Lofrans Tigress shaft is freewheeling

[Diep]

I’ve got a Lofrans Tigress horizontal windlass.

Right now the Gypsy AND capstan end turn together freely. Motor runs both directions without turning the shaft.

Lofrans troubleshooting suggests either broken gears or broken motor shaft. Is there anything else?

Lowering the anchor (power down mode) it sucked a chain booger into the pipe between the locker and the windlass and jammed. It actually happened twice. First time I wiggled it free and the windlass freewheeled maybe a foot and then held. Happened again and worse with 150+ out. We were set by that time and fussed a while to free the chain.

I could see a hard jam allowing something to shear off but I am suspect because it freewheeled a little and then held earlier. The motor never struggled. Is there some kind of clutch inside?

It’s almost 40 years old and don’t know the history. Only the second time we’ve put it down.

Thoughts? Expecting to hand over hand it back up in a couple days time.

 

[Bmarler]

There’s not much inside that housing. It’s fairly easy to strip down too. If the capstan and chain wheel work together ok that shaft is fine, but it’s possible the key on the gear has sheared off.
Does the manual ratchet mechanism work so you can at least use the handle to pull it manually?

 

[Diep]

I can use the ratchet mechanism to lift it a half turn but as soon as I stop holding the lever it will simply roll back. Basically if I take the chain off the wheel I can spin the whole thing both ways by hand.

Current retrieval plan is to tie off a line with a lot of wraps on the capstan to “lock” the shaft. Then lift the chain by hand and drop it back on the gypsy to capture progress.

 

[Bmarler]

Ouch. Sounds like you sheared off a key on the main shaft or motor shaft.
Easy enough to fix, but only if you have the parts and a few tools.

 

[Diep]

Just checked out the exploded parts drawing. Then I opened the oil fill port.

When I turn the shaft, the gear inside doesn’t spin. When I run the motor the gear spins but the shaft doesn’t turn.

The two shaft keys must have sheared off inside. I could pull it apart here and probably get new shaft keys also. I’ll probably wait to get home just because I don’t want to lose the ability to use it to help hold the chain as it is retrieved. It will be work to raise but should be do-able.

 

[Bmarler]

Pretty much what I thought. Lucky it’s just the keys, but that’s what they’re supposed to do, saving the rest from damage.
Your other option would be to unload the whole chain where you’re at and put a buoy on it. Come retrieve when it’s fixed. You’ll see when you get a feel for how tough it is to raise.
I’ve pulled many an anchor by hand, but all chain is a tough one.
Good luck!

 

[JackConnick]

I had to order an entire repair kit to get the key for the gypsy.

 

[Diep]

I am planning on the whole kit anyway. No record in the log of any service on it so I already had it on a list to at least change the oil and lube the shaft. Looks like a full service/rebuild it is!

Pretty sure I can get the chain up. Breaking the anchor out may be another matter but you are right, worst case leave it on the seafloor for now.

 

[Jeff F]

I had mine fail with similar symptoms. There is a woodruff key on the motor shaft, and mine was worn down. I took the motor off and carried it up the street to a small engine repair shop in a small town I was cruising through, and they made me a new one in about ten minutes.

 

[Nick F]

I recently rebuilt mine. Getting the circular plate off the side (port side) of the housing was a struggle due to corroded bolts. They are flat head allen screws. I hope you have better luck! (what was effective was one of those "hammer" screwdrivers with an allen key in it.)

 

[Nick F]

I had mine fail with similar symptoms. There is a woodruff key on the motor shaft, and mine was worn down. I took the motor off and carried it up the street to a small engine repair shop in a small town I was cruising through, and they made me a new one in about ten minutes.

I don't think that the OP has the same problem - even with the key on the motor shaft broken, the main (athwartships) shaft should not turn. The worm gear ratio is high enough that it will not "back drive" and because of this there is no need for a brake on the motor shaft. As stated elsewhere above, the key that is broken must be the one that keys the wormwheel to the athwartship shaft.

 

[Jeff F]

I don't think that the OP has the same problem...

I think you're right. OP says "When I turn the shaft, the gear inside doesn’t spin. When I run the motor the gear spins but the shaft doesn’t turn."

Sorry I didn't read more carefully.

 

[Diep]

Anchor is aweigh.

Turned out to be really easy. Used the ratchet function to raise and another pipe to capture progress on the acorn clutch nut while the ratchet re-set. Back in the garage now and next step will be tearing it down and seeing if any other parts are needed for the re-build.