Andersen 46ST winch binding

[ThereAndBack]

So here is a new one to me. I noticed my jib sheet winch (Andersen 46ST) was very hard to turn by the winch handle but the drum would rotate easily and as it should. After using this winch to roller furl the headsail in "normal" conditions I additionally noticed that the top of the winch where the handle goes in was warm to the touch. Something def causing friction.

Today I pulled the winch apart and everything came apart well except that the drive shaft will not come out easily. It will move with small taps from a hammer but I know it should pretty much just push out.

I have no idea what is causing this shaft to bind up. I'm thinking of pushing it out but don't want to damage the permanent bushings or shaft. Any thoughts?

[Snore]

sounds odd. I put Andersen on my boat because they are really beefy. 46's might be a tad light for a 43' cat. Did you contact Andersen support? They are supposed to be extremely good.

[donradcliffe]

When salt water gets in the top of the winch it leaves crystals which bind up the drive shaft. Remove it, clean the shaft and bearing, and use a waterproof grease which you renew every two years. Basic winch maintenance.

[ThereAndBack]

Originally Posted by Snore

sounds odd. I put Andersen on my boat because they are really beefy. 46's might be a tad light for a 43' cat. Did you contact Andersen support? They are supposed to be extremely good.

I haven't called them due to it being the weekend. These winches have been here for 20+ years and were installed with the boat so I think they're probably okay. I've never had any issues until now. I'm used to servicing winches but this problem is something I've never come across.

[ThereAndBack]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

When salt water gets in the top of the winch it leaves crystals which bind up the drive shaft. Remove it, clean the shaft and bearing, and use a waterproof grease which you renew every two years. Basic winch maintenance.

Reassuring to hear it could just be salt build up in there. My main concern was using "force" to get the shaft out of the housing and potentially screwing up the bearings in the process.

[Pandor]

You are unable to remove the main drive shaft, which should pull straight up and out. I had a similar problem on a Lewmar. Mine was due to deformation of the gear spines on the bottom end of the drive shaft. The winches have a fairly tight tolerance and if the winch was ever overloaded, it doesn’t take much to bugger the end just enough to prevent it from sliding up and through the bearings.

Mine was accompanied by a bent ratchet gear spindle which I suspect deformed first, causing enough slop in the ratchet gear pack to deform the dive shaft. Since in my case Lewmar doesn’t make the dive shaft anymore, I replaced the other smaller spindle and cleaned and lubricated the winch while leaving the drive shaft in place. The only way I could see to remove it would be to unbolt the winch from the deck and drop it out from beneath.

Have a good look at the ratchet gears for wear and look at their spindles for any out of trueness. If you find this, I would suspect you have a similar problem as mine on the drive shaft. I would not try to force it out of the winch if it is reluctant to come easily.

[ThereAndBack]

So... Today I pounded the drive shaft out. I found that in the middle of the drive shaft is some sort of plastic, in the diagrams an "O-ring" that has come apart. This is certainly the source of the problem. However, it looks more like some sort of plastic band rather than an o-ring to me.