Winch Maintenance: Getting the most out of your Lewmar Winch

With over 70 years experience, Lewmar winches are designed to go the distance, reliable, functional, and rugged in design. The complete range of Lewmar winches are known for their simplicity, without the need for tools to disassemble and maintain the parts, meaning you’re able to repair and maintain on the go, at any time.

The importance of servicing your winch: Your Lewmar winch will give long and safe service, if user instructions are followed and routine maintenance and cleaning are carried out.

Fitting your winch

To optimise performance on deck, correctly aligning the output gear is critical when fitting your winches. Follow these steps:

1. Remove the drum

Click here for full video on how to disassemble your winch

2. Locate the winch base so that the output gear sits perpendicular to the load direction as shown in the diagram:

Top Tip: Ensure the gears are clearly accessible, able to be removed for servicing so they last the test of time!

3. When you are happy with the placement of your winch, mark the location of the bolt holes onto the fitting surface with a permanent marker or pen.

Top Tip: Mark points and remove winch for drilling. Drilling directly through the bolt hole could cause disruption to the placement of your winch or damage to the unit itself.

4. Remove the winch, revealing your drilling marks.

5. Drill the holes as appropriate for selected fittings. Select bolts and washers for your desired fitting depth

6. Apply a bedding compound or marine quality silicon sealant around the bolt holes

Top Tip: Fit an insulation gasket if the winch is mounted on aluminium or a similar metal surface.

7. Bolt the winches into place, progressively tightening the bolts in a circular motion.

8. Clean off surplus bedding compound, as recommended by the sealant manufacturer.

9. Refit the drum.

Top tip: Fit the top cap so that it is thumb tight. The benefit of Lewmar winches, is that you can assemble and disassemble them tool free!

10. Check that the winch is operating correctly.

Operating your winch for max performance

Fit winch handle in top of winch spindle and turn in a clockwise or anticlockwise direction to drive the winch drum according to the instructions for the winch you have purchased. Ensure line is loaded clockwise into the winch.

One-Speed Self-Tailing Winch (15ST)

Turn handle anti-clockwise to drive the drum.
Turn handle clockwise to produce a ratchet action.

Self-Tailing Winches

The turn leading from the drum must be passed across the stripper mechanism and placed correctly into the spring jaws. The winch must be mounted so that the loose sheet falls correctly into a secure stowage position. The position of the stripper arm can be adjusted to give correct sheet stripping.
There must be a minimum of three turns of rope on the drum.
Release the rope from the jaw set with care as LOAD will be present
Ease the line away with care, then remove from the drum.
The jaws are designed to accept a range of rope diameters. The winch should only be used with ropes of the sizes recommended.

Two-Speed Winches (30ST, 40ST, 45ST, 50ST, 55ST, 65ST)

Turn handle clockwise to drive the drum in 1st gear. Note: on all self-tailing 2-speed winches, turn handle anti-clockwise for 1st gear (Highest gear = fastest speed).
Turn handle in opposite direction to drive the drum in 2nd (Lowest gear = slowest speed).

Adjusting Self Tailers

Remove top cap and feeder arm.
Rotate stripper ring to required position, (it can be moved in 8 x 45° increments, with the winch bolted in place).
Replace feeder arm and top cap.

Remember

Winches are designed to generate very high loads, stored as energy you cannot see. Always release the load by easing off turns on the rope drum with great care.
Always place three or more turns of rope on to drum to ensure easy and safe handling of winch.
For very high loading add extra turns for safety.

Take a load off, with Lewmar electric winch conversion kits

With touch of a button control over line intake the Lewmar electric winch conversion kits allow you to transform your standard winch into a electric powered version. Our electric converter kits includes:

Motor gearbox
Control switch
Circuit breaker
A full range of accessories also available

See electric winches here

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Winch Maintenance: Getting the most out of your Lewmar Winch

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