Widget care in a Maine winter

4 August 2026

Cold is not what kills a widget. Water that got in during October and froze in December is what kills a widget. The fix is boring and it works: get the water out before the first hard freeze.

Wipe the housing down, spin it by hand, and listen. A dry bearing sounds like sand. If you hear sand, bring it in — a re-bush on the bench costs a fraction of a new unit, and takes about twenty minutes.

If yours has a grease fitting, one pump is plenty. Two is too many, and the seal will tell you so in the spring.