Galley Maid Windlass Removal

[stewart]

I am trying to remove my GMaid windlas, got all the capsans off plus 1 c clip.6 nuts underneath. Tryed to tap out a bushing around main 1 1/2 in. shaft from above but gearbok did not move. now shaft will not turn. Galley Maid teck said to pound it out using a length of pipe but Im not sure what ring to pound on. Does anyone have any ideas? Stewart

[doc g]

If you are trying to remove the gearbox only, you can drop it off in the anchor locker without removing the above deck gear. If you need to remove the top of the gearbox and the deckplate you use a pipe thats just a bit bigger than than the OD of the main shaft but smaller than the decklplate and drive the puppy thru. PB Blaster the hell out of it for a few days first. The top plate of the gear box is cast iron which has a collar on it so that it goes up between the main (capstan) shaft and the deckplate and it usually is rusted up tight. I believe that GM will email you the exploded view of your windlass if you ask............................................... ..Pat

[stewart]

Pat I was able to move the bronze bushing that is on main shaft 1/4 in down,but then the main shaft would not turn,On the deck plate there is an inner soft iron ring,then the bronze bush then the bronze shaft . What do I try to move down ? Thanks Stewart

[doc g]

You should remove everything, bushings, spacers etc.,then when you have nothing but shaft ,deckplate and a 1/4" rust area between them you bang the rusty area down toward the bottom of the boat with the aforementioned pipe. Mine had different bushings and washers in it than the GM exploded view showed also. Evidently someone fit an ideal capstan to the GM windlass on my boat..............................Pat

[SKYCHENEY]

Get the biggest hammer you can find with a long handle. Even then I had to beat the h*** out of it to break it loose. I really felt like I might damage the boat since I had to swing that big hammer so hard. You dont need to remove anything except the long carriage bolts and the capstan (or capstan and gypsy depending on your comfiguration). I ended up welding a plate on top of a piece of 2" pipe to pound on.

Oh BTW, dont forget to leave at least one nut on the end of one of those bolts so you dont drop the whole thing when it breaks free.

[Bob Bradley]

Be sure that the nut is flush with the top of the shaft, or you will damage your threads - trust me on this. I finally had to apply heat to free mine enough to remove it.