Hey All -
I've been watching winch cleaning videos. It's still snowing here today and I'm not ready to actually start doing boat projects - BUT there is only 2 months till launch!
Everyone says it's an easy, don't be intimidated - it looks a little complicated!
Some of the videos include removing the winch and taking it home, cleaning it on your shop bench. I do see some advantage to that - but it seems like extra work. Do you remove the winch when you clean it?
Rebedding everything is also on the to-do list, but I wasn't planning to start with the winches.
Do you replace the springs every time you clean the winch? (guy from Lewmar suggests that)
No.... you can do it at the boat...you just need to remove the drum, then take the parts down to your salon table, crack open a beverage, turn on some tunes or the golf channel and enjoy. You can find drum removal instructions at the winch maker's website. There should be service instructions a videos there also.
I suggest investing in the Lewmar service kit, I think Harkin offers one also. It's seems expensive, but the tube of grease will last forever, and it'll come with the applicator, a vial of light machine oil for pawls and usually a few sets of springs. With all this and a few simple tools... it's a pleasant way to spend the afternoon. The off season is a great time to do this....it gives you an excuse to go down and putz around on the boat and finalize your spring to do list before launch. BTW pawl springs are the ONLY inexpensive parts in a winch.... so... just sayin'. Replace them if they don't make the pawl "snap" open.
As most of the folks here will suggest.... be careful when lifting off the drum to avoid a spring or pawl bouncing off the gunnel overboard. Rather than the "hole in the box" method, I found laying a towel or large rag around the base will keep anything from bouncing. The pawls don't need replacing unless they are chipped, but the pawl springs should be checked to have enough "life". They are a little tricky at first to install.... patience helps... A shallow pan with cleaning fluid, some like kerosene, but I've used WD 40, brake fluid,,etc. The main thing is to NOT put grease on the pawls and their springs.... that's what the machine oil is for (3 in 1) is perfect. The grease if for the roller bearings and the gears and that gets just a small amount. Put some on your finger tip and thinly spread it.... The first time you dissemble a winch, use the good mechanic's habit of setting each part down in the order it is removed... take a picture even... then you can put everything in the cleaning pan at once.... when it's time to reassemble you'll have a good reference.
A good winch is a piece of art. The 50 year old winches I removed when changing to new self tailers, were Austrailian made Barlow/Barient... all chromed bronze, 2 speed beauties, I serviced them every spring. They literally, never wear out. Still more than capable of doing the job for another 50 years! When I sell the boat, if I don't get my price.... they're going back on. I'll sell the Self tailers separately for near what I paid (nearly $3k).... because tell me the last time you saw USED self tailing winches for sale.
