I am a little confused on the packing gland. Ours is dripping from the last nut closest to the engine. I replaced the rusty clamps with new stainless ones. I am not sure how to tighten the packing gland. When I tried gently the rubber hose part of the packing was trying to turn also. I also tried to put one pair of large pliers and one pipe wrench on both nuts and couldn't seperate the two. I may need two pipe wrenches. I am a little scared of sinking our boat, any help would be appreciated. Dave
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It should drip
Most stuffing boxes require a few drops of water per minute to keep everything cool. You can tighten the nuts, but if you overtighten them, water won't drip into the boat and that can cause damage. There are dripless stufiing boxes available, but yours probably isn't that type. How much water is dripping?
Most stuffing boxes require a few drops of water per minute to keep everything cool. You can tighten the nuts, but if you overtighten them, water won't drip into the boat and that can cause damage. There are dripless stufiing boxes available, but yours probably isn't that type. How much water is dripping?
Packing Box Stuffing
I hope this link comes thru. I just repacked mine in the wet a week ago. To adjust your packing there is a lock nut/ring behinf the cap. It takes two wrenches to loosen this.
I hope this link comes thru. I just repacked mine in the wet a week ago. To adjust your packing there is a lock nut/ring behinf the cap. It takes two wrenches to loosen this.
Packing nut
Tim's right, you don't want to overtighten. It should be tight enough so that when static, there is no drip, and when turning, maybe a few drips per minute. Sounds like you have some corrosion locking the lock nut to the gland nut. You *will* need 2 pipe wrenches. Don't use adjustable wrenches. There are also specially made packing nut wrenches, but I don't know how strong they are, and you can always use pipe wrenches for other projects as well. Start by soaking the packing nut/lock nut with WD-40. Let it sit a while so it can do its thing. Put one pipe wrench on the packing nut, and one on the lock nut. The one on the lock nut will also keep the rubber sleeve from turning. I think the packing nut will loosen to starboard, lock nut to port. It can take a lot of wrenching to break them free, and maybe multiple applications of WD-40, but it can be done. Once you have them apart (you'll get a trickle but you won't sink the boat if you work reasonably fast), clean up the threads and hit them with a little WD, and they will be easy to tighten/loosen as needed. Also, this would be a good time to replace the packing. Good luck.
Tim's right, you don't want to overtighten. It should be tight enough so that when static, there is no drip, and when turning, maybe a few drips per minute. Sounds like you have some corrosion locking the lock nut to the gland nut. You *will* need 2 pipe wrenches. Don't use adjustable wrenches. There are also specially made packing nut wrenches, but I don't know how strong they are, and you can always use pipe wrenches for other projects as well. Start by soaking the packing nut/lock nut with WD-40. Let it sit a while so it can do its thing. Put one pipe wrench on the packing nut, and one on the lock nut. The one on the lock nut will also keep the rubber sleeve from turning. I think the packing nut will loosen to starboard, lock nut to port. It can take a lot of wrenching to break them free, and maybe multiple applications of WD-40, but it can be done. Once you have them apart (you'll get a trickle but you won't sink the boat if you work reasonably fast), clean up the threads and hit them with a little WD, and they will be easy to tighten/loosen as needed. Also, this would be a good time to replace the packing. Good luck.
Picture.
This picture might help orient you to the excellent advise you have received so far. See the Related Link. Ignore the "Rudder" title. That picture is a shaft stuffing box. The hard rubber hose should be double-clamped on both ends. The large hex nut closest to the hose is the locknut. That is loosened(clockwise towards the hose) first. The other hex nut is actually part of the stuffing box body. Unscrew it CCW and slide toward the tranny. Scroll down in the Link to see the packing extraction tool. Good luck.
This picture might help orient you to the excellent advise you have received so far. See the Related Link. Ignore the "Rudder" title. That picture is a shaft stuffing box. The hard rubber hose should be double-clamped on both ends. The large hex nut closest to the hose is the locknut. That is loosened(clockwise towards the hose) first. The other hex nut is actually part of the stuffing box body. Unscrew it CCW and slide toward the tranny. Scroll down in the Link to see the packing extraction tool. Good luck.
Thank You All!
I just wanted to thank you all for each of your informative answers. I will be going to the boat tommorrow with two pipe wrenches and packing. Thank you again.
I just wanted to thank you all for each of your informative answers. I will be going to the boat tommorrow with two pipe wrenches and packing. Thank you again.
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