Lewmar Winch Spindle Tooth Deformation

[rmbrown]

Hey gang:

Pictures to follow but, while rebuilding my two Lewmar 46STs and my two Lewmar 30STs, I found that the teeth of the center spindle are deformed to the point that you can't get the spindle out of the top of the winch.  I removed the winches to rebuild in my shop anyway (from the look of things, the hardened grease might be original equipment) and all else seems to be in order.  I had no indication of any trouble, just doing preventative maintenance, so I don't know that this an issue that has to be fixed.

I'm planning to, at a minimum, grind or file to reduce the diameter to original specs so I can get it out from the top on future rebuilds, but I'm wondering a couple of things:
1) What in the world caused this deformation?  It's hard to believe that someone cranked that hard.  I've wondered if someone left the winches loaded over time, which is possible I guess, but still shocked it would cause this.  The winches are just for halyard use and haven't been left loaded since I've had the boat (about 1.5 years).
2) Am I better off trying to reshape the teeth or leaving them as is?

Pictures to follow.

[rmbrown]

Here's the pictures...

[KWKloeber]

Mike,

Pics of the mating gears?

They are non Ocean series, correct?

-k

[rmbrown]

I have Lewmar Wavegrips...  they predate the evos and oceans.  1983 to 1991, I believe.

https://www.p2marine.com/lewmar-winch-parts/lewmar-wavegrip-winch-parts/lewmar-wavegrip-30-winch-parts

Photos of mating gears attached, although how the stainless gear deformed and not the bronze gear is a mystery to me.  Happened on both winches, though.

[rmbrown]

Rethought the bronze gear deformation and took some more pictures.  These show deformation, but still not as much as I'd expect given the amount shown on the stainless teeth.

[KWKloeber]

Mike

Also ck your collets carefully for wear, that let's the drum slop back and forth, you can feel the wear. 

Jon, did you rework the new ones?  Dremel?

-k

[Jon W]

Not yet, life got in the way. Projects are backed up. I plan to use a Dremel to trim the new collets to fit.

[rmbrown]

Re collets, on my 30's they show no wear.  On my 46's they do show wear, so I intend to flip them over.  At $77 each, I can't see replacing them.  Might trying making or having some made at some point.

Re the tooth deformation, I talked to Lewmar today.  They too, were surprised to hear about the deformation on the stainless being greater than on the bronze.  Maybe the bronze gears were replaced in the past and the spindle was not.  I asked if I was better off letting the clutches hold the load once winched into position and he said that wasn't necessary.  I asked about trying to reshape the teeth and he said that, if I couldn't tell when the winch was in use, to just clean up the burrs and decrease the diameter so that I could get the spindle out the top and leave it alone, given the age.

[lazybone]

I suspect a crappy batch of annealed 302 stainless sneaked it's way into production.

[KWKloeber]

Re collets, on my 30's they show no wear.  On my 46's they do show wear, so I intend to flip them over.  At $77 each, I can't see replacing them.  Might trying making or having some made at some point.

Mike

Au contraire, that's for the OEM collets. you don't want those, the new style are $25. 

The problem is the oem collets wear and can snap in half at the weak point where there's the least meat and the most stress.  The newer ones are stronger but need a little massaging with a Dremel and square jewelers file using the oem as a template.  If Jon had his completed that I sent I'm sure he'd have a pic of the finished product.  At $25 each it mey be worth doing before they snap and then you are in the emergency ward.

-k

[rmbrown]

I'm convinced... Who's making and selling those?  You don't mean the collets from the newer winch models, do you?

[Jon W]

Different part number than the one used for the new winches.

For the Wave Grip version winch, 15001431 is the new part number to replace the original 15000387 collet. Ken has a source for them.

[KWKloeber]

Mercy. Short memories.
MIke.  Remember I'm a Lewmar dealer?

[rmbrown]

Duh!  I had you in my head for hatches but not for winches.

So are these just the collets on today's winches modified a little?  Same thickness?

[Jon W]

You will need to modify it. In my case I noticed the slot for the collet is worn wider. I went with the new cheaper part because it was cheaper, and because it would allow me to better match the worn slot. I attached a file showing the old and new.