Lewmar Sprint 1500 windlass

This morning my Lewmar Sprint 1500 vertical windlass came to a grinding halt. If I let out a few feet of chain, I could pull maybe 15'-20' before the windlass slowed down again.

I learned from Lewmar that the 1500 is discontinued and they do not sell any parts for the windlass.

When a friend helped me remove the windlass from my bow, we found the gear case is full of mud and grease. I am hoping to clean and grease the gears tomorrow. I found one site P2Marine that has some of the parts for the unit.

Does anyone know of other resellers that have parts for this windlass?
What grease do you recommend for repacking the windlass?

Thanks

Here's what I use to grease mine. My gearbox holds 90w oil too. Mines Maxwell though.
http://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=...rct=j&q=&ved=0CBEQpys&ei=YJuUVZaPL9GmyATgy7VA

You want a sticky low speed grease. The stuff Oliver uses looks fine except it says Lucas on the label. I'd be afraid the electrical system will go next with Lucas on the boat. If you've ever owned a British sports car, you'll get that joke.

Oliver and Parks - Thank you. We took the windlass apart, cleaned out all of the mud and rebuilt it with a new main bearing and a pile of Lucas Red and Sticky #2. We reinstalled the unit and it moved chain about 15' before it stopped working. This time, we can hear the motor running but the gypsy is not spinning. We will take it back apart to see if we missed something.

Check the shaft key. I ended up using locktite on mine (different make) after the third time I pulled it apart.

Have you looked in the chain locker???? Many times, your windlass will stack chain right on top of itself to the point that it jams up the hawse pipe...to the point of disbelief when you go look at it. It looks like one of those hippies stacking rocks on the beach. This big tower of chain right underneath the windlass. Anyway, I know you guys have been in there. I only say this because that is exactly what my windlass does. Sometimes I have to go down and manually "flake" the chain.

If the chain jams from "pyramiding" of chain in the locker, the motor should not run. If it totally locks up it may trip the breaker. I suppose if some kind of clutch operated it could run. There was a suggestion in a previous thread of "acquiring" a roadside "witches hat" to sit in the locker and prevent pyramiding by distributing the chain around it.

thanks guys - the shaft does not have a single key but several round rods that fit into the sides of the shafts where gears connect to the shaft. Once the gear is on the shaft, the rods are locked into place.


As far as chain piling up - there is about 4-5' drop from the bottom of the windlass to the chain in the locker. The motor spins but nothing moves forward or reverse.


hjd

Did it run correctly, ie turn the shaft and gypsy, when you reassembled it before re-installation? Can you getting it running no load on the bench,or in place, working parts as exposed as possible. If it works well could the motor be unable to sustain a load? Could there be a power supply issue?

Sounds like maybe a clutch issue if the motor spins.

And a reason to never buy a Lewmar windlass if they don't support a model young enough to be on a GH 47.

I don't have a lewmar windlass, but I have always used the grease Lewmar uses for it's sailboat winches. One tube lasts a long time.

LEWMAR GearGrease Winch Grease | West Marine

On my windlass (Quick), it is easy to install the clutch cone incorrectly. If that happens, the windlass exhibits the same problem you are having.

This windlass does not have a clutch cone. It is a compound gear box.
Once it was put back together, it did run "correctly" for a short test forward and backwards. We then put chain on it and it seemed to work ok for a short test. We then put an anchor on the chain and it ran ok for a short time and then failed.

On my Lewmar 1000, every once in a while, the motor spins but no rode moves. I need to retighten the clutch with the Lewmar wrench. Hopefully yours will be as simple.

To finish the thread - what we found is a missing C-clip that was allowing the gears to jump up. Got a c-clip and reassembled. It seems to work. I have not tested it with a set anchor but will in a week or two.