Stuffing Box Tightening

[lehighsail]

I am in the process of changing the packing in my stuffing box and all seems to be going well. I am following the instructions on the PBase site with the pics and this makes it easier for sure. Here are my questions.
First, it says you can wax the end of the Gore material so it does not fray. Should this be done before or after you cut it at the 45 degree angle? Waxing it before, with a minimal amount of wax would seem to be best but what do you all think?
Second, once the three layers of Gore packing are in the nut, it says to only tighten the nut until there is resistance. Once this is done, do you then tighten down the locknut tight to the large nut? When you adjust it later on, do you loosen up the locknut (small side), and tighten up the large side onto the threads and retighten the small side? If this is the case, how do you hold the large threaded part so you can tighten the large nut against it. I hope this is clear. If you look at the pics on the pbase site it should be. Thanks for your help.

 

[Warren Milberg]

I also use Gore packing material in my stuffing box. I have never found a need to wax the ends after cutting the rings at 45-deg angles. After repacking, I tighten down the larger compression (forward) ring until I`get "significant"`resistance and then tighten up the smaller (aft) ring against it. I determine "significant" resistance as enough to feel the friction when turning the shaft by hand, but not so tight as to making turning it very difficult. You will need two packing nut wrenches/large channel locks pliers/or pipe wrenches to (1) hold the forward nut in place and (2) to tighten the aft nut against it without torquing the rubber hose/gland.

In the best of worlds, you want to be able to get on the boat (assuming it was on the hard when your repacked the gland) or if you did it while in the water in order to make sure the drip rate is correct. Most likely, the gland will require additional adjustment after the engine has been run in gear for a few hours.

 

[seanshine]

I'd like to help, but I got a little dizzy reading that font. What's with that? GOF is very easy to use..

 

[Ross]

As is the case with everything proper tools are a must. The only difference between twenty-first century man and 50 centuries BCE is the quality of the tools. no channel locks and no pipe wrenches on hex nuts, smooth jaw wrenches that can be found in any plumbing supply house. http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/Hex-Wrench/EN/index.htm

edit for spelling.

 

[Maine Sail]

I am in the process of changing the packing in my stuffing box and all seems to be going well. I am following the instructions on the PBase site with the pics and this makes it easier for sure. Here are my questions.
First, it says you can wax the end of the Gore material so it does not fray. Should this be done before or after you cut it at the 45 degree angle? Waxing it before, with a minimal amount of wax would seem to be best but what do you all think?
Second, once the three layers of Gore packing are in the nut, it says to only tighten the nut until there is resistance. Once this is done, do you then tighten down the locknut tight to the large nut? When you adjust it later on, do you loosen up the locknut (small side), and tighten up the large side onto the threads and retighten the small side? If this is the case, how do you hold the large threaded part so you can tighten the large nut against it. I hope this is clear. If you look at the pics on the pbase site it should be. Thanks for your help.

Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I had thought I had updated the site a long time ago, but apparently had not. I discovered later that the packing used in that article was Western Pacific Trading GTU from West Marine and not GFO as I had initially thought. They look very similar but GFO is labeled and GTU is not.

I have updated the site, which I thought I had done long ago.

Bottom line is that GTU can fray, as seen, and GFO and Duramax Ultra-X do not show much if any fraying when cut cleanly....

I will eventually re-take those pictures with Ultra-X or GFO and just keep the warning about GTU but for now the pic of the Ultra-X's clean cut are up loaded...