Traveler Bearings

[Footloose]

I still have the original traveler and am having bearings getting jambed between the car and the track.  This happened today while out with guests so I didn't have the opportunity to take it apart.  I have done a couple of searches but couldn't find anything.  I am assuming that the bearings are so worn that they are coming out of the races.  Does anyone know what size these are so I can get replacements on the way to the boat tomorrow?  I know it is time for the upgrade but would like to use the current traveler until it arrives.  One of my friends ordered one and it took about a month to arrive.  Not much time left for sailing here in Vermont.

[Stu Jackson]

With your hull # it would appear that you have the Garhauer traveler.  If you take the cars off the track you will lose all of the bearings, unless you have an old track extender that you can slide the car onto.  So there's really not much you can do except try some Sailkote or other good lubricant on the bearings until you get new cars.  Since they'd all come out if you took the cars off, if you move one car to the end and carefully let one or two drop out, you'd know the size.  If you can wait til Monday, call Bill or Guido at Garhauer and they'll tell you.

[Ron Hill]

David : If you have the 3:1 traveler, you have the original Garhauer one that came with the boat.  I'd call Garhauer (909)985-9993 and tell them your problem and they'll advise you what to do.   

[Footloose]

My son and I figured this out this afternoon in about 10 minutes.  A bearing from the sheeve on the traveler car had fallen down in the hole where it is bolted on top.  Removing the bolt revealed it.  Getting it out was the hard part.  We ended up using a straw to suck it out.  The traveler is now much smoother than it ever was.  It always has been kind of rough in its movement across the track no matter how much lube I would spray on it.  It probally got down there when the PO was changing lines or lubing the bearings.  I also found a bearing stuck in one of the screw heads on the track.  It is always good to have a PO to blame for things.

[crieders]

I replaced the traveler and the bearing went bad. They sent me new bearings and a template to make replacement easy. They will also explain on the phone