Jose,

Were you able to find nylon grease fittings or just used nylon nuts as exit
holes for the grease?

Fair Winds

Eric

Amel Super Maramu #376 Kimberlite





_____

From: amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Jose
Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2011 3:33 PM
To: amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Amel] Adding grease to Genoa and Main furling gearboxes on SM






Danny,

Thanks a lot for posting your method for adding grease to the gear boxes. I
started to hear ominous sounds during Genoa furling and rapidly added two
careful drilled and threaded two access ports to the gearbox. I used the
same thread as that of the access ports of the auto prop as I was going to
use the bronze screws that remained from a recent overhaul of the propeller.
However, I thought it would be best to use nylon hardware to avoid any
possible electrolysis. Using the same grease gun I had for the prop, I
injected new grease into one port and allowed it to flow out on the other
while periodically running the gearbox until the color of the exiting grease
was close to that of the one I was injecting.
Magically the ominous sound calmed down to an quiet purr and I believe the
life of this gearbox may have been saved.

I plan to post a couple of pix of the process as I get back to the boat.

Thanks again!

Jose Venegas
Ipanema SM 2K
Constitution Marina, Boston

--- In amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com
<mailto:amelyachtowners%40yahoogroups.com> , Danny and Yvonne SIMMS
<simms@> wrote:

We were in Shelter bay Colon and decided to replace the bearings in the

outhaul gearbox as a precaution before the Pacific crossing.I removed the
boom inverted it and hit hard with my best hammer to no avail.In my former
life the standard procedure in this situation is the gas torch. I approached
the yard to see if they could help and instead of a gas torch I got a big
man with a big wheel puller and large hammer. result, shattered end plate on
the gear box. I then got what I had asked for, a gas torch and an experience
operator. Less than a minute, a gentle tap and out it came. Yes some very
localised paint discoloration, very easy to fix. The story of how we got a
new end for the gearbox manufactured in Colon over a weekend is another
story, suffice to say there are fine tradesmen there if you can find them..

regards
Danny
SM 299 Ocean Pearl
Mangonui
New Zealand

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