PSS Shaft Seals

[z28jimi]

Looking for recommendations for mechanics in Daytona area who know what they're doing, to replace bellows on the seals in my boat. Any suggestions?

 

[Boatsb]

Looking for recommendations for mechanics in Daytona area who know what they're doing, to replace bellows on the seals in my boat. Any suggestions?

Replace them with standard stuffing boxes.




But really it's not a tough job. Getting the shaft out of the coupler is the hardest part.

 

[Dan Mapes]

And if the shafts are painted they will need to be ground down.

 

[krush]

Replace them with standard stuffing boxes.

Like this. I'm even pondering this.....while on the hard.

 

[DCMY #92]

Call Ken Ruse (407) 620-4408. He mostly works on engines, but if he can't do what you need he will know who can.

 

[jrbrein]

Replace them with standard stuffing boxes.




But really it's not a tough job. Getting the shaft out of the coupler is the hardest part.

I have standard stuffing boxes on my 1981 43' DC and the the rubber boots are old, cracked and need to be replaced. I am considering Tides Shaft logs along with just keeping the standard stuffing boxes and replacing the boots. I would really like to minimize if not eliminate water entering the boat via the stuffing boxes. Would the newer packing materials (Gortex or graphite) eliminate water coming in or at least reduce it significantly?

Jon

 

[Pascal]

Goretex packing is almost dripless.

PSS works well but from what I ve heard when they fail, it's pretty bad. I ve had tide seals on boats I run and I m not impressed... they always seem to drip after a while as much as goretex

 

[jim rosenthal]

I have had PSS seals on my boat for, I think, 15 years. Year before last we had a leak, which was caused by the rotor getting a bit loose and sliding up the shaft. This was really my fault as I should have checked it every time she went in the water at the beginning of the season. It was fixed by tightening the setscrews. At the end of the season, we pulled the shafts, and replaced the PSS bellows. The fifteen year old bellows were still good- no cracking or weathering and still supple.

So, one leak in the better part of two decades, and that one my fault for lack of diligence. YMMV but note that I put new bellows and clamps in, realigned everything, and she has been fine. PSS make a very high quality product.

 

[ohiohatteras]

Check out Lasdrop shaft seals.....I dumped my PSS and went with Lasdrop

 

[Boatsb]

A boat here had a piece of paper towel get in the seal and destroyed it. She hit bottom. A total loss because of that small piece of paper towel.

Another a while back lost the cooling hose during a seatrial. We noticed the pump light and found the problem. I'll stick with my old school shaft logs.

 

[Walter P]

I agree with Scott. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I am not aware of any of our old antique shaft logs causing a catastrophic event. I'm sure that there are stories of failure but they must be so rare that it makes me wonder what the allure of the "new" dripless is. Goretex in the original units works fine with hardly any drip at all. Better to spend the money on something that will really be an improvement.

Walt

 

[DCMY #92]

Some timely information: My neighbor hauled his 43 Saber MY today (unplanned) to diagnose and repair a badly failed Lasdrop seal. Don't know what initiated the failure yet, but it wasn't loss of cooling water. The seal that failed is 15 months old with 120 hours on it. He previously had PSS seals. Went to Lasdrop because of a PSS failure 15 months ago.

 

[Walter P]

I rest my case... Walt

 

[krush]

We have muddy/silty water here where I run...think that will eat away at dripless seals?

How much is a gland to put back on instead of the dripless?

 

[Boatsb]

Size matters.

Whats the od of the tube and the shaft size


I may even know where some are.

 

[Dan Mapes]

We had Lasdrops and they failed within a year of installation. It was very odd. The seals seized up and the shaft spun inside the clamp. Everyone involved made good on the deal including haul etc.. The next set performed well. We had Tides before them, and they also failed early.
Prior to Tides I tried Gortex packing and we were not able to get more than two rings installed. The housings were hot to the touch idling in gear at the dock.
If you go with packing, go for the water cooled version?

 

[Boatsb]

I've never been limited to 2 rings in a properly sized shaft log with the correct packing. I have 1 3/4 shafts in my oat that was originally 1 1/2. I use a thinner packing 1/4 or so and have 6 rings easily in there. If I had used larger packing I'd still have 3 rings

As to the heat. I don't crank them down dry and adjust them a little at a time. I also don't want them bone dry so I find them cool to the touch with maybe 4 drops a minute when not running.

I put deflectors over them to prevent slinging water around the engine room.

 

[krush]

I heard on the internets to fill the packing box up with grease to keep it cool! Maybe add a grease fitting LOL.

Some people say the gore packing squishes out. But I used Graphite (duramax Ultra-x) packing on my jetboat and it doesn't leak and works great.

 

[BOATER BOB]

Try Western Pacific Trading moldable packing I ran some for 10 years on boat before my new boat which I have 3 years on never had to touch shafts once in 10 years same for the last 3 on new boat looks like green clay and works .
Bob

 

[BOATER BOB]

Also works in rudder box.
Bob