Re-packing the packing gland

[Bad Obsession]

I am about ready to re-pack my packing gland. I need to get some wrenches to loosen it and not sure exactly what to use.

Anyone have any tips, suggestions, or experience you want to share in this project would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

two pipe wrenches and a dental pick are what I use. There are lots of how-to's on the internet. About the only thing you can do wrong is score the shaft by over-tightening.

 

[Bob S]

BadO I'll be doing mine soon. Mainsail recommended an adjustable plumbers wrench. I bought it at Lowes. If yours is like mine the packing gland is right under the cabinet face almost impossible to get at.

http://plumbing.hardwarestore.com/52-301-wrenches/adjustable-slip-nut-wrench-198010.aspx

Good Luck!

 

[valcour]

When I win the lottery, this is the packing nut wrench for me. If your gland is in a hard to reach place, it may be money well spent. On my 310 the gland is easy to get to and I use a pipe wrench and 14" water pump pliers

http://www.mahallmarketing.com/adjust_eze.html

 

[Stu Jackson]

http://www.c34.org/wiki/index.php?title=Stuffing_box

This also includes a link to Maine Sail's excellent presentation.

 

[Anonymous 121765]

Bad,
How ya doin pal? If you get that spanner wrench, you can cut the handle shorter for turning room. I changed out my packing gland about 12 years ago with the PSS waterless shaft seal. The next haulout you may want to change it out. I have dust in my bildge now. It'll be around $250.00 but well worth it. Why have green water in your boat?

It's a pretty simple changeout as everything comes with the new seal. Just remove your coupler flange bolts and have the yard use a "snap hammer" to pull the shaft out. Quick and easy.

Also when repacking your flax, i used to use a small size allen wrench with the short end to pick out the old flax. Careful not to score the shaft.

Another thing to think about is if you do change to a waterless shaft seal in the future, I helped friends on their boats and found in every case that the wear marks in the shaft from the packing gland did not interfere with the position of the seal collar's o-rings which give it their seal.

CR

 

[Stephen K]

BadO I'll be doing mine soon. Mainsail recommended an adjustable plumbers wrench. I bought it at Lowes. If yours is like mine the packing gland is right under the cabinet face almost impossible to get at.


Good Luck!

Bob is right on...the space is very tight on a C-30, so here's a tip. Take off the door (the access door under the sink) for the project and reinstall it after completion...it makes access a LOT better than leaving it attached and in the "open" position.

Looks like you have good recomendations on the tools. I had good luck with a pipe wrench and an Irwin adjustable vise grip pliers.

 

[Windy City]

I made two wrenches exactly like these using 3/16" steel plate and an electric hand grinder with a very thin cutting wheel. I estimated the 15 degree angle. Took a half an hour.

 

[Bob4203]

Ditto on Stephen's recommendation on removing the rear engine access door. Be sure though not to drop the hinge screws under the transmission. I ended up with the adjustable packing wrench from West Marine. Best investment ever. Make sure the bildge pump is operating well!

Bob
Georgia

 

[Bad Obsession]

I did the packing gland today. It was one HELL of a job. I had to wire brush the shaft and the threads to clean it up (lightly). I did remove the access door to the engine and that was a good idea that I bumped onto because I didn't check on here as of late but you guys were definitely right!

THe packing material in the gland only had two rings of the old flax packing and it was in HORRIBLE shape. It was hard to get it out but with a few drywall screws and a home made pick made out of a piece of coat hanger I was able to do this. I then made the 45 degree cuts over a piece of bimini frame and I used Maine Sail's suggestion and created a tool out of 1 inch PVC pipe to help put the new packing material back in the gland.

Take a piece of 1 inch PVC and cut it at about 1.5 inches. THen cut 1/3 of it out. It will then slip over the shaft and click in place. This is very helpful for re-packing the gland material well (Thanks for that one Maine Sail).

I have it all back together and the boat is ready to splash. I have managed to do the packing gland and re-install the Profurl today! Life is good. All that is left for the season is to put the canvas on, the sails, and do the water tanks!

 

[Bob S]

I'm jealous! I am waiting for a few barbed fittings (UPS) for my new water pump. I decided to remove a few pieces of teak to refinish. Turns out I had water stains coming out from the hand rails. So I put Maine's butyl tape post to work and re bed the hand rails. Thank God the wood core was bone dry so I believe I caught it in time. Timely post I must say. Hope to be splashing in early May. It was 90° today! What crazy weather we've had this year!

 

[Glenn17467]

Mahall packing wrenches

Valcour:

I tried getting hold of Mahall without any luck, e-mails get bounced back and phone calls were not returned. I did find similar chrome wrenches at a local industrial supply for about $25 to $30 each. Difference is the offset, 30 degrees vs. 15 degrees for Mahall's. I have not bought them yet. Be sure to measure the packing gland nuts.

I have posted this before and ask again, if anyone can get hold of them let us know.

 

[Bad Obsession]

http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/stuffing_box&page=2

Anyone considering this job should look at this. Mainesail really did a good job of breaking this down and the photos are good as well. This made the job much less intimidating to me.

Funny, I was so intimidated by all the systems when I bought this boat because my Hunter 22 didn't have most of these systems. After having her for 5 seasons I now think that the systems are simple and easy to understand and figure out.

 

[Bob S]

BadO,

Curious- how many rings of packing did you get out of your gland? I wa able to remove 2 pieces that look like hemp rope. I am using a dental pick and it feels clean. I bought 3/16 GFO and now I'm thinking it might be 1/4".

 

[Bad Obsession]

I removed two, Put three back in.

 

[Bob S]

Did you use 3/16 or 1/4?

 

[Bad Obsession]

3/16th Packing material made by GFO. Check out the link that I posted for Maine Sail's page. Good stuff!

 

[Bob S]

I did that a few years ago. His links are great for anyone tackling a new project. Did you measure the 2 pieces you got out of your box? The 2 pieces I removed are definitely 1/4" so I'm off this weekend to West Marine to buy 1/4" and return the 3/16". Not sure if I put 3 pieces of 3/16 if it would work?

I'm also having a tough time breaking the lock nut free. I sprayed it twice with PB Blaster and will try again this afternoon. It happens to be located exactly under the cabinet face and floor so I can't get a wrench on it except at an angle.