HELP!!! Prop Shaft Packing Gland

[Rick]

Hi, all. I need your help on this. Here's the scoop...1988 Hunter 28.5, packing gland needs to have the packing gland material replaced. I spnet an hour on it trying to figure out how/where to put the material. So, starting at the thru-hull where the shaft goes thru the hull and moving forward we have a black rubber hose surrounding the prop shaft. It's about 6-8" long with 4 pipe clamps (2 at each end) and into the forward end of the hose is a plastic cloor with a hex-nut-type head and into that is another plastic piece that threads into it and is held in place by a cotter pin. Forward of that is the transmission.So, I remove the cotter pin from the forward-most plastic piece and un-screw the plastic part leaving the aft plastic part held firmly to the rubber hose by the clamps.I measure/cut some 1/4" PTFE packing material (3 pieces) and insert them between the two plastic parts and around the prop shaft at 12, 6 and 3 o'clock, and then try and thread the forward-most plastic part into its mate. Nope..no luck. I take out 2 of the new pieces of PTFE...still can't get the plastic pieces threaded.What did I do wrong???

 

[Bill Roosa]

Did you take out the old packing?

Maybe you just forgot to say it but I didn't see where you took out the old packing. It would be wedged in the space you are trying to put the new packing. I have used a long awl and pair of long nose pliers successfully.

 

[s sauer]

Teflon Flax Packing

Asuming that the boat is out of the water, separate the two component nylon stuffing box leaving the aft end attached to the shaft log hose.You didn't mention taking out the original flax packing so maybe you couldn't see it because there is a thin nylon washer over it. You may have to slice thru the washer with an Xacto knife to remove it and get out the old packing material with a small cork screw type of tool you can get from West MArine. You can replace three successive layers of teflon impregnated packing with the joints spaced as you described. Theoretically, you can do this with the boat in the water and I'm sure someone will respond with directions. Assuming this is your first time, I'd do it on dry land. If the boat is in the water, have you first tried just tightening the stuffing box from 1/4 to 1/2 turn? Another quick stop gap measure is to remove only the first layer of packing and install one layer of Teflon flax with Teflon grease.

 

[Landsend]

you need 3/16 packing material

1/4 inch material may be too large.

 

[Paul Akers]

3/16 may be too small, too!

With respect to Landsend, I did mine last year (on the hard). After removing the packing material, I found the 3/16" too small. Check what you pull out. There are different sizes that can be found upon extraction because the "specs" called for 3/16 - NOT! I needed 1/4" for the nylon fitting. My friend needed 3/16" - go figure. But be sure to remove the old packing. It compresses and dries out with age and may seem to be empty. Actually there is a washer that hides the old stuff, so be sure to check and remove the old stuff. Then the adjustment nut should fit.

 

[Grizz]

oops, quick on the trigger!

lost the link. Here's the pic.

 

[Daryl]

3/16" on my 1" shaft

Use teflon flax

 

[s sauer]

Teflon Flax

The only problem with Teflon Flax is that you may not get any water to go past it once it's installed, particularly if you use Teflon grease! Actually, I've had to continually back off the pressure on the stuffing box to get any water thru it!Although I long ago replaced the 1986 28.5 original nylon stuffing box with bronze, both required 1/4" flax packing.

 

[Steve Dion]

Don't believe that you need water past the Teflon.

I was under the impression that you do not need water to pass the packing if you are using Teflon. The Teflon acts as you lubricant (not water). The spec's on the Hunter Marine site does spec the packing as 3/16".