Catalina 34

General Activities => Main Message Board => Topic started by: sail4dale on October 31, 2006, 10:52:48 AM

Title: Balls
Post by: sail4dale on October 31, 2006, 10:52:48 AM
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.   :cry4`

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?
Title: Re: Balls
Post by: Stephen Butler on October 31, 2006, 11:19:05 AM
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.
Title: Re: Balls
Post by: reedbr on October 31, 2006, 12:37:38 PM
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.
Title: Re: Balls
Post by: Jon Schneider on October 31, 2006, 06:33:15 PM
And if those options fail, McMaster-Carr has them (mcmaster.com)
Title: Re: Balls
Post by: Tom Lanzilli on November 15, 2006, 05:14:34 PM
Is this made by Edson?
Title: Re: Balls
Post by: sail4dale on November 15, 2006, 05:26:11 PM
no, it's a RayMarine (autohelm) product.  I did go to McMaasters/Carr and got the little devils.  Installation was a real joy :cry4`  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  :cry4`$$$$$
Title: Re: Balls
Post by: Jon Schneider on November 15, 2006, 06:49:37 PM
Sounds like you put one too many ball bearings back in.  Worth a try any way.  Good luck.
Title: Re: Balls
Post by: sail4dale on November 15, 2006, 08:08:01 PM
you can't; there is a race that contains each ball so there is just space fopr 21
Title: Re: Balls
Post by: Jeff_McKinney on December 06, 2006, 06:40:51 PM
Uhhh, did ya put any kind of lube in the bearing races?
Title: Re: Balls
Post by: sail4dale on December 06, 2006, 10:37:47 PM
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   :clap

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.