H38 2006 - Maintenance on Simpson Lawrence Sprint Atlantic anchor windlass

[kenvail]

One winter project this year is to install a maintenance kit I purchased from P2 Marine. This kit replaces the sealed bearing on the mainshaft along with the wiper seal and circlips. However, I can't figure out how to remove the mainshaft. Anyone know how to do this??

The attached picture shows the mainshaft from the top. The bottom view is no help in disassembly because it obviously comes apart from the top.

Thanks for your insight and experience!

 

[kenvail]

The problem is how to remove the lower clutch cone, which is just the disk above the black seal at the base of the mainshaft. Would heat help or hurt in this situation?

 

[dlochner]

Heat will likely distort or damage the seal. There should be a way to press the shaft out from the top. Can you post a large photo of the top of the capstan?

I ran into this issue once with a different brand windlass. It had not been maintained properly, no grease, and the clutch cones seized to the shaft. Fortunately for my back (no so much for my bank account) Maxwell had a drop in replacement.

 

[ice breaker]

I am assuming you have the parts explosion diagram? If not it is on the P2 site. The clutch cone is free floating on the shaft and is keyed with the small round dowel. You should have a new seal in the rebuild kit, so do not worry about destroying the seal. The challenging part is the bearing and race, I ended up using lots of heat and a driver/ large socket. PB blaster is your friend for the stuck stuff.

 

[kenvail]

To dlochner - I don't see a way to press out the shaft because there are two circlips above and below the bearing that would prevent pressing it out. Thanks.

To ice breaker - I do have the parts explosion diagram and have been using PB Blaster, also have the maintenance kit with the seal, etc. Is the lower clutch cone just pressed on the mainshaft? I don't see any other way for it to be attached. There is very little space to get a bearing removal tool to grab the cone. What do you think about some banging and light heat to try to break the seal? I doubt this has ever been apart. Thanks.

 

[kenvail]

To ice breaker - The bearing in this unit is a sealed bearing. Does a sealed bearing have a race? I thought the inside surface of the outer ring of a sealed bearing is the race. Don't know much about bearings....

 

[artboas]

To ice breaker - The bearing in this unit is a sealed bearing. Does a sealed bearing have a race? I thought the inside surface of the outer ring of a sealed bearing is the race. Don't know much about bearings....

My two cents ($.02)

I just don’t see the upside on making this a DIY project, when there are people who do this professionally. The windlass has a significant safety component to it, and I’d personally rather not lose sleep in my bunk when at anchor.

 

[ice breaker]

To ice breaker - I do have the parts explosion diagram and have been using PB Blaster, also have the maintenance kit with the seal, etc. Is the lower clutch cone just pressed on the mainshaft? I don't see any other way for it to be attached. There is very little space to get a bearing removal tool to grab the cone. What do you think about some banging and light heat to try to break the seal? I doubt this has ever been apart. Thanks.
[/QUOTE]

The bottom cone is not pressed on. It should be able to be lifted off the shaft. I live in freshwater, so mine came apart pretty easy. Salt water may have caused some corrosion between the cone and the shaft. I would throw some heat on the cone and see if expanding it frees it up.

Yes the bearing has a race that is pressed into the unit, even thought it is sealed. When you try to take it out it is likley the bearing will separate.

Like artboas said if you don't have the tools or skills, you may want to take in into a shop.

 

[dchipley]

Soaked in an algae & salt penetrant & then a quality penetrating oil. Took a few patient months through the winter but it came apart. I had to cut the balls in half using a cut-off wheel in my Dremel, make a seal installer & a bearing installing tool. I was able to re-use the c-clips. Metric c-clips hard to find in N Am. I continue to look for a supplier. Should be much easier this time.

 

[dchipley]

I should have added I placed the shaft in the freezer and the bearing in the oven to make assembly easier