Lewmar Anchor Windlass 1000 motorgearbox maintenance

[Sam the Sailor]

I have Lewmar Anchor Windlass 1000 in my -91 Hallber-Rassy 36. In the manual it says "At least every 6 months clean it, wash away the salt, grease the main shaft, bearings and motorgearbox, lightly oil (SAE10) the ratchet assembly and it will continue to give you good service."

Do you know how to grease the motorgearbox? I have no manual for it, but when I tried to open the 8 bolts (two marked with red circles in the picture below) oil started coming through the bolt hole. I guess that's not the right way to apply grease? And that oil brought up another question: should I check/refill the motorgearbox oil and if yes any ideas how to do it?

If it helps there is text in the motorgearbox: Bonfiglioli MVF 63/FC. Manufactured 10/1992

Also do you think it's possible that the main shaft has moved down a bit? When I opened the windlass from the deck I got the feeling that it should be couple of millimeters higher.

[Mycroft]

I don't know specifically about that particular windlass, but I can tell you my experience with my Nilsson V3000 windlass.

If you were to continue removing those bolts, you would eventually have more than a pint of gearbox grease with the consistency of pancake batter pour out of it with no way of getting any back in - since it's upside down.

The only fittings on my windlass for adding grease are above deck at the deck plate and at the upper clutch plate.

To replace the grease in the gearbox, it has to be taken completely off and taken apart. You would want a replacement seal kit for the job since it would be imprudent to go through all that work and just use the same seals again.

While you're at it, you can have the motor serviced as well.

I'm ordering the seal kit from Nilsson and I ended up ordering a new motor so I can have a reversing motor.

Bob

[Mycroft]

Since it's more than 20 years old, unless you know it's been serviced in the last 5 years, I would recommend doing the job.

[Frankly]

I have a SL Anchorman 1000 that I have worked on several times over the years. Looks similar to your picture but the motor is different.

You need to remove the unit to do any significant maintenance. Spray some WD40 on everything and drop the gearbox/ motor by removing the nuts from the four mounting studs. Everything else comes loose from the topside. My capstan/ gypsy had dropped slightly and was rubbing on the mounting plate. Snap ring supporting the assy on the top bearing had broken. The main bearing is readily available (used stainless this last time), main seal not found yet but will find one. Used a spirolox to replace the broken snap ring.

No fill/ drain port found for the gearbox (worm drive), so I pulled one of the bearing covers, let it drain overnight, filled it with mineral sipirits, drained again, and a final filling with outboard lower unit hypoid oil (what I had). Slow go so measure the original drain to match the refill.

Parts diagram all over the net and some guy (SL Spares in UK) offering some spares for a precious price. Well designed unit but lives in a bad neighborhood so needs a little TLC from time to time.

Frank

[Frankly]

I tried to upload a pdf exploded view but didn't fly. Just search for SL Anchorman 1000.

Frank

[Sam the Sailor]

Good that I didn't open the screws more or I would've had a lot of oil coming out

I bought my boat a year ago and don't know the windlass has been serviced last time. But I think it's a while ago so I should do it now. But before doing it I will get the replacement seal kit as Mycroft proposed.

My sympthoms look very similar to what Frankly had since it is rubbing the mounting plate.

All in all, looks like it's time for complete overhaul for the windlass. Thanks for the answers and tips how to do it!


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[zwk]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYo31dDaSXc