Nicro-Fico Traveler Car

[glassdad]

I have a 1985 Catalina 30 with the original curved traveler. The original control blocks on either side of the car were wearing out. I bought a Garhaur upgrade kit to make the traveler a 5:1 control purchase. My problem is that I cannot remove one of the screws that go into the car. It is locked down tight. I tried PB Blaster and other penetrating oils and it did not work. I hit the car with heat and other than melting the sheave on the control block, it did nothing. I called Rigrite in Rhode Island and they said it is out of production and they don't have any more. I tried Minneys in Newport beach and they don't have one.

I do not want to replace the whole traveler including track.

Any sugestions? Does anyone have an old one from an upgrade?

Thanks

[SchockT]

Have you tried a manual impact driver? One of these has done the trick when I have that problem. You give it a sharp whack with a hammer and it turns and presses simultaneously.



Failing that, you could carefully drill the screws out.

[paul323]

I had the same problem on the same car. Not sure what actually did the trick, but they did loosen. Eventually. After I tried over the course of a few days, and went slightly insane. My process (patent pending)....
PB Blaster (multiple soaks)
Manual impact driver
Heat (with pb blaster)
Cold (CVS wart-off freezer!!!)(with PB blaster)
Manual impact driver

After all that, nothing seemed to work..I came back a day or so later, and gave the screws a last try (using a regular screwdriver , but with a square section shank to which I clamped adjustable wrench to provide torque)...AND THEY LOOSENED!

One tip - use the biggest screwdriver blade that will fit in the head of the screw. Any smaller, it just tears up the stainless steel. I had to hammer the tip of the impact driver to get it solidly in.

My theory, FWIW, is that the heating/cooling (especially the cooling, as I poured boiling water on the car while cooling the screw!!) allowed the PB Blaster to penetrate the threads, and then it took a while to do its work. Good Luck!!

[baboon]

To loosen the screw I have used the bits seen in SchockT's pic above, but with a socket ratchet instead of the impact driver. You can develope a huge amount of torque while pushing down on the head of the ratchet with your other hand to keep the bit in place.

Nicro Fico cars were the most common used on many boats of that era, your best bet might be salvage or scrap. If you find a good source please let us know here, mine is also shot secondary to the rollers being worn out, it will not move well on the track.

[gdaiy]

I had the same problem a few years ago and got some replacement parts from a company called Rig Rite in the US they shipped them to Australia for me just Google Nicro Fico or Rig Rite

[paul323]

Rig-Rite Inc. (http://www.rigrite.com)- Masts, Booms, Spars, Rigging, and Hardware for Sailboats. - they have a lot of the stuff for older boats, including spars and the parts for the Nicro-Fico traveller. I used them to refurbish mine.

[glassdad]

Thanks for the suggestions. I tried SchockT's advice of an impact driver and bent the 587bit on the driver. I have tried PB Blaster and heat. I will try heating the car and freezing the screw. I have already called Rigrite. The car (part NF587) is not in stock and not made any more. Keep the ideas comming. I will try taking it to a machine shop[ to see if they can help.

Thanks

[Jurgy]

I am pulling a Nicro-Fico manual traveler off a '89 302 O'Day this winter. Center car and stops are in good shape as boat had little use before I purchased her four years ago and its never left Missouri.

Let me know if "all else fails" and you need a replacement.
Jurgy

[glassdad]

Jurgy

Can you attach a pic of the car?

[eherlihy]

Guys,

Please realize that Nico Fico made several different tracks, each of which has a different traveler. glassdad has an NF 610. My O'day 35 uses an NF 1169. See http://www.rigrite.com/Travellers/NF...Ftraveler.html

My traveler car is the NF1165 - see http://www.rigrite.com/Travellers/NF...aveller%20Cars I bought my current traveler car from RigRite for an astronomical price. I could have bought the entire traveler setup (track, car, control blocks, line, cleats) from Garhauer for less money than I paid for the car alone.

glassdad - If you cannot find a car, I recommend that you call Guido at GarhauerMarine.

Everyone else - glassdad's traveler uses an NF 58x car - see http://www.rigrite.com/Travellers/NF...ers/NF610.html

They are not interchangeable.