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Rebuilding a winch...

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JoshMcCullock
1st Mate

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USA
68 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/04/2011 : 13:33:57

Hello all,
On my last sail I realized our port winch (original) was stiff as post. I was able to turn it with a winch handle fairly easily, but it definitely keeps me from doing those graceful tacks I've practiced so much.
I'm guessing it needs to be opened up and lubed or maybe even rebuilt. We've had multiple 100 deg. + days here in OKC. Is it possible that thinned the remaining lubricant just enough to lose seize it up?

I've heard of the "box over the winch" trick to keep from losing parts in the water. Any other pointers on this one? Does the tension ring on top require a special tool for removal? Thanks in advance & enjoy your season. One bum winch isnt stopping us from sailing in the meantime!

to life!
Josh
"Genevieve" 1980 SR/WK
Lake Hefner, OKC
www.towindward.tumblr.com

Edited by - on

Captnkev25
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
36 Posts

Response Posted - 07/04/2011 : 13:59:28

Never had to do it bit maybe this will help. I plan on doing mine this winter

http://c36fleet5.org/PDFs/Winch_Maint.pdf

Edited by - on

calden
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
194 Posts

Response Posted - 07/04/2011 : 14:00:28

Josh:

JUST did this a few days ago. It's straightforward. Couple of tips:

1) The circle clip that holds the body on is a spiral clip. Pry the tip out and up and you can "unwind" it from it's seat fairly easily. Same thing replacing it - spread the spiral apart and put the bottom in first, the the top spirals around. It is NOT a circlip that needs to be spread out. I wish I had known all this at first.

2) The Lewmar kit for winch maintenance includes directions, brush, grease, oil, and a little pack of pawl springs to replace the ones that fly off into outer space.

http://www.mauriprosailing.com/Lewmar-Winch-Spare-Parts/LEW19701500.html

Good to have. I also bought a pack of extra circle clips.

3) I used a box. It was good to have. I also suggest having a couple of small plastic or tupperware type containers to put the springs, pawls, parts into and let them swim in paint thinner a bit. Have plenty of paper towels on hand, too.

4) Pay attention to how the pawls fit in. It is very easy, after only 5 minutes, to look at it and not know exactly how they go in.

5) The two top pawl springs just sit in the pawls. When you pull the pawl out they come right out with it and slide out of the pawl spring opening (this makes sense when you look at it, trust me,) The two BOTTOM pawl springs sit inside the pawls as well, but there is a slight indent in the housing to let the spring click in. This holds the pawls in the housing when you take it off. You have to grab the end of the pawl spring and pull it out of the little slot and THEN you can pull the pawl out. Again, this is clearer when you look at it.

It took me 15-20 minutes to do the first winch, and probably 6-8 minutes to do the second one because I figured all this out.

Have fun, buy spare parts, don't set anything on fire.

Carlos

Edited by - calden on 07/04/2011 14:10:53

sfsmith
Navigator

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USA
120 Posts

Response Posted - 07/04/2011 : 15:38:14

Josh, I've done it a couple of times, and it's not a big deal. Use the box and lay out the parts on an old towel in sequence as you remove them. That helps a lot with reassembly. Go easy on the winch grease. A little goes a long way. Cheers. Sol

Edited by - on

mmac
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
168 Posts

Response Posted - 07/04/2011 : 17:00:19

I had one quit working a couple years ago. I bought the rebuild kit at WM. I used the box trick to keep parts onboard. It was pretty easy even for someone like me with limited mechanical aptitude. It would have been even easier if I had used the towel trick mentioned above. Also, as mentioned, pay close attention to where those little springs came from.

Edited by - on

pfduffy
Captain

Members Avatar

USA
317 Posts

Response Posted - 07/05/2011 : 05:35:58

Josh - this is one of the easier maintenance tasks you will perform. No contorting yourself into places you don't belong, no scraped knuckles, etc. The only thing I would add to the good advice above is pull the drum off very slowly.

Edited by - on

Stu Jackson C34
Admiral

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844 Posts

Response Posted - 07/05/2011 : 10:03:24

Before digital cameras, I drew sketches of what stuff looked like. Take pictures, easy to figure out where stuff goes when it's time to put it together again.

Edited by - on

Justincase
1st Mate

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Canada
49 Posts

Response Posted - 07/05/2011 : 11:04:07

Mine had never been rebuilt (at least i don't think so) I had to us carb cleaner on all of the parts to get the grease off. The grease had hardened like old bubblegum. And LOTS of rags or paper towel.

