Packing
- Thread starter pumpkinpie
- Start date
I used flax packing material. I have a 1 3/8 diameter shaft. I used 1/4 but bought both 1/4 and 5/16. It was easy to see that the 5/16'ths would not fit.
The length is dependent on the circumference of your shaft. You can measure with a string. If you can get one of the old pieces out of the stuffing box you can use that. You can also use a piece of pipe with the same OD diameter.
Follow the instructions to cut your flax on a 45 angle and stagger the cuts when installing.
Snug up the stuffing box to stop the flow of water. Idea is to to get 1 drop about 2-3 min apart when shaft is turning.
MarineSail has an excellent info page on his site. Re-Packing A Traditional Stuffing Box
The length is dependent on the circumference of your shaft. You can measure with a string. If you can get one of the old pieces out of the stuffing box you can use that. You can also use a piece of pipe with the same OD diameter.
Follow the instructions to cut your flax on a 45 angle and stagger the cuts when installing.
Snug up the stuffing box to stop the flow of water. Idea is to to get 1 drop about 2-3 min apart when shaft is turning.
MarineSail has an excellent info page on his site. Re-Packing A Traditional Stuffing Box
Here is the text from an email inquiry I made to Hunter customer service back in 2010 when I was looking for information on my 38. Ive since changed to a PSS dripless. Lots of opinions on that. But the packing was easy to do. I used the goretex material when I did it. Superior lubricity without requiring much water flow.
I always get uneasy when I see graphite used around other metals in the presence of salt water. ABYC is not fussy about it either.
Your shaft is most likely the same material as mine and of high quality. The shaft doesn't move all winter and yet has no problem with crevice corrosion. It's the bronze stuffing box I'd keep an eye on for corrosion.
Enquiring minds just have to ask the following:
1. What is the knob on the gland clamped to the log ?
2. Why the extra SS hose clamp on the gland ? It only seems to be promoting corrosion of the brass.
Different model boat here, but our bronze stuffing box on a 1-1/4" prop shaft accepts 3/16" packing material. I've been using the teflon impregnated version with good results.
Answered your question on your other post here:We have a 1 1/4” shaft but have been receiving conflicting info on the size of the packing required. In the H38 manual it states 3/16” square flax packing, although I have seen where others have needed as large as 5/16” depending upon the material the stuffing box is made out of (bronze vs plastic). Ours is bronze. Help! Should we order 2-3 different sizes to ensure we get the right one? Or does anyone know what works on a 2009 H38?
Does the type of material used make a difference in the size? If so, we are considering this...
Style 1389, 100% GFO® - Palmetto
Style 1389, 100% GFO® Home » Packing Products » General Service Packings » Style 1389, 100% GFO® Product Data Material: Oriented virgin ePTFE highly loaded with ultra- pure graphite powder, with inert lubricant Construction: InterwovenTM braid pH Range: 0 – 14 (all fluids except strong oxidizers...palmettopackings.com
Different model boat here, but our bronze stuffing box on a 1-1/4" prop shaft accepts 3/16" packing material. I've been using the teflon impregnated version with good results.
See reply to your other post. I have hunter 38 and contacted Hunter customer service in 2010. I posted their response there.
1/4" for a 1"1/4" shaft. Might want to rethink the "highly loaded with ultra- pure graphite powder, with inert lubricant"
Ref:Re-Packing A Traditional Stuffing Box
Ref:Re-Packing A Traditional Stuffing Box
I see what you mean about the knob. Can't see any use for it so most likely a requirement in the original casting process.
Yes, no, maybe. If you never do a stitch of maintenance on your boat and water from the gland flies everywhere, I suppose it's a good idea. IMO if you never do a stitch of maintenance, you shouldn't own a boat in the first place.
I think it far better to do the maintenance and avoid such contraptions.
Tightening the gland nut is something that is done periodically. After your mechanic first packed it, it would have probably needed snugging after 5-10 running hours. Unless you are an OCD whacko like myself, snug it so as to get one drop of water every 1-2 minutes. I run my packing cold and bone dry but that's another matter. Tighten the nut only 1/2 a flat at a time and then run to see how it drips.
About the only way to clean this is with a brass bristly wire brush. Steel bristles will make a red oxide mess and SS bristles may make matters worse. Remember when you start, always aim for 100% perfection and then accept whatever sh!t you've got when you're finished
.Start by snugging the gland until it JUST stops leaking and no more. After it's brushed as clean as it's going to get, wash it off and then dry it with a hair dryer or heat gun. Now the most important part, apply something that's going to prevent water and air from getting to the brass FOR MAYBE THE NEXT YEAR AT BEST. I use something called Fluid Film.
