Barlow Winch (attn: Delmarrey)

[SkiprJohn]

A long while ago I started taking apart my Barlow 32 ST winches and was getting ready just a couple days ago to really get into cleaning and servicing using diesel fuel to clean and special winch grease to lubricate.
To make a long story short - while lifting the drum off one of them it stuck just before coming off. I tried several times lifting and jiggling and then I had a brilliant idea. I would tap on the top of the bearing race so it would drop down and free the drum. Big mistake! These bearing race/cages are made of plastic and needless to say I broke one.

Don't do this at home folks!!

Del if the ID diameter of your spare bearings are 1 7/8 I'd like to purchase your spares.

JohnL

[SkiprJohn]

Good news. I got Hutton-Arco at HUTTON-ARCO Yacht Winches to send the necessary parts and finally I got one all cleaned up, parts repaired, greased, oiled and it works like a charm. Like new. I recommend Hutton-Arco. They were helpful and quick and all done via e-mail.

Kind regards,

JohnL

P. S. I could still use any old spare bearings and pawls anyone might have for Barlows.

[boris]

cleaning winches right up their with cleaning toilets

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Boris,
You got that right except the dirty sticky gooey stuff is a bit kinder in a winch. If either the winch or the head don't work you have a problem.
JohnL

[SkiprJohn]

Someone mentioned not using diesel fuel to clean winches and to use kerosene instead. Isn't it about the same?
I did use kerosene by the way.
JohnL

[Pblais]

I've run across Hutton-Arco before and saved the web link. The supply of the bearing packs is clearly something I could need as they can break easily. All 5 winches we have are Barient 2 speeds. I did them all last fall. Took about 45 minutes per winch. Cleaning those in the cockpit really is easier than the head. The comfortable dirty job vs the tight confined stinky job I suppose.

Can you use Barient or Lewmar pawl springs in your Barlows? Those springs are easily purchased at West Marine as are the pawls. Mine being 17 years old with a lot of miles on them still seem to be fine after cleaning. The springs however were pretty shot. I replaced them all (1$ per spring 4 springs per winch). You can telll when they don't go clicky clicky with a nice sharp sound.

There were really caked up with dried grease, now like new and so much easier to pull on.

[Weyalan]

Alan Hutton of Hutton Arco was very helpful to me when I needed drawings and parts list for my old Maxwell winches.

[Pblais]

Looking at the web site I would go for their winches if it required me to buy new. The all metal stripping rings have appeal and the internals look just like all the leaders with nice cut bronze gear construction and lifetime warranty.

[cptnandy]

Hutton-Arco has or will make any parts needed for Barlow winches. They bought all Barlow's spare parts stock when Barlow went the way of the DODO including the drawings / specs. They will also give you a trade in on your old barlow / Barent winches aginst thier new ones. Great company, with very good customer service.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Paul,
I know the blow up diagram of Barient looks just like my Barlow so I think the pawls and springs would be interchangeable. Not certain though. If there were a West Marine here I'd check.
I've got a pair of Barlow 2sp 32STs and one has delrin bearings and the other has stainless bearings. Any opinions?
You must have had a lot easier time of cleaning than I did with 45 min per winch. I could not drive out one of the gear axles so got it out part way and cleaned it the best I could while it was still attached. It all goes clickety when it should and holds a line so I think I'm good to go. The grease was tan in color and caked hard in spots with no lubrication left at all.
I've got one more Barlow to do and two Lewmars and a couple small Barients. If they were 45 mins I'd be extremely happy.
Hutton-Arco is the best!

[cptnandy]

Skipper John,
According to Hutton-Arco the stainless bearings are for bronze drums and the derlin for aluminum drums. At least that is what they told me when I ordered new bearings for my Barlows

[Pblais]

I've got a pair of Barlow 2sp 32STs and one has delrin bearings and the other has stainless bearings. Any opinions?

The delrin bearings last a long time. I think the problem is if any grit were to get into them then they would grind up quick. I don't see any way that would normally happen. None of mine showed any wear. The precision fit makes for no wiggle to a cause more wear.

Getting mine apart was pretty easy. A hex wrench down the winch top unscrews the top from the spindle and I just lifted it off. My bearings were stuck to the spindle so the top was apart. For some reason I expected pawl springs to go flying. They didn't of course, but through out the whole time I was doing the jib winches I felt like I was going to drop something in the water. I was very careful not to lose the pawl springs but last two. Since it's a 45 minute drive to west marine I bought 7 packs of 3. Why they come three to a pack is beyond me. In the end I was glad I replaced them all. A few were pretty weak.

I did not remove all the spindles from the gears, but got all the assemplies apart easily. I just broke things down enough to take everything that could be cleaned apart. A tooth brush works well with a little bit of kero. Then use the tooth brush to apply the grease on most things. Good rags that are not too fuzzy help wipe out the bits of residue left over.

The old grease was some nasty waterproof grease that was too thickly applied but it kept the gears from wearing, yet added far too much friction once it got so stiff.

The springs were a bit odd. The Lewmar springs are V shaped with a couple twists at the apex to form the spring. The Barient springs on the one V side also has an extra ten degree bend outward about mid way. It fits inside the captive of the pawl that holds it in place better and closes flat and parallel that way. Took a while to figure out which way but looking and playing with it it's not hard to see one way is right. I sure could not rmember how it came apart so that took a while. So if the V sides of the springs are straight wire I have to think Lewmar springs would work. They were the same size wire and overall dimension as the Barient. The pawls are hard steel and West Marine has Barient and Lewmar in stock for those ($10). I needed none as mine were all totally unworn. Those may not be so interchangeable.

The good news is all the gears looked almost brand new after 17 years. I doubt they got cleaned often. Some had dark stains on them but the metal looked great and no wear at all on any of the teeth. The precise cut of the gears really shows why these things last like they do and cost so much. It's a great example of fine machine work.

The windlass probably needs some attention too

[Stevens 47]

I broke the Clamp Ring on my Barrient 28. Hutton-Arco made me a replacement, works as good as new. I echo the previous remarks a good company to deal with.

[sneuman]

Originally Posted by boris

cleaning winches right up their with cleaning toilets

Ah, not that bad. I did all mine over the winter, from "regular" barlows to self-tailing lewmars. Once you get past the first one, the mystique wears off and it's pretty easy, actually. The kerosene is a bit messy and smelly, but I've done worse jobs in a boat.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Paul and Captandy,
I wonder if that nasty caked on tan winch grease was original to the winches. I have an unused winch that had the same junk in it.
Both my 32s have aluminum drums. One had delrin bearings and the other had stainless. Weird.
I once heard that it is good to take them apart as soon as you get a new one and put good grease in them.
JohnL