Removing Lewmar Winch

[TrailerTrash]

I wanted to pull my winches, for both maintenance and the fact that I'm installing a big jib kit. I popped off those little screw hole covers and could barely get my socket on the nuts on the underside. I got one of them off and was struggling to get the socket over the other three. Tired of messing with those little holes, I bought a 4" access port and a hole saw to open up the inner liner, and hopefully, with better access, I could make some progress.

Long story short...... There is no backing plate, so the nuts are sunk into the plywood. That wouldn't be so hard to deal with, but the studs that the nuts are threaded on just spins so about the only approach I can see is cutting them off with a 4" grinder.

Does anyone have words of wisdom before I get medieval on this thing?

[Jimmyt]

Don’t get medieval.

You don’t have to remove the base to service the winches. However, if you want to remove the base from the boat, you first have to disassemble the winch. I’m not sure exactly which winch you have but it’s probably something like this.



If you notice, in the first part of the video (around 1:33), after he lifts off the spool, there is a brief shot of the base, showing the countersunk mounting machine screws. You’ll need the appropriate tool holding these to remove the nuts from below.

[TrailerTrash]

Don’t get medieval.

You don’t have to remove the base to service the winches. However, if you want to remove the base from the boat, you first have to disassemble the winch. I’m not sure exactly which winch you have but it’s probably something like this.



If you notice, in the first part of the video (around 1:33), after he lifts off the spool, there is a brief shot of the base, showing the countersunk mounting machine screws. You’ll need the appropriate tool holding these to remove the nuts from below.

Yeah... like many things after I posted, I went and found a video on how to take it apart. Once I got the top removed, I could get at the four screws, and then I worked off the four nuts. I had to remove it because the big jib kit has a spacer for under the winch. It was sealed to the deck of the boat with what I think is 5200. It kept it from leaking for 36 years, and wow, that stuff holds.

I pulled the winch apart, cleaned it with some chain degreaser, lubed it back up, and it works like a charm now. I don't believe those things have ever been serviced from the looks of it.

I'm going to figure out some sort of backing plate.