Tips needed - Windlass nut removal

CharlieBeard

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Age
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Model
Gulfstream
Anyone with suggestions for getting this nut off? impossible to get wrench on the nut. is there special tool?

This compound gear is sticking. Using vice grips I was able partially break the gears free and i greased as best I can. So now it sometimes works, but mostly it sticks. Ideally I can remove the nut and properly clean and grease. Tips and tricks are much appreciated, otherwise I'm buying $180 spare part from that UK site. (this is Simpson Lawrence Horizon 500 on 1997 GW Gulfstream).
 

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I'm not sure what you are trying to accomplish here. You say these gears are "sticking". What are they sticking to? From what I can see in the parts diagram, that is the intermediate gear reduction set. Those two gears are supposed to be locked together. The small pinion gear on the electric motor meshes with the large gear in your picture and the small gear in that set meshes and drives the final-drive gear that drives the gypsy. If you cause the small gear in your picture to spin, free from the large gear the windlass will not work. Now, maybe I'm not understanding just what the problem is with the unit. Maybe you can explain what problem you are having with the windlass? Sorry for my dunderheadedness.
 
possibly not made to be separated. check how a replacement part is configured. one piece or multiple.
 
I just threw out all my old parts and windlass spares for the Horizon 500 windlass on my 1997 GW 289 Islander. Parts no longer available. Consider a Lewmar ProFish 700. The Horizon windlass is junk!
 
It is indeed multiple pieces. Internet says the piece is prone to corrosion too. Here is old YouTube tearing the compound gear apart.

I'll see what Lewmar customer support says.

Not sure how long I'll keep this boat, so much prefer a $50 tool and some elbow grease to get the windlass back up and running.
 
look carefully at the video. yours was worked on. not the same fastener as the tech removed from the gear assembly.