Does Your Lift Not Stay Up?
If you have ever tried to crank your boat out of the water only to find that the wheel just wants to spin back down then you understand how frustrating that can be. You may think your lift is broken when it most likely is not. Almost every time that we at Brinson Marine get a call to come service a winch that is not staying up it is the same problem, with a very easy solution.
After some use the bolt that keeps the wheel onto the winch can get over tightened. This will cause the winch to not function properly and will cause the lift to drop without something holding it. The solution is to simply loosen the bolt up just a little bit. Once the bolt is loosened a bit, but still tight enough so you can't turn it by hand, then attempt to raise the lift. If you hear the winch start "clicking" then it should be in working order at this point.
If your winch still isn't working then there is likely to be another issue with the winch. The winch uses clutch pads,similar to brake pads, inside the winch in order to keep it from just simply releasing once your hand is off the wheel. These pads can wear over time, just like the brake pads on your car. In order to check these pads the winch has to be opened up. Be careful not to stick your fingers into any moving parts as they can cause permanent damage if caught.
-To start, remove any weight from the lift and let the cradle of the hoist rest at the lowest position. Make sure there is no tension on the cable before removing anything from the winch.
-Remove the bolt that was mentioned earlier. This bolt keeps the wheel from coming off.
-Once the bolt is removed, jam the teeth of the winch with a flat head screwdriver in order to keep it from spinning against you as you spin the wheel in the counter clockwise direction.
-Once the wheel is spun off, use a flat head screwdriver to remove the two screws that keep the front cover plate on.
-Once the cover plate is removed one of the clutch pads should be visible immediately. It is dark in color and sits in front of the brake sprocket.
-If the pad is not there or looks damaged then it is recommended that it be replaced.
-Behind that pad is a sprocket that can be removed in order to access the second clutch pad behind the sprocket.
-Carefully pull the spring loaded arm back with a pair of pliers. If the arm is released it will spin around releasing the tension of the spring. Try not to let the arm spin as it will have to be placed back into the correct position to function properly. The arm will have to be spun in the opposite direction until there is tension on the spring arm to function properly with the sprocket.
-Once the arm is pulled back the sprocket can be removed from the shaft and the second clutch pad can be accessed.
-Once your clutch pads are replaced or it is determined there is no issue then simply put everything back into its correct position and place the cover plate and wheel back on.
If there are still issues occurring with the lift then feel free to call Brinson Marine at (315) 469-4867 and we can come and check out your issue.