Discussion of solvents for cleaning winches:

Good Video on stripping down a Lewmar winch.,..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqCunPhQHw4

I’ve disassembled my Lewmar winch and was attempting to degrease everything using mineral spirits. I didn’t have enough so I went to Lowes to buy more but I found out they no longer supply mineral spirits in my area due to new regulations. The salesman suggested acetone which is doing a very poor job. Any suggestions on a degreasing agent?

Lewmar folks recommend cleaning the winch parts in liquid paraffin which is nothing more than clear lamp oil.  I does a nice job of degreasing without the drying effects of acetone and no more expensive.  I’ve been doing this for years.  Don’t use grease on the pawls or the pawl ratchet, use only light machine oil.  Grease in the pawls will bind them up and they will stop working.  Lewmar has instructions on their web