Asureyez
New Member
- Apr 22, 2007
- 1,535
- Boat Info
- Sea Ray 460 Sundancer Hardtop 2001 - SOLD
- Engines
- Cummins 450 Diesels
Repacking tips. By all means use the new Goretex Teflon impregnated packing.
Get enough to cut at least four overlaping rings per seal. Perhaps only three will fit the first time, but you'll have a spare ready to go should you need to add one later due to compression. After removing the old packing place each ring in with the overlaping cut at least 120 degrees away from the previous one so as to not have two splices on top the other. Do not just put a coil around the shaft and drive down on it. If the seal tube will take four rings great use them and screw down the seal. Water will be running in the whole time so you want to work quickly in tight quarters so that why you cut your rings first. Tighten down until the water stops and then one more half turn. Tighten the locking nut (on prop shaft seals there should be one.) Next go for test cruise with a mate that can handle the helm and if possible you observe the seal under power. If the dripping starts, come off plane and out of gear, tighten another half turn. Repeat until the seal is dry under load and is cool to touch when dropped out of gear.
If you get a leak again, repeat this process and if you run out of room to tighten down any more put another ring or two in. Why is this necessary? The log tube maybe slightly larger than the packing rope dimensions and will flatten more than expected and will need to be compressed by adding another ring or two.
When I first repacked my rudder seals (out of water please) I found the factory had generously used one entire ring for each rudder seal! I'm lucky they even tried to use packing I guess. SR is great but not perfect!
Get enough to cut at least four overlaping rings per seal. Perhaps only three will fit the first time, but you'll have a spare ready to go should you need to add one later due to compression. After removing the old packing place each ring in with the overlaping cut at least 120 degrees away from the previous one so as to not have two splices on top the other. Do not just put a coil around the shaft and drive down on it. If the seal tube will take four rings great use them and screw down the seal. Water will be running in the whole time so you want to work quickly in tight quarters so that why you cut your rings first. Tighten down until the water stops and then one more half turn. Tighten the locking nut (on prop shaft seals there should be one.) Next go for test cruise with a mate that can handle the helm and if possible you observe the seal under power. If the dripping starts, come off plane and out of gear, tighten another half turn. Repeat until the seal is dry under load and is cool to touch when dropped out of gear.
If you get a leak again, repeat this process and if you run out of room to tighten down any more put another ring or two in. Why is this necessary? The log tube maybe slightly larger than the packing rope dimensions and will flatten more than expected and will need to be compressed by adding another ring or two.
When I first repacked my rudder seals (out of water please) I found the factory had generously used one entire ring for each rudder seal! I'm lucky they even tried to use packing I guess. SR is great but not perfect!
