Hi, I am just starting to clean the whole winches of my First 38. There are different opinions about what to use to clean the inner part. There is a lot of dirt and old grease inside, I think its the first time since 84 that this winches will be cleaned. I cleaned the first one with WD40 but someone told me I can also use acetone to do it faster. What do you think about? I am also interested what do you use for lubricate the winch pawls and springs - i think about to use sewing machine oil ....!
Winch cleaning
- Thread starter Veit
- Start date
Ditto on the mineral spirits.
I used winch grease on all the gears.
The oil you use on the pawls probably isn't ultra critical. I used the same oil that I started using in my sewing machines...Mobil 1, 0-20 full synthetic. I always have a little left over from when I change the oil in my Honda.
I used winch grease on all the gears.
The oil you use on the pawls probably isn't ultra critical. I used the same oil that I started using in my sewing machines...Mobil 1, 0-20 full synthetic. I always have a little left over from when I change the oil in my Honda.
Kerosene works great, too. I bought a big lasagna pan, light aluminum 2 for $1.00, disposable, to clean the big gears off. If you don't use too much winch grease, there's less carp to clean off next time. RTFM F stands for funny.
Just disassembled, cleaned, & lubricated mine this past spring.
Used a large parts cleaning pan & parts cleaning brush purchased at auto store years ago. Mineral spirits is a good solvent to clean all the old grease & dirt. I used Lewmar winch grease for the gears & Lewmar machine oil on the pawls & springs. I used an acid brush to apply a light coat of grease on the gears bearings, and shafts. There are a couple of videos, produced by Lewmar, that is available on You Tube that shows how to disassemble and lubricate--worth watching.
Used a large parts cleaning pan & parts cleaning brush purchased at auto store years ago. Mineral spirits is a good solvent to clean all the old grease & dirt. I used Lewmar winch grease for the gears & Lewmar machine oil on the pawls & springs. I used an acid brush to apply a light coat of grease on the gears bearings, and shafts. There are a couple of videos, produced by Lewmar, that is available on You Tube that shows how to disassemble and lubricate--worth watching.
I use ThermaPlex Aqua Bearing Grease, resistant to water washout and corrosion, it's quite difficult on the island to get some original products for example the lewmar grease, i have to order everything from outside and the delivery costs for a bottle of grease are about 15 - 20 dollars ;-)
Not that it's too important, but 3 in 1 is not the same as sewing machine oil. It has more viscosity. Sewing machine oil is the lightest lubricant you can use.
I only know this from my fishing days, and I used to have a list of oils with their ratings for maintenance the bearings in my Abu Garcia bait casting reels. I settled on something called "mystery oil". It's red colored. Worked great.
I would think you'd want a light grease in winches rather than oil, but I have never taken apart a winch, so I really don't know.
The oil is only for the pawls as I stated, gear grease from Lewmar for the gears.......
I clean the innards of my Maxwell winches with diesel fuel. I use crankcase motor oil for the springs and pawls. Works really well for me. There is nothing like a clean winch....
Quit fishing while you are cleaning your winches!
Mineral Spirts (Charcoal lighter ) is less inflammable than Kerosene (jet fuel).
I use the Lewmar kit lubes.
Jim...
PS: I hate the spellcheck substitutes. Also inflammable means to support a flame.
I remember the Lewmar book calling for "paraffin oil" I had to google it to learn that's Kerosene.
I usually let bad ones soak overnight in mineral spirits but it does an overall piss poor job on really caked up baked on grease. If I wasn't doing it on the dock I think I'd opt for the Jet Fuel.
I usually let bad ones soak overnight in mineral spirits but it does an overall piss poor job on really caked up baked on grease. If I wasn't doing it on the dock I think I'd opt for the Jet Fuel.
Paraffin oil is not kerosene, it is a light oil that used to be given for upset stomach. It is very pure and light so could be drunk to be used as a laxative. Kerosene would have a negative effect on your insides.
You should advise the Oxford English Dictionary that they are wrong.
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/english/paraffin?q=Paraffin+oil#paraffin__5
