Ahhh the joys of winch maintenance! Tear it all apart, then soak it in mineral spirits, then brush it all clean and rinse it, then try to figure out how it all goes back together. I will say that our winches were happy to get a good cleaning and lube job. It wasn't too bad of a job either. The Harken article on doing the job suggests cold beer- Good Suggestion! Also ordered a new double rope clutch today, but that's a story for another day.One quick tip that I picked up somewhere (probably the Ericson web board) is to cut a hole the diameter of the winch base in the bottom of an appropriately sized cardboard box and put it over the winch while you're taking it apart. This will keep any errant parts from doing the "bounce-bounce-splash" trick and ending up at the bottom of your slip. And remember to use only light machine oil on pawls (not grease or they'll stick, and that will stink!) and a LIGHT coat of winch grease on the other moving parts. More pictures will follow as I continue the process of cleaning and lubing these- there are still a few left.
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