Refurbish halyard genoa swivel
Nov 20, 2019 10:38:10 GMT
Post by sailbleu on Nov 20, 2019 10:38:10 GMT
I'm sure all are aware the price for a new halyard genoa swivel is outrageously expensive , for what it is anyway.
Unfortunately they do wear down and info found on a variety of boards tell us it's virtually impossible to refurbish them . As far as I know no separate individual new parts are to be found, so a breakdown always results in replacing the furler as such .
However , for 800 Euro , give or take , I was willing to give it a go .
My swivel was giving me a hard time now and then , not being able to furl in or out occasionally.
This is why .
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62422399/original
A view of the top of the furler shows the wear that's been caused by the D-shackle for halyard connection . Constant rubbing the plastic top-cap grinded through and created two legs that can & will sabotage the system .
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62423435/original
Try to unfurl the genoa now ?!
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62423534/original
Or furl it ?!
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62427213/original
This is why , in an earlier stage , I made this ' PVC sleeve -hat ' that fits in the worn out top plastic , reduce the play and prevent the legs to enter the alu-foil's grooves. It worked but the sleeve hat slides out frequently although I had glued it with epoxy on the top plastic. I case anyone wonder how the top-hat got on the furler without disconnecting the forestay , I cut the PVC hat lengthwise , warmed it up and gently opened it until it slid over the alu-foil . But as mentioned , it didn't stay in place .
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62427286/original
Certainly most of you know how a swivel looks like and works , but for those who don't , the bottom section also has a sleeve , both have the typical shape of the alu-foil so it turns together when furling or unfurling. Again some wear going on because it's really not very well fixed on the internal section ( that's the part with the bottom D-shackle connection on the photo) . I modified the bottom section in a way to give it more body so I could fix it to the internal section with screws . See pics further down .
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62424781/original
Same photo but look at the rusty circlip , this is the part that holds the swivel together , more later .
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62424889/original
Fast forward , 2 years later , the boat is on the hard and I took off the halyard swivel. Yes , I released the forestay and brought the swivel home for a complete overhaul .
Here I take the key-circlip out. Not really a tough job , once you get one leg out squeeze a small screwdriver underneath and step by step the the complete clip out.
Have a look at the bottom section sleeve , the white is the substantial body I added .
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62428090/original
Gently work your way round .
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62425492/original
Circlip is out and the complete bottom section slides out
Notice the 3 holes in the internal part , this is where the reinforced sleeve is screwed on. Seen last pic
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62425588/original
Exploded view.
To make sure you're still with me , the arrows indicate what is what and how it's positioned.
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62425776/original
The old bearing balls , if you look carefully you can see some of them are smaller and some in a different shape than others , ...wear !
I bought the new stainless steel 5 mm bearing balls in, ..... China , 4$ for 100 pieces.
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62426009/original
Again some guidance , the circlip with red arrow ( on the right) goes on the bearing shell also marked with red arrow .
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62426134/original
Both bearing shells of both bearing are coated with silicon grease , that helps in keeping the balls in place .
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62426248/original
After re-assembling things I found out the swivel still had some play , less then before mind you so the new bearing balls did help. But yet I wasn't fully satisfied so I figured a extra spacer would perfectionize it . After measuring it up , a brass ring was cut and my lathe and dremel did the rest .
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62426445/original
Spacer in place
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62427411/original
Circlip is in , reverse procedure of taking it out , with the little screwdriver.
The extra spacer really did the trick , there is no play in the least and once the silicone grease gives way a bit both bearing will run like a train .
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62426557/original
I also made a new top-hat sleeve without the cut as I can now ( in May next year ) slide the swivel on the alu-foil.
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62426676/original
Just an additional view .
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62426725/original
This is how I fixed the top-hat sleeve now.
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62426701/original
Fix of the bottom section sleeve
I yet have to get the swivel to work , but I have a good feeling about it , and yes halyard swivels can be refurbished .
Unfortunately they do wear down and info found on a variety of boards tell us it's virtually impossible to refurbish them . As far as I know no separate individual new parts are to be found, so a breakdown always results in replacing the furler as such .
However , for 800 Euro , give or take , I was willing to give it a go .
My swivel was giving me a hard time now and then , not being able to furl in or out occasionally.
This is why .
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62422399/original
A view of the top of the furler shows the wear that's been caused by the D-shackle for halyard connection . Constant rubbing the plastic top-cap grinded through and created two legs that can & will sabotage the system .
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62423435/original
Try to unfurl the genoa now ?!
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62423534/original
Or furl it ?!
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62427213/original
This is why , in an earlier stage , I made this ' PVC sleeve -hat ' that fits in the worn out top plastic , reduce the play and prevent the legs to enter the alu-foil's grooves. It worked but the sleeve hat slides out frequently although I had glued it with epoxy on the top plastic. I case anyone wonder how the top-hat got on the furler without disconnecting the forestay , I cut the PVC hat lengthwise , warmed it up and gently opened it until it slid over the alu-foil . But as mentioned , it didn't stay in place .
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62427286/original
Certainly most of you know how a swivel looks like and works , but for those who don't , the bottom section also has a sleeve , both have the typical shape of the alu-foil so it turns together when furling or unfurling. Again some wear going on because it's really not very well fixed on the internal section ( that's the part with the bottom D-shackle connection on the photo) . I modified the bottom section in a way to give it more body so I could fix it to the internal section with screws . See pics further down .
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62424781/original
Same photo but look at the rusty circlip , this is the part that holds the swivel together , more later .
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62424889/original
Fast forward , 2 years later , the boat is on the hard and I took off the halyard swivel. Yes , I released the forestay and brought the swivel home for a complete overhaul .
Here I take the key-circlip out. Not really a tough job , once you get one leg out squeeze a small screwdriver underneath and step by step the the complete clip out.
Have a look at the bottom section sleeve , the white is the substantial body I added .
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62428090/original
Gently work your way round .
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62425492/original
Circlip is out and the complete bottom section slides out
Notice the 3 holes in the internal part , this is where the reinforced sleeve is screwed on. Seen last pic
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62425588/original
Exploded view.
To make sure you're still with me , the arrows indicate what is what and how it's positioned.
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62425776/original
The old bearing balls , if you look carefully you can see some of them are smaller and some in a different shape than others , ...wear !
I bought the new stainless steel 5 mm bearing balls in, ..... China , 4$ for 100 pieces.
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62426009/original
Again some guidance , the circlip with red arrow ( on the right) goes on the bearing shell also marked with red arrow .
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62426134/original
Both bearing shells of both bearing are coated with silicon grease , that helps in keeping the balls in place .
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62426248/original
After re-assembling things I found out the swivel still had some play , less then before mind you so the new bearing balls did help. But yet I wasn't fully satisfied so I figured a extra spacer would perfectionize it . After measuring it up , a brass ring was cut and my lathe and dremel did the rest .
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62426445/original
Spacer in place
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62427411/original
Circlip is in , reverse procedure of taking it out , with the little screwdriver.
The extra spacer really did the trick , there is no play in the least and once the silicone grease gives way a bit both bearing will run like a train .
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62426557/original
I also made a new top-hat sleeve without the cut as I can now ( in May next year ) slide the swivel on the alu-foil.
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62426676/original
Just an additional view .
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62426725/original
This is how I fixed the top-hat sleeve now.
www.23hq.com/sailbleu/photo/62426701/original
Fix of the bottom section sleeve
I yet have to get the swivel to work , but I have a good feeling about it , and yes halyard swivels can be refurbished .
