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replacing packing on shaft ?

M

MELECONN51

New member
any helpful hints on replacing packing on propeller shafts? chrysler 360s w/ warner velvet drives, boat in water, got water leaks at nut, tried tightening no avail. will alot of water come in (dangerously) when I loosen & remove packing or is it better to haul boat, trying to save some additional expense

thanks
 
You can do this in the water. Make sure your pumps are working and don't freak out when the water starts coming in! It will take hours for enough water to come in to damage your boat.

Get a new package of packing. Cut them to fit before you remove the nut. Once you get the nut removed, try and clean what is left of the old packing from inside the nut if you can with a pick. If you cannot get anything out of it, that is ok. Re-install the nut and tighten it until the water slows to about one drop a minute. Now start the engine and put the trans in gear, re-adjust the nut if necessary.
 
Chris is right, in the slip is not a problem, so stay calm, turn the bilge pumps on, and don't panic! It does seem a bit overwhelming when your feet get wet up to the ankles, and the water is still coming in.

Seriously, to pre-fit the packing, wrap around the shaft and cut three sections as close to a perfect circle as you can, if you have enough, cut some spares too. Stagger the end pieces 180 degrees or so. Don't be temped to put it in corkscrew fashion like my silly dock neighbor, who discovered it would back out, nut and all when the engine was reversed a few times.
 
Done it myself and was stunned at how little water came in. Still, I wrapped a rag around the shaft until I was ready to stick the assembly back together.

The plan is (as stated above) to be properly prepaired, with the rings all cut neatly and ready to go. Also, you might find that all of the rings (say, three) don't weant to go in. In that case, put just two, tighten the nut firmly, then back it of and try to slip the last one in. And you can't, run with what you can get in there. After runnig a few hours you can try to get that last ring in there.

Jeff
 
JCosta said:
I found this link on repacking a traditional stuffing box. It has lots of detailed pictures and a good write up.

http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/stuffing_box
Click to expand...

Great article.

One more tip, is to wrap the flax packing around the shaft snuggly and let the tail end lie right next to the length of flax. Cut a little of the tail end and the wrap that it lies against at about a 45 degree angle vertically. You will be left with a perfect fitting wring of wrap. The ends will meet in a 45 degree overlap kind of like wood molding joints. I use a new flat razor blade to make the cut. Very precise fitting.
 
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Man....I would be so nervous doing this in the water :eek: if I had never replaced packings before. Seems there are a few tips that need to be used..

**Drywall screw and pick to get old packing out.
**PVC pipe trick...split pipe the size of the shaft...used to get new packing in nut easy.
**Rag around shaft to stop rush of water in boat until nut is ready to go back on.
**A headlight

Good luck and please check back with us....let us know all the details.

:cool:
 
It's NOT a dangerous job to repack with the boat in the water! I've done it and the amount of water coming in is easily controlable with a rag.

Jeff

PS: Don't even think of using anything but Teflon packing! It works a 1,000 % better than the old crap.
 
fastjeff said:
It's NOT a dangerous job to repack with the boat in the water! I've done it and the amount of water coming in is easily controlable with a rag.

Jeff

PS: Don't even think of using anything but Teflon packing! It works a 1,000 % better than the old crap.
Click to expand...

Where can I buy some Teflon packing?
 
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