nylon stuffing box repack
- Thread starter thetone
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Not much of a job. The box uses 3/16" packing. You need something like a dental pick. The 90 deg. ones work well.
You should cut 3 rings of packing before you remove the old stuff. Cut the packing with a 45 degree angle.
Have a towel available to mop up any excess water. There should be a nylon washer inside the stuffing box that you may need remove first. Then you need to dig out the old stuff. Push each ring of packing in so the angle cuts do not line up. Use the nut to push the new stuff in. If you can get all three rings of packing in the box you just need to tighten until you get 2-4 drips per minute while the engine is in gear and you should be good to go.
You will want to check it after running it for a couple of hours to be sure it is correctly adjusted. Be sure that shaft is not getting hot (too tight).
You should cut 3 rings of packing before you remove the old stuff. Cut the packing with a 45 degree angle.
Have a towel available to mop up any excess water. There should be a nylon washer inside the stuffing box that you may need remove first. Then you need to dig out the old stuff. Push each ring of packing in so the angle cuts do not line up. Use the nut to push the new stuff in. If you can get all three rings of packing in the box you just need to tighten until you get 2-4 drips per minute while the engine is in gear and you should be good to go.
You will want to check it after running it for a couple of hours to be sure it is correctly adjusted. Be sure that shaft is not getting hot (too tight).
Repacking a Hunter 28.5 OEM white nylon stuffing box can be a challenge due to a number of factors. The first is that there is very little distance between the box and the coupler so getting the old packing -- AND compression washers -- out can be really difficult without removing the shaft. I tried all sorts fo picks to get the washers and old packing material out, and it was really hard. Take a look at the pic below to get an idea of how the 2 packing rings and 3 washers inside the gland are set up. I found it very difficult to repack such a gland, but more importantly, I never trusted it. I replaced mine with a conventional bronze packing gland when I replaced the cutless bearing and it is really simple to service.
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I just re-packed the nylon-style stuffing box on my 28.5 today. It wasn't very difficult, other than being a somewhat cramped location. You have to separate the box from the hose so that you can twist/pull the box aft to free the forward nylon washer. From there it's a standard pick job.
I re-packed with 5/16 GTU, and started the angled flax cut on the shaft to mark the length, then finished up on a cutting board to make it easy.
It takes two packing rings of course, one on either side of the metal washer (nylon washer, flax, metal washer, flax, nylon washer).
Freeing the box from the hose also allows for a complete inspection. My box was in great shape with no cracks or wear in the nylon.
I re-packed with 5/16 GTU, and started the angled flax cut on the shaft to mark the length, then finished up on a cutting board to make it easy.
It takes two packing rings of course, one on either side of the metal washer (nylon washer, flax, metal washer, flax, nylon washer).
Freeing the box from the hose also allows for a complete inspection. My box was in great shape with no cracks or wear in the nylon.
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I think it may be time to repack mine also. Can this be done safely while in the water
Paul
I've read that it can be done while in the water. There are various stop-gap methods such as putting plasticine in a baggy and molding that into the space between the tube and the shaft...
...that being said, I wouldn't do it that way. I'd be too nervous that something unexpected might break or happen, leaving me in a very wet pickle with a 5 NM run to the lift.
...that being said, I wouldn't do it that way. I'd be too nervous that something unexpected might break or happen, leaving me in a very wet pickle with a 5 NM run to the lift.
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