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[Nordsee]

I have one of these "cheaper" winches fitted in my Dulcibelle and I have found that after during a sail in any sort of breeze that the mainsheet neutral moves slowly outwards, until I have to adjust the sheet length so I can closehaul the mainsail, This can only happen so much until the drum needs to be removed and the sheet wound back to its proper neutral, Anyone else had this problem? I am using whipping cord as the sheeting, so I cannot imagine it is stretching, or???????

[exvtop]

Is the drum slipping on the splines?

Mike

[tigertiger]

Is the drum slipping on the splines?

Mike

Sounds like it to me.

Especially likely to happen if the drum was not supplied with the winch. I have had the same incompatibility with two different (swapping) Futaba servos.

[Nordsee]

Yup, you are correct! took Madam to the lake and after about a quarter of an hour the sheet had slipped so the mainsail was about 20° out. Brought her home and had a good look and lo ! The drum turned on the splines, not much, but enough. So I have wound it back and have really tightened the screw into the spline. If that doesn't work I will try cutting a slot thru the spline with a razor saw, so it will open out inside the drum and grip better.

[tigertiger]

I would try a bit of packing first, before splitting. Maybe a piece of tissue.

Slitting would then risk the spline slipping on the spindle or breaking off. Sail servos can produce a lot of torque, that is why we use them. You could even consider a permanent fix with epoxy.

Over-tightening the screw could strip the thread, and I doubt it will do much good. A bit more compression perpendicular to a lot of torque may not do it.

Just my thoughts.

[w3bby]

If the drum has turned on the splines then it is stripped or the spline is stripped. No amount of tightening the screw will help this. Buy a new drum if that is stripped or replace the spline if that is stripped.

[tigertiger]

If the drum has turned on the splines then it is stripped or the spline is stripped. No amount of tightening the screw will help this. Buy a new drum if that is stripped or replace the spline if that is stripped.

If they are original bits, yes I would agree.
But I have had futaba servo arm slip on a different futaba servo spindle. The size was not a perfect match, although I could not see a difference. Switched over the arms to the original servos and had not problem.

But as you say w3bby, if it is slipping no amount of tightening will fix it.

[Nordsee]

If the drum has turned on the splines then it is stripped or the spline is stripped. No amount of tightening the screw will help this. Buy a new drum if that is stripped or replace the spline if that is stripped.

Do they sell spare parts for Hitec Winches? Will try to adapt the spline part of the original drum to fit my present one. If that fails then I do not know, new winch I suppose...

[tony23]

very unlikely you will get spares for Hitec winches or servos being a cheap servo you may as well buy a new one.

[w3bby]

Do they sell spare parts for Hitec Winches?

Guess it depends on which one it is.... http://hitecrcd.com/products/accessories/servo-parts-and-accessories/index.html

[tigertiger]

New winch is probably cheapest and easiest.
And will give you the fix you need.

I have found that trying to bodge things with sail winches does not work. There is a lot of torque to play with.

[Nordsee]

Done and dusted! Removed winch from boat, then with a 2.00 mm drill in a mini hand drill, I bored a hole thru the drum and into the slined spigot of the winch so it was half and half in both parts. Then I pushed a a 2mm brass rod into the hole to act as a key. If it breaks then it will be a new winch, but just thought I would try that first. Took her for a sail yesterday to test it and even pulling close hauled in a good breeze it held. So will wait and see.. Thanks for the all the comments and suggestions, very helpful, as always.