Winch Maintenance Question...

[flopresti]

Now I'm retired I have time to do my own maintenance on winches. My first question is... can I take them off and clean and replace springs at home? And any hints will be useful.... I have old Barient winches.... (1988). Thanks Frank....

[Ziggy]

Sure. You'll need to take them apart to remove them, so make sure you know how to put them back together again. It's best to have a small bucket or a similar container for all the parts. And don't loose the itty bitty springs and pawls...

[TheOffice]

Barients are easy to service. Use your gas key to loosen the top ring. Take a cardboard box, but a hole the circumfrance of the base and place it over the winch so parts don't get lost. Almost impossible to pt together wrong - the gears are different sizes and only go in one place. remeber to use oil, not grease, on the pawls and springs.

[delmarrey]

Why not clean them on the boat. Automotive Brake cleaner works real good.

>>>> http://www.cheoyleeassociation.com/R...t%20Winchs.pdf <<<<

[flopresti]

Thank you for your info. Exactly what I needed to know. I'll fit a cardboard box with slot cut out to keep me from loosing any parts. And the gas key is good info... the instructions said a "barient winch" wrench.

I want to do it at home 'cause it's very cold in Long Island.... Thanks

[Stumble]

The problem with doing it at home is you have to pretty much disassemble the winch to get to the bolts that bolt it onto the boat. This is one of those things I would probably wait on until you have a nice day. Once you get it down it only takes a few minutes to do, and the time and effort of un bolting is going to make it a real pain.

[flopresti]

Yes, I'm gonna do the winches on the hard. As it is going up to 50 today, things look better... Frank..._/)...

[Dynamo1181]

Frank,
I hsve done my 12 Barient service on 12 winches for 21 yrs. Be extremely carful on disassembly and assembly as any needed parts are extremely hard to find. On land or water, I drape cloth over the life lines to prevent any parts from jumping over. I have 12 of these from the smaller to size 32 and 36. I use diesel fuel for cleaning and repack with winch grease that I find at West Marine. On cleaning I use 3 buckets of solvent for progressive cleaning. You will not have a problem, but be sure you block any potential exit for parts overboard.
A

[bstreep]

A 5 gallon pickle bucket, a gallon of paint thinner, and a toothbrush, along with a lot of paper towels. Take pics as you go - so you can get it back together. This isn't a bad project. I did spring for Lewmar grease.

[Stu Jackson]

DON'T, DO NOT, PLEASE DON'T take them off.

It simply isn't worth it. Even if it is winter.

DO do them on the boat. Use the old carboard box trick if you must, but I never found that to be necessary.

[daddle]

Some winches must be removed from the deck to service internal parts.

[savoir]

The part most likely to go " sproinngg " over the side is the pawl spring. Put a cloth over your hand as you slide them up and you can't go wrong. Even if you lose one they are easy to replace and only come in two sizes as do the pawls. Check the edges of the pawls which might be worn on an old winch. The edges should be a sharp corner rather than rounded.

Kerosene is also a good cleaner for the parts.

[daddle]

Another popular moment is when the bearings come off with the drum. They wait to fall out the drum until they are sure they can bounce into the sea.

[Red Sky]

+1 on the towel or blanket over the lifelines Dynamo1181. I like to have enough cloth to cover the deck next to the winch, reduces the bounce factor

[gjordan]

Cloth and cardboard are good , but also make darn sure you plug your cockpit drains. dont ask me how I learned that one_____Grant.