Felco Chain Hoist Problem

[Wendelspanswick]

I have a couple of old Felco chain hoists, identical in design apart from one is a larger 10 cwt model while the other is the 5 cwt. The 10 cwt works fine but the 5 cwt only goes up and not down!
To get it to lower I have to stick my finger under the pawl on the ratchet and pull the lowering chain.
It's pretty rusty as a pal found it in the remains of a chicken shed and gave it to me so it owes me nothing but it would be handy to get it working correctly.
Any pointers as to what might of seized, I suppose I could dunk it in a bucket of diesel but that would wash the grease out of the gearbox.

 

[Spark plug]

It it where mine I'd start by cleaning and lubricating the moveing parts and make sure there is no broken springs etc.

I fettle one up years ago, turns out all that was wrong was the grease inside had hardened up, stopping the pawls etc from moveing properly.

 

[rikrobson]

Iirc there should be a spring type affair to keep the pawl in the intended position

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Iirc there should be a spring type affair to keep the pawl in the intended position

There is a spring holding the pawl on the ratchet which engages when lifting but on the working one that pawl always stays engaged even when lowering so there must be a clutch somewhere.

 

[roofman]

inside them things there is a clutch plate thats fixed on what i can describe as a sprial shaft..this assembly must be free from crud.had the same problem on mine and stripped it out and washed it with brake and clutch cleaner with great results

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

I got mine in bits now, I will post piccies as soon as my Mini me returns with MY camera.
And my welding mask!!!!

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Brilliant, that gives me some pointers, cheers for that.
Is the clutch under the pressed steel cover?

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

No.
The other side, but look out, some have a left hooker thread or a bulled over thread.
can be undone slowly with a good fitting spanner.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Well thanks to pointers from Roofman and The Yellow Ardvark its all sorted now.
For future reference if you remove the securing bar from the operating chain side you can remove the split pin and castellated nut holding a large spiral washer on the chain sprocket. Underneath this the chain sprocket needs to be able to rotate slightly on the spiral shaft, this releases the clutch plates from either side of the ratchet wheel.
Mine had dried up and seized on the spiral shaft, some oil and a tap with a hammer freed it up. Greased it all up and its good for at least another 50 years (I am guessing it's around 50 years old because the nuts were Whitworth sizes).

 

[roofman]

Well thanks to pointers from Roofman and The Yellow Ardvark its all sorted now.
For future reference if you remove the securing bar from the operating chain side you can remove the split pin and castellated nut holding a large spiral washer on the chain sprocket. Underneath this the chain sprocket needs to be able to rotate slightly on the spiral shaft, this releases the clutch plates from either side of the ratchet wheel.
Mine had dried up and seized on the spiral shaft, some oil and a tap with a hammer freed it up. Greased it all up and its good for at least another 50 years (I am guessing it's around 50 years old because the nuts were Whitworth sizes).

Nice one mate and well done