Any Tips on rebuilding Harken Traveller Car

[Dennis Boyd]

Hey guys   I thought I would lean in again to see if anyone has any tips.

The Harken bearings in the traveller car are toast.     I need to replace them.   I've read on line that you can undo the end cap, use shaving cream and displace and replace the bearing without removing the car. 

As built,  I don't see how to remove the car and use the blue feeder without pulling up the track.    Maybe I am missing something.    Anyone done this and have any tips?

Also wondering  if anyone knows which bearings and how many?     I'd like to tackle this next time I am up at boat. 

thanks for any tips.

Dennis 

Jaywalker J/42  #6

[David Jade]

I have done exactly what you described, shaving cream and all, a couple of times on various J Boats. It’s not too hard. Last time I was able to do it without using shaving cream just being careful. I remove all the bearings first and then replace with the new ones. 

Look up the specs to see the number of bearings for your traveler - I have found some missing before so don’t just rely on the count of them coming out. It sometimes seems like you could fit more than required but you should not - there needs to be space left. 

One other tip is to make sure you cover any cockpit drain holes. The bearings are super easy to lose as they are very bouncy.  

David                      _/)

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On Dec 7, 2025, at 9:12 AM, Dennis Boyd <dennis....@gmail.com> wrote:

Hey guys   I thought I would lean in again to see if anyone has any tips.

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[Chris Campbell]

I put the job off for a few years since I didn't think taking the traveler off would be a fun job - turns out it's a piece of cake to remove and essentially no harder to put back on - I think there were 7 bolts in total to deal with, and the thing lifted off surprisingly easily. I hadn't heard of the shaving cream method, but it sounds good also! Don't feel like taking it off is onerous, though, if you're tempted.

[Dennis Boyd]

Thanks guys.    Oh boy, track easy to remove,  why not just update all of it.... wait, steady,  avoid scope creep.

[gale...@gmail.com]

Harken does make a rebuild kit for non-captive traveler car bearings. 

Galen

[Fred Hawes]

Hello Chris Campbell. My traveller on the J46 requires the efforts of at least one dedicated crew, even though it's 6:1. Are you guys saying that the reason it's so hard to move is the bearings are bad? If that's the problem, I THANK you all for bringing it up!!

Fred Hawes

J-46 ANONA

619-920-6661

https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/j4x-owners-group/c4b237f3-ffe1-4fa4-b49e-2c93b67a6b85n%40googlegroups.com

.

[David Jade]

Hi Fred,

I can tell you that on our J/46, replacing the bearings made a big difference. 

Prior to that it was very hard to move up under big loads (down it seemed mostly ok). 

David                      _/)

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On Dec 11, 2025, at 10:15 AM, Fred Hawes <fred...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:



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[Chris Campbell]

We have done a few things to improve the effort required on the traveler, and may do even more, as it's still hard at times. First was replace the bearings and clean everything thoroughly, that made a reasonable difference. Second was changing the traveler lines for new ones with no fuzz on them so they go through the blocks more easily, that made a surprising difference (not a ton, but I didn't expect any at all). Third was expensive: we redid the mainsheet to use the 'German' or 'Admirals Cup' layout where it goes forward along the boom, down to the side decks and back to the winches. This means that the friction the traveler has to overcome is now just the ball bearings on the track, where previously it added three mainsheet blocks which had to turn as the mainsheet went through them. I had read it would make quite a difference, but still wasn't prepared for how much. Despite those three blocks being properly sized Harken bearing blocks, getting them out of the traveler moving equation radically improved the friction! It also added 85 feet to the length of the mainsheet and cost a bunch in new blocks and the work to install it, but I'm happy with that change.

The next step will be a new track and car, maybe going to a double car with a connector - but we'll see. The only time it's still stiff (my description of stiff is when you have to kick it to get it to go downhill) at this point is when we're carrying a LOT of leech tension, so usually what we end up doing is cracking the sheet first, then dropping the traveler. If we're raising the traveler we use extra muscle (another person pulling).

Of course all of this is only relevant when racing - when cruising if it takes a little longer to get the traveler where I want it I'm not terribly bothered :)

[Dennis Boyd]

On mine,  with no mainsheet connected, no blocks,  just rolling the car like a toy train on a track it binds.     

you could try that simple test to see if your bearings are still round.   

I'm still debating new balls,  vs new car (new cars can be modifed to work on old track)   vs new car and track.    However, only kits I've seen are total upgrades.   Not really wanting to do that. 

Dennis

[David Jade]

That is how I diagnosed the bearings on ours. It was clearly binding in random spots with no lines attached. Replacing the ball bearings fixed that right up. There was also a surprising amount of dirt trapped in the car despite hosing it off regularly. There was no need to replace the car (or track), although they do sell new car end caps if yours are beat up enough.

 

David             _/)

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[Walter Caldwell]

Also only lube the bearings with One Drop. Using something too slippery can cause the balls to skid along the track, wearing them out and making flat spots. 

[John Plominski]

Replace the bearings!  It is pretty easy and inexpensive.  You will notice a difference no matter what.  

Here are some hot tips your rigger doesnt want you to know for when you do the work:  

1)  Put a bucket under the traveler car when you're ready to take it apart.  The bearings pretty much just run out when you remove the side cap.  The bucket catches the bearings.

2) Use a healthy squirt of regular mens foam shaving cream into the bearing raceway.  The foam will keep the bearings in place while you fiddle around with getting the car on the track and the end cap back on.  A little water will rinse out the shaving cream afterwards.

Drew

[Dennis Boyd]

Thanks all.   

[ankg...@gmail.com]

On Hamburg II we found that the reason the traveller didn’t move easily was that the traveller control line was too thick and it rubbed against itself in the purchase system. We went with a thinner, higher strength line and the problem went away.

 

Al Goethe

S/V Hamburg II (J/46 #31)

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[Dennis Boyd]

Thanks for the addtional insight Al. 

[S/V Sweet Ruca]

Second this aboard Sweet Ruca.

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[Dennis Boyd]

Thanks Curtis, 

I will go back and look at the traveller lines.  Jaywalker is about 50/50,  older larger double braid polyester, and smaller diameter double braid "dyneema" type.    Traveller was older and weathered/green... I definetely got some deformed balls, but line is an easy miss.

BTW,  I think I have been converted to a Rucan.   I've been binge watching your YT channel, learning a lot.  Picking a lot rigging tips when I slow the vids down and look at how you have rigged various controls.    Plan to duplicate as much as you have proven.  (preventor and boom brake combo is something I had been contemplating, its great to see you using the combo.  Still not sure how you mix the vang into it.) Plus lots of  other  nerdy little details.    Also, plan to reach out to Andy about membrane sails since we are both here in Chicagoland.   All the best.   Be safe