Inmast Furling Bearings falling out Z Spars

[SV Tawaki]

We were half way from Panama to Marquesas and had a small tear in the leach of the mainsail.

We dropped the sail and spent 30 minutes stitching it back together, while this was happening the foil was rattling round int he mast as we rolled in the swell. Rehoisting was an effort and was a struggle with the waves and winds in open ocean but we got there.

a day after this we noticed a bearing on the deck during usual daily inspections. Turns out the bearings had started falling out of our inmast furling unit.

1)Has anyone else had this issue? 

2)Can i just install new bearings or will they fall out again? 

3)Was it the hoisting in the swell that caused the bearings to fall out?

4)Are the bearings 316 5mm balls?

Boat is 45 DS

[Charlie-Bravo]

Sure a 45 owner will elaborate, but ,

(2) bearings shouldn’t escape, something else has happened to enable their escape, so I’m afraid it won’t be a job of just popping some new ones in, it will involve closer inspection to spot ‘why’ the little balls have escaped.

(3) Hoisting in a swell is not a known cause of bearing assembly failure, it just makes the operation more awkward.

Sorry I can’t be of help, but more comments are bound to come along soon.

Well done for packing the needle and thread, you are obviously well prepared for your adventures.

CB

[moonshadow]

I have had really good response to questions from Z-Spar/US Spar when I needed advice. Might be worth calling or emailing them.
Obviously I don’t know how shipping would be to/from your current location would work but if you need to send the mechanism to them for repair they have a fast turn around time.
Good luck.

[SV Tawaki]

We are currently very remote so return shipping would be 2 months, a long time with no mainsail as we are fulltime cruising.

Not such a fan of Zspar, the standing rigging was fully replaced by Z Spars and we have already had 3 stays break strands and need replacing again.

Thanks for then replies. I have removed the unit and inspected. I think i can just either add a spacer behind one of the bearings or shorten the distance between the top and bottom bearing. This will clamp it tighter and stop it moving. Though its hard to tell the amount of play and what fix is required  until new bearings are installed

[ales]

I have replaced bearings on my furling main sail (SO 43DS). They were worn out and some of them were missing.
To do so I had to unscrew some bolts holding the unit in place and lift it a little bit.
They are 5mm.
Time consuming job but manageable.

[petros42]

The bearings from the top race all fell out during the first summer of my SO419.  It was a bit odd.  No other failures, but I noticed a bearing or two one day.  I didn't find the source until the next day when I unfurled and a handful more came out.  I furled the main and with just the jib for the rest of my trip and then back to the dealer.  They replaced the furler and I've had no further issues.