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+--- Thread: Are We Facing Tooth Surface Spalling? (/showthread.php?tid=75331)
Are We Facing Tooth Surface Spalling? - pogoti - 09-07-2026
Hi everyone,
our harbor tugboat’s primary winch drive started vibrating violently during heavy towing maneuvers yesterday afternoon. We checked the fluid levels immediately, but the sight glass showed a cloudy, bronze-tinted fluid filled with microscopic flakes.
Our chief mechanic suspects that torsional stress from sudden wave surges caused tooth spalling along the primary helical gear set. Has anyone running heavy marine equipment encountered this sudden shaft shudder under extreme load?
We are trying to decide whether an emergency flush will buy us time or if a complete industrial gearbox repair is needed before our next docking schedule.
Thanks in advance
RE: Are We Facing Tooth Surface Spalling? - bigos - 09-07-2026
Hi everyone, violent shuddering alongside bronze-tinted fluid clearly indicates that your thrust washers or bronze bushings are disintegrating under heavy torsional surge loads.
Continuing to operate under load with floating metal debris will score the housing bore and ruin the Cotta gear mesh permanently. Immediately drain the casing, perform a magnetic plug check, and measure total shaft endplay.
Skipping a thorough teardown right now risks complete drive lockup at sea, so bringing in certified marine specialists for a full gearbox repair is your safest move. You will protect the main drive housing and maintain operational vessel safety with a proper gearbox repair.