Sheaves

[Tori]

Ok it is me the newbie again. My sheaves on our mast seem to be seized. We took them off of the bottom (I assume they are on the top of the mast as well) and soaked them in a commercial lubricating oil to free them up but no luck.
So where to get replacements? I have swigging guy coming in two weeks and I am sure he can get them but looking for possibly less costly sources? Also are these interchangeable or are there specific types?

[Astrid]

Try West Marine at 100 N Entrance Road, Sanford FL

Sailboat - Blocks - Sheaves, Parts, Bases at West Marine

[Tori]

He has them on the warehouse they are 140 each..., are all these sheaves the same?
West marine know us well we are financing that store

[Hudson Force]

Swigging in the rigging & sources for specific siezed sheaves? I can't say & who could! Is your mast standing or do you have the opportunity to work with this without hoisting up in the bosun's chair? If you're able to remove the sheaves, then just the extraction of the axel pin holding them in place will probably free them. Some can fall down inside the mast if you're not careful. If you can remove them, take them to Sailor's Exchange not far from you in St. Augustine on King Street; however, once you get them out you might find that they can be cleaned, lubricated and returned to function. Take care and joy, Aythya crew

[Tori]

Mast is standing the lower sheaves are too corroded to save so I assume the uppers are as well. Was going to have replacements on hand so when rigging guy comes he cam do the uppers we can do the lowers ourselves. Will check out sailors exchange going to st Augustine soon anywats

[osirissail]

There are two different basic types of sheaves - bronze Oilite bearing sheaves and ball bearing sheaves. See below for Oilite bearing.
- - Ronstan, Schaeffer, Harken, and a few others make a large selection of sizes and types.
- - If your original sheaves are fine except the "bearing" are shot, you can press out the old Oilite, buy new Oilite bearings and press fit them back into the sheave.
- - If you want to switch to roller bearings then you have to find the proper size, diameter/thickness/shaft (hole) size. These would be more expensive than Oilte type sheaves but the difference in friction and life-span makes up for the cost.
- - The biggest problem that arise with replacements is the shaft size and sheave thickness.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and good questions.
We just went through this with an upper sheave on our club's International Folkboat. There is a commercial rigger who had a stainless sheave and a bearing shop with oilite bearings and we combined them to make up one very good sheave.
I'm not certain why nothing ever is the exact same size as what you want to replace but that's ok. It works just fine and you can come really close.
kind regards,

[Tori]

Here are pics of the lower sheaves after being soaked and cleaned lol

[osirissail]

If you cannot find a suitable sheave all by itself for a replacement, you can look at blocks and measure their sheave. If it is the correct size or close enough, disassemble the block and use its sheave.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by Tori

Here are pics.........

These are the least impressive "before and after" pictures of all time! I think it's a time to search for new stuff! Take care and joy, Aythya crew

[DeepFrz]

Sometimes putting them in a sonic cleaner with some oil works.

[Jim Cate]

At this point you have nothing to loose! Those alloy sheaves very likely have oilite bronze bushes and stainless pins. Drive out the pins... if they are riveted over, drill off the rivet heads. Don't be afraid to belt the hell out of them... again, you have little to loose. Once you have the sheaves out, take them to your local bearing supply house. They will be able to measure the size of the bushes and supply new ones. You can then drive out the old bushes. I usually can find a socket wrench of an appropriate size to use as a driver. If you have access to a decent bench vise they can be used as a "yotties press" to remove the bushes. Then clean up the sheaves with a wire brush... don't forget to clean out the bores. Then lube the holes and press the new bushes in using the vise if available or a hardwood block and hammer if not. Now you are about home free. Clean up the housings using wet or dry paper or whatever you have at hand. Reassemble using an appropriate cap screw as an axle. Try to find one with an unthreaded shank for the bush to ride on... shine up the bearing area by putting the screw in a drill motor and polishing it with some fine sandpaper.

There! That wasn't so hard, was it?

Good luck, and remember that this isn't rocket science. It doesn't have to be perfect for it to be a huge improvement over what you have now!

Cheers,

Jim

[mike d.]

put concentrated heat to pin then hit with P.B. blaster and repeat a few times this should get them moving. the odds are that the uppers are not in as bad a condition because they are higher up and farther from the salt(water). the sheaves were probably forgotten about in any maintenance regime. if they come loose and don't get mangled in the process you can clean the sheave line surface by putting a bolt thru hole and putting in a drill and then rolling sand paper to diameter and depth of groove and cleaning them up that way

[Patrick_DeepPlaya]

I bought new sheaves and pins from ZephyrWerks in Port Townsend, WA.
Zephyrwerks - The Sheave Factory

-p

[Vasco]

RAND Machine - Custom Sheaves