How do you adjust the drip in the stuffing box. My drip every second and I know its tooooo much. Thank you
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Hi Richard, is it the plastic or...
bronze variety? Our bronze box has a lock nut that needs to be loosened before the box can be tightened. Two service wrenches work the best, one for the lock nut and one for the box. I have a piece of SS tubing that slides over each wrench handle to give more leverage. Is your one drip a second when the shaft is spinning or at idle? No big deal. I usually tighten the box by hand only, which usually gets me the drip rate I need but does not over tighten. No drip at rest and one drip every five seconds or so is best when the shaft is spinning. Terry
bronze variety? Our bronze box has a lock nut that needs to be loosened before the box can be tightened. Two service wrenches work the best, one for the lock nut and one for the box. I have a piece of SS tubing that slides over each wrench handle to give more leverage. Is your one drip a second when the shaft is spinning or at idle? No big deal. I usually tighten the box by hand only, which usually gets me the drip rate I need but does not over tighten. No drip at rest and one drip every five seconds or so is best when the shaft is spinning. Terry
Sequence
You can go crazy trying to open the smaller lock washer. Instead start with the big bronze washer, to loosen both. 1. Mark the top of big with tape so you know the original position. 2. Tighten the small bronze nut several revolutions to get it out of the way. 3. Tighten big to original version with tape on top. 4. Now tighten big 2 "flats" ie. the flat part of the nut. 5. Continue tightening until drip stops. Should be sufficient. 6. No need to overtigthen big, for it will damage the flax. 7. Go motoring and sailing and check it later to repeat if necessary. 8. If no drip under way or afterward, relax. Wives tale that it should drip. 9. Now you can tighten back the small washer to avoid slippage. 10. Be sure to get water out of the bilge or wherever it ran.
You can go crazy trying to open the smaller lock washer. Instead start with the big bronze washer, to loosen both. 1. Mark the top of big with tape so you know the original position. 2. Tighten the small bronze nut several revolutions to get it out of the way. 3. Tighten big to original version with tape on top. 4. Now tighten big 2 "flats" ie. the flat part of the nut. 5. Continue tightening until drip stops. Should be sufficient. 6. No need to overtigthen big, for it will damage the flax. 7. Go motoring and sailing and check it later to repeat if necessary. 8. If no drip under way or afterward, relax. Wives tale that it should drip. 9. Now you can tighten back the small washer to avoid slippage. 10. Be sure to get water out of the bilge or wherever it ran.
More information
PLastic or bronze variety? I don't know. I have to look at it again tonight when I winterize the engine. Its a 1999 Hunter 34. THanks again
PLastic or bronze variety? I don't know. I have to look at it again tonight when I winterize the engine. Its a 1999 Hunter 34. THanks again
Hi Richard, just a point of clarification...
Our box has one large (about 2 1/8th inch) lock nut on the stern side of the box. The box itself has flats that take about a 2" service wrench. Use the box wrench to keep the box from turning while you use the other wrench to break loose the lock nut. If it has been a long time since the lock nut has been loosened, I soak with Liquid Wrench for an hour to soften things up. Tap lightly with a hammer also helps. Terry
Our box has one large (about 2 1/8th inch) lock nut on the stern side of the box. The box itself has flats that take about a 2" service wrench. Use the box wrench to keep the box from turning while you use the other wrench to break loose the lock nut. If it has been a long time since the lock nut has been loosened, I soak with Liquid Wrench for an hour to soften things up. Tap lightly with a hammer also helps. Terry
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