be mindful of this. In particular, the main roller bearings between the center spindle and the drum can stick to the drum as you lift it off, then drop out of it.

You mention "25 years". If they are Barient winches, check this web-link which has pdf's of parts the original illustrations and maintenence procedures for all the Barient winches. And also some Barlow and Lewmar winches. Many of the Barient winches are extremely difficult to completely disassemble in place because a spring retaining clip which is located at the very bottom of the center mainshaft is is very difficult to remove and get back on. But the Barient instructions say that lubricating the mainshaft in place with oil is OK. Notwithstanding, 90% of the winch can be disassembled in place.

http://www.cncphotoalbum.com/indexes/winches.htm

 

[Les]

I don't know about winches on the mast, however, if you want to clean and grease winches on deck, get a sturdy box and cut a hole in the bottom to fit the winch. I even take some duc tape to hold the box in place being the kluts that I am. Then you can take the winch apart. Have a bucket of automotive grease cleaner nearby to clean the parts. When re-assembling them, use LITTLE grease. Very light is all you need.

If there is a part you're going to lose it will be the little springs in the pawls that tend to fly out. I always buy those separately and therefore never lose one. But in my early days those were the things that sprung out of the box.

I work on the assumption if it ain't broke don't fit it. There fore I would never take a winch off of the boat to re-caulk. Only when it starts leaking.

Good luck.

 

[Warren Milberg]

Only remove the winches if you have reason to believe they need to be re-bedded. Otherwise, get a copy of the diagram for your particular winch and do the lube/rebuild while on the boat. Use a cut-out box if you are fearful of losing pieces. But I just lay out a clean cloth on the cockpit hatch cover and put the pieces on the cloth in the order they came out of the winch. The only other thing I would add to the other poster's suggestions is that you may want to use a digital camera to take an image of each step of the dissembly in order to get the assembly right. First time with this is the hardest, then it becomes just another routine chore. Good luck.

 

[bffatcat]

winch maintenence

Realistically the only parts that are losable are the springs and maybe but not likely the pawls.
buy a couple of kits with plenty of extra pawls and springs. Than if you lose something you have plenty of spares handy

 

[jibes138]

Thanks gang. I have the kit with the grease and springs from Lewmar. Been having too much fun going to the beach in the 100 degree heat to take the time to do the work, I have a whole list of chores to do and at least this one isn't upside down in the engine compartment. Barient has ceased existing I guess so I definitely don't want to lose any parts. Especially thanks for the link to the Barient exploded views with the assembly instructions.

 

[Joe]

Thanks gang. I have the kit with the grease and springs from Lewmar. Been having too much fun going to the beach in the 100 degree heat to take the time to do the work, I have a whole list of chores to do and at least this one isn't upside down in the engine compartment. Barient has ceased existing I guess so I definitely don't want to lose any parts. Especially thanks for the link to the Barient exploded views with the assembly instructions.

Here's a link to Barient/Barlow winch replacement parts... I have found compatible pawl springs at West Marine... The Lewmar replacement pawls may or may not work in the barient... take one to the store and see if it matches up. http://www.arco-winches.com/products/spares