Balls

[sail4dale]

What a mess.  I disassembled my Autohelm to inspect the belt condition (just like is says you should do) and upon opening it up the ball bearings promptly fell all over the cockpit and, you guessed it. some rolled right out the stern and GONE.   

My problem is:  Where do you find a few (6) 8 mm. steel balls for replacement?  I've been quoted over $50 plus freight for a replacement assembly : but I don't need the whole @#@!%#$% thing.  Any help or ideas out there in our esteemed advisory group?

[Stephen Butler]

Go to an industrial parts supplier, machinery repair business, a machine shop, or a ball-bearing distributor.  These types guys will usually have what you need.  I once lost some ball bearings out of a tool, and found them after calling around a bit.  Good luck.

[reedbr]

Go to any bicycle shop and bring a ball bearing with you as a sample.  They should have an assortment of loose bearings in that size range. 

I've lost a few things out that walk-out (roll-out, bounce-out) transom myself.

[Jon Schneider]

And if those options fail, McMaster-Carr has them (mcmaster.com)

[Tom Lanzilli]

Is this made by Edson?

[sail4dale]

no, it's a RayMarine (autohelm) product.  I did go to McMaasters/Carr and got the little devils.  Installation was a real joy   But now it's assembled and it seems the motor is going on the fritz and making bad noises and stalling under a light load.  Maybe the bearings going???
Adjusting the clutch does  no good. 

Time for a visit to a Raymarine repair station  $$$$$

[Jon Schneider]

Sounds like you put one too many ball bearings back in.  Worth a try any way.  Good luck.

[sail4dale]

you can't; there is a race that contains each ball so there is just space fopr 21

[Jeff_McKinney]

Uhhh, did ya put any kind of lube in the bearing races?

[sail4dale]

no way, the book says no lube, so I made the bearings stay in the open ended race with bar soap on each one.  then after a successful reassembly I washed the soap our with water   

after a test the  $%#$%%$ thing was still bad and the clutch wasn't the probelm.  Apparently the gear box was bad .... soooo  back to Raymarine for factory rework.  Haven't heard what they have found yet.