'Sticky' Winches

[GordMay]

I read (on another site *) where the plastic "inner core" (?) on smaller Barient Winches can “swell up” (possibly due to the absorption of synthetic greases) causing friction and tight operation.
This is counterintuitive (to me), as I would have thought most modern “plastics” would be mostly impervious & immune to absorption.
Has anyone heard of, or experienced this phenomenon?
See the Barient manuals at: http://www.cncphotoalbum.com/winches/barientndx.htm

* Original thread at:http://www.sailboatowners.com/forums...05110190436.71

April 24/05:
I’ve since been told that it’s the “plastic’ base (smaller models) that absorbs water, swells up, and requires occasional sanding.

Thanx,
Gord

[Alan Wheeler]

Hi Gord. Not in the Winch department yet, but I have found some plastics used as bearings that have swelled due to lubricants. A recent on was special bearing plastics used in rollers on a boat trailer. The plastic had swelled enough to lock up the Rollers. I had to shave off a little to enable the Rollers to turn once again. The owner was most surprised that this speacial material had swelled.

[JGI417]

Maybe it was what they cleaned the winches with before they lubed them that caused the problem,
Just guessing here,
john

[GordMay]

I’ve since been told that it’s the “plastic’ base (smaller models) that absorbs water, swells up, and requires occasional sanding.
Gord

[Alan Wheeler]

Plastic swelling from water? now that's a new on on me.

[GordMay]

Me too - which is why I asked.
I know, from my comparative study of different HDPE-type (ie: StarBoard) material properties that plastics have some absorption, but did not expect it to present such a significant problem.
Of course we are talking about old winch bases, which might have been sitting in standing moisture over a long period of time.
Nonetheless, I was a little surprised.