Help me with my bearings (ball bearings that is)

[jbinbi]

Hoping someone here has done this job and can give some advice as the manufacturer had no information at all.

See the pics. The traveler car lost its bearings. The end piece on both cars (there are 2 cars linked together) broke off. The bearings came out. So one side of the car is not being held down on the track as well as not sliding.

Called lewmar and after many hours we figured out what the end piece pn was and I got 2 new end pieces and a bag of bearings.

The question is: How do I get the bearings in?

I am thinking that I need to take the end cap of the traveler track off, slide the car off the track (not sure if the other bearings will all come out?) then put new bearings in, end cap back on, and slide car back on track?

Are the bearings in a race so they won't fall out if I slide the car out. Or do I just slide the car a bit past the end of the track, but leaving the rest of the car still on the track and feed in the bearings, then put the end cap on? I am hoping this is not the case as one car has end cap on the outside end, but the other car has the broken cap on the inside end.

Anyone who has done this job I would appreciate your input.

[Nicholson58]

They are supposed to be in place clean and dry. Reassembly in place is a six hand job.

The car as delivered would have had a filler to simulate the track and hold everything where it belongs. Line the car with the track and slide car onto track. KEEP the filler retainer so you can handily rebuild the car in the future. Did the PO leave the fillers? ��

Perhaps you can find or make fillers.

If you need to temporarily stick the balls in place try taffy or other thick sugar goo. This can be dissolved out with hot water.

[Dsanduril]

BTDT. Have the identical hardware, can't say I did it the best way, but it worked for me.

There is no race, taking the car off the track loses the balls. As Nicholson58 says having the car on a short section of track is the right way, but then you have to remove end stops, turning blocks, etc.

To do it in place:

Slide the traveller to a location where inserting balls will cause them to go downhill to the other end of the car.

Tape a plastic sheet down around the car (360 degrees) and pull it up in the air away from the car. This will be your catcher so that balls that get away don't get too far away (or worse, escape entirely).

Make sure there is a good end cap on the far end of the car. If I'm right that this is the same as ours the end cap has a U-turn race that allows balls to circulate.

Start inserting balls on one side, push them into the car. Keep going until they go all the way around, through the U-turn, and start to come out back at the end where you are working. Put a piece of tape over the race ends. Repeat steps on the other side of the car until the races are full on both sides. (Note, this can be particularly tricky if there are not enough balls remaining in the car to keep it centered on the track - in that case you need to create a wedge or something similar to lock the car in the center position).

If you are able to count the total balls used, match that to what Lewmar says for your car. In my case, IIRC I had to put two balls into each U-turn in the new end cap. Take the tape off the end of the races (having spare hands for this part helps) then carefully move the new end cap to the car (remember, you may have a couple of balls in its races), butt them up, install the fasteners, breathe.

[jbinbi]

Thanks for the tip. @Nicholson, We did NOT get new cars. Just the end caps to the cars that are broken off.

No PO, this is just noticed after sailing one day. End caps were broken off, and car not holding down on track. Lashed the cars to the cockpit arch to keep them down and can sail, but cannot let the traveler out so want to fix this.

@Dsan, we can take track end off and slide one car over just to the end . If we do this, can we slide balls in without losing any. Car would still be on the track , just the end would be over I think. Not at the boat, so hard to really know.

On the car that has the cap broken on the inside, not sure if we can put the inside cap on, slide car to the other side, take off outside cap, and put balls in. Not sure if you can put the cap on at all while still on the track?

[bstreep]

For those trying to keep bearings in place (or many other things on a sailboat) while working on them. KY Jelly. Yes, it's funny seeing people's looks. But it's gooey for the temporary job, and washes off with plain old water.

[thunderhoof]

Are you addressing the reason the end caps were broken in the first place? It seems like the cars are banging into the track stops too hard. Are they elastic material? The most likely time for this to happen is during an accidental jibe in foul weather, exactly when you do not want the traveler to fail.

[Bycrick]

When I had a similar problem with a Harken Furler (36 balls on a slanted surface while standing on the pulpit, etc.), Harken suggested spray-can shaving cream. It washes out easier than KY jelly and will provoke fewer strange looks at the drug store.

[Searles]

Yep shaving cream is the go ,done it many times ,just don’t take too long.⛵️⚓️

[Jim Cate]

It washes out easier than KY jelly and will provoke fewer strange looks at the drug store.

Possibly true, but I still wouldn't advise telling the clerk that you intend to spray it on your balls...

Jim

[Searles]

Just a fuddy duddy

[Thumbs Up]

Mine came with solid rods instead of bearings. I was able to retrofit to bearings. The solid rods I kept lest there ever be a problem with the bearings (there hasn't). With solid rods you can not adjust the traveler under much load but at least you can still sail.