If you can't find that , coat the gland with SYNTHETIC (ONLY) grease. Avoid getting anything on the rubber tube. Also make sure you get synthetic grease inside the packing nut and on the threaded portion of the tube and retaining nut to avoid a hernia next time you adjust the gland nut
. Keeping it clean is such a hopeless task that even I don't bother doing it except maybe every 5 years at most (and that's doubtful). Condensation on the cold bronze always seems to mess it up.
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Replace ours every seven years. Still in good condition, even then. Cinch a bit each season to keep drips within reason.Thanks! I was afraid it would take quite awhile to get replies in this forum.
Damn you to Hades
! ! ! ! ! You win.I though I was doing good at six years but then couldn't keep it as bone dry as I had for the last six years. Finally got off my duff and put in new some "stuff". I had been using three rings of 1/4" teflon impreg. flax but noticed that I really wasn't getting much more than 2 thread engagements on the gland nut:
There is very little torque on that gland nut to stop the dripping 100%. The large, snug 1/4" flax packing has already applied radial compression on the shaft and stopped most of the leakage.
This last time I used a first and last ring of 1/4" flax and filled the in between section with a minimal amount of WPT moldable packing.
WPT Dripless Moldable Packing Kit - Small - 10146
This Moldable Packing is used to stop leaking, worn propeller and rudder shafts, where packing alone doesn't make a good seal. The Drip Less Moldable Packing Kit contains Teflon® moldable packing and Teflon® paste. This combination of materials fo
This gives better engagement of the packing nut.
So far, everybody's still dry (tightened 1/2 flat last year) and looking good after two years. I know many curse this packing material but so far so good. Don't know what I'm doing right or they're doing wrong.
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The locking nut and the gland nut I presume ? ? ? ?
I would not jump to any conclusions yet before running the gland at a good speed for a few hours. This will allow the packing to form itself a little tighter around the shaft. As you've said:
It's still brand new and needs some time to work its way in. Unless the installer REALLY goofed up, it should eventually snug up under way. Again, be sure to limit the tightening to 1/2 a flat each time and then run it normally for a few hours and see how it's doing.
If you tightened the hell out of the lock nut and gland nut, I hope you've got something ??? in between to be sure they'll come apart down the road.
Envy alert. Your stuffing box is right there with easy access. Ours is a nightmare.Damn you to Hades
the important part is to have enough moisture so that the stuffing box doesn’t over heat and damage the shaft and tube. It’s fairly normal to have a slight seep up to a drip or two a minute at rest. Slightly more dripping when under way.
Adjusting is something you will need to do periodically because the packing will wear. If you used the goretex packing or similar you don’t need as much moisture because of its high lubricity. It will stay cooler with less water flow.
Always do adjustments in small increments so that you don’t over tighten.
Adjusting is something you will need to do periodically because the packing will wear. If you used the goretex packing or similar you don’t need as much moisture because of its high lubricity. It will stay cooler with less water flow.
Always do adjustments in small increments so that you don’t over tighten.
I know your pain. Being right handed mine requires the mechanic to lie on his back, work upside down and with the left hand backwards.
Not pretty.
You can check the shaft while it is running for temp. Use an infrared sensor and shoot the packing but. 100 or less is warm. 150 is a problem that needs your attention. Not enough water dripping.
safer than sticking your hand down there to test the temp while the shaft is revolving.
safer than sticking your hand down there to test the temp while the shaft is revolving.
Here is a picture of our box. Right next to it, on the left is the Genset sea water intake hose and on the right is the main engine sea water intake hose. To get to it, I have to enter the engine room with my arms and hands in front of me as I slide over the top of the main engine. I have to hang over the engine far enough to reach the box. Once there I have limited room to maneuver tools to loosen the box. Most of the time it takes about two to three hours in this position to extract the old packing with an assortment of picking tools, and I've tried them all. Dental picks seem to work the best. It is a job that I dread and thankfully only every seven years.
I remember you previously describing it. I believe I first saw a picture of your stuffing box used in an old Boris Karloff horror movie:
So this is a case of absolute necessity rather than choice.
Yes, Ralph. Very fitting description. Wondering if it would be easier to disconnect the shaft from the coupler and slide the shaft far enough to remove the box from the shaft in order to replace the stuffing. Just a thought.