Edited by - on

JoshMcCullock
1st Mate

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USA
68 Posts

Response Posted - 07/05/2011 : 14:51:28

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by pfduffy
 Josh - this is one of the easier maintenance tasks you will perform. No contorting yourself into places you don't belong, no scraped knuckles, etc. The only thing I would add to the good advice above is pull the drum off very slowly.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Thats good news, my knuckles will never be the same after those damn toe rails. We removed them to paint the deck. Talk about tedious!

Edited by - on

JoshMcCullock
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
68 Posts

Response Posted - 07/05/2011 : 14:52:44

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by calden
 Josh:

JUST did this a few days ago. It's straightforward. Couple of tips:

1) The circle clip that holds the body on is a spiral clip. Pry the tip out and up and you can "unwind" it from it's seat fairly easily. Same thing replacing it - spread the spiral apart and put the bottom in first, the the top spirals around. It is NOT a circlip that needs to be spread out. I wish I had known all this at first.

2) The Lewmar kit for winch maintenance includes directions, brush, grease, oil, and a little pack of pawl springs to replace the ones that fly off into outer space.

http://www.mauriprosailing.com/Lewmar-Winch-Spare-Parts/LEW19701500.html

Good to have. I also bought a pack of extra circle clips.

3) I used a box. It was good to have. I also suggest having a couple of small plastic or tupperware type containers to put the springs, pawls, parts into and let them swim in paint thinner a bit. Have plenty of paper towels on hand, too.

4) Pay attention to how the pawls fit in. It is very easy, after only 5 minutes, to look at it and not know exactly how they go in.

5) The two top pawl springs just sit in the pawls. When you pull the pawl out they come right out with it and slide out of the pawl spring opening (this makes sense when you look at it, trust me,) The two BOTTOM pawl springs sit inside the pawls as well, but there is a slight indent in the housing to let the spring click in. This holds the pawls in the housing when you take it off. You have to grab the end of the pawl spring and pull it out of the little slot and THEN you can pull the pawl out. Again, this is clearer when you look at it.

It took me 15-20 minutes to do the first winch, and probably 6-8 minutes to do the second one because I figured all this out.

Have fun, buy spare parts, don't set anything on fire.

Carlos
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

GREAT info, thanks a bunch Carlos!

Edited by - on

dblitz
Navigator

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240 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2011 : 20:53:19

The Lewmar 16's on my boat are very simple. If you can, before you lift the drum, keep the pawls from coming up with the drum (there are 3 of them and they have pawl springs which go flying). I use a hemostat to clamp on one of the pawls so I can concentrate on keeping the other 2 in place. Pawl springs ARE available loose for under $1.00 each rather than buying the kits which cost much more because they include pawls which you won't need unless a previous service lost one. Don't worry, this is one of the simpler tasks

Edited by - dblitz on 07/06/2011 20:58:08

Peregrine
Admiral

Members Avatar

830 Posts

Response Posted - 07/07/2011 : 07:02:26

Josh,
Lewmar has changed their web site but I found the service manual.
http://www.lewmar.com/assets/img/dataset/Manual-Winch%20Service%20Manual%20B2304%20iss6.pdf

Scroll down to page 32 for the one speed winches. The pictures and descriptions are pretty good.
I highly recommend the box over the winch, no need to chase parts.
Hope this helps.

Edited by - on

islander
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3994 Posts

Response Posted - 07/07/2011 : 11:32:30

Never had anything go flying when I did mine. Good idea to use the box but I also threw a towel over the bell when I lifted it up just so if somthing goes flying it will end up in the towel and not in never- never land.

Edited by - on

calden
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
194 Posts

Response Posted - 07/07/2011 : 12:38:02

I should listen to my own advice.

My detailed advice (see above post) came from just having done my winches. However, I totally forgot the cabin top halyard winch. I was out by the boat yesterday for a race ( I crew on a friend's J/24) and thought "okay, I just did this, I can bang this out in 15 minutes." I thought I could just lift off the top section and put it right in a box on the cockpit seat and do it all there, and I did not use a box around it.

Ooops. I lost the top cap. Saw it lift off and bounce twice on the gunwale and into the drink, where it sank tantalizingly slow enough just to taunt me that I had taken procedure for granted. Grrr. Not a huge deal - they're about $18 - but it's my own sloppiness that is burning me. Grrr.

Carlos

Edited by - on

JoshMcCullock
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
68 Posts

Response Posted - 07/08/2011 : 22:56:20

Agh, thats the worst!

Edited by - on

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.