I am new to stuffing boxes. I would really appreciate some advice on how to adjust/tighten the stuffing box. What does the stuffing box look like and where are the adjustments made? I have read that one to three drops of water per one minute is the standard for tightening. Is this correct?
How to adjust stuffing box on 1996 Hunter 29.5
- Thread starter JGeddie
- Start date
You tube has some good info, and two to three dips per 30 seconds is about right. You don't want to over tighten it as the water dipping acts as a lubricant and over tightening can burn up the packing material. Mine drips about ten to fifteen drops per minute depending on ambient temperature.
Hope this helps
Hope this helps
Welcome to the forum!!
You are correct 1-3 drips per minute with engine running in gear is typical. You might find this thread on a Hunter 29.5 sailboat helpful.
You are correct 1-3 drips per minute with engine running in gear is typical. You might find this thread on a Hunter 29.5 sailboat helpful.
Stuffing box packing size for Hunter 29.5
Hello !I have to replace the old packing in the stuffing box of my Hunter 29.5, Year 1995. I would appreciate if anyone could provide the proper size of the packing material. Would combining two rings of GORE GFO packing with a drip-less moldable packing be a good solution ?Thanks for your...
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jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,233
Or you can learn all the dirt on Stuffing Box from @Maine Sail on his site.
Re-Packing A Traditional Stuffing Box - Marine How To
The Stuffing Box (click any image to see a larger version) While digging around in some old boat parts boxes I found a stuffing box from an older sailboat. I though it would be a good time to rig it up
marinehowto.com
Good info if you are replacing the packing.
However, the very first thing is to determine how old your packing is and does it require packing or simply a slight tightening. Go with the slight tightening first as it's the simpler of the two. Tighten the packing nut about 1/2 of a flat, run it for an hour or two and see if the leakage cuts back.
Good info from the replies so far. Just keep in mind the no drips while the prop shaft is static and a drop or two per minute while the shaft is spinning. No mentioned in your thread, but do you have a bronze or plastic stuffing box? If bronze, it is helpful to apply some anti seize compound to the box threads. This helps to prevent the box and lock nut from seizing due to sea water corrosion.
Hand tighten the box plus a quarter turn is about right for drip adjustment on our boat. Usually once a year adjustment is about enough. If that does not reduce or stop an excessive amount of drip, then likely the material inside the box needs to be replaced. I repack ours every seven years while on the hard while redoing the bottom paint. This last time the packing material was still in pretty good condition and could have remained for another few.
Hand tighten the box plus a quarter turn is about right for drip adjustment on our boat. Usually once a year adjustment is about enough. If that does not reduce or stop an excessive amount of drip, then likely the material inside the box needs to be replaced. I repack ours every seven years while on the hard while redoing the bottom paint. This last time the packing material was still in pretty good condition and could have remained for another few.
With the engine running and in gear. Drips while the shaft is not spinning is a sign of a fouled packing. Try first some adjustment and if it does not work then re-pack. It can be done with the boat in the water by using rags to limit the inflow of water.
And don't forget to check (and replace if necessary) the double hose clamps on each end of the stern tube hose.
I replaced the hose when I replaced my prop shaft a few years ago. The hose was a bit sketchy looking...
I repacked the box with flax that time. Wasn’t happy with that. Repacked with GFO the next year.
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Greg
I repacked the box with flax that time. Wasn’t happy with that. Repacked with GFO the next year.
Greg
FYI I kept adjusting the packing nut until I got to the point that tightening was not possible. I had hoped to make it to the next haulout but didn't make it. Took me a while to work up the nerve to loosen the packing nut in the water. I was concerned by others saying they had so much trouble picking out the old packing. I thought there would be too much water rushing in. So I split the difference by just wrapping on new piece of flax and retightening the nut. Worked like a champ. I have about 1/2 inch of threads to make adjustments before the next haulout. YMMV
Very nice looking video. I presume you did an alignment job on the newly installed shaft but didn't want to show it in the video if your language is anything like mine when doing an alignment job. Your video would have immediately become XXXXXX rated.
How's the GFO working out after the repack ? I've had excellent results with teflon impregnated flax and usually get about six years service between changes. And I run my gland DRY at all times.
Rough alignment on the stands, and final once the boat was in the water.
I like the GFO packing and it is holding up fine.
But I am considering a Volvo dripless seal...I like the simplicity of the lip seal vs the bellows and ceramic disk on the PSS setup. Haven’t decided for sure, but that is one of the things on the to do list over the winter.
Greg
They're great ........................ until something goes wrong. A couple of people on here have reported the failure of the rubber bellows and I understand "it ain't pretty".
And the only way to prevent failure of the bellows is to replace it every 7-8 years and all the work involved in that.
So, how many rubber bellows do you estimate are out there and waaaaaay overdue for replacement.
Interesting. The new flexible containment housing certainly looks far more resilient than the Gen. l bellows.
The installation instructions (from their site) makes no mention of a replacement period for the Gen. ll. However, the Gen. l doesn't mention a replacement period either although the video recommends 8-12 years.
Be interesting to see an actual cross section of the Gen. 11 seal.
Yeah. My instructions make no mention of maintenance other than making sure the vent tube is clear and flushing the bearing surface in case any grit might get in there.
I thought the least they could do was include instructions on "How to Abandon Ship" if things ever got dicey
!I would think that the Gen. ll solid body would give plenty of warning before any serious problems arise as opposed to the Gen. l bellows. I have seen the bellows on industrial pump seals fail and they DON'T fail in stages.