Packing Gland Hose

[Mike and Joanne Stimmler]

Has anyone replaced the rubber hose coupling connected to the packing gland? Mine is looking pretty nasty and looks like it should be replaced possibly along with the whole packing gland assembly.
The shaft would obviously need to be slid back but I was just wondering what I'm up against.

Mike

[Ken Juul]

No help here.  Looking forward to seeing the information.  I put the exact same chore on my spring haul to do list just yesterday.

[Jim Hardesty]

Mike,
There has been some discussion here on shaft removal, older models the shaft comes off with out removing the rudder, newer models not.  Still think that the shaft would slide back far enough.  Also sounds like the time to replace the cutlass bearing if at all worn.

try this link for the parts needed

http://www.fisheriessupply.com/online/ln_menu/product.asp/mode/1/product_id/13458/Ntt/03337/N/0/Dx/mode+matchallpartial/category_name/03337/Nty/1/R/2689/D/03337/load/false/catalog_name/FISCO/Ntx/mode+matchpartial+rel+Inactive/act/A03/Ntk/All

Jim

[Albreen]

Hi Mike and others,
I replaced the hose this past spring and it was a very easy job - it looking like it was on the verge of cracking, very rusty/dirty looking and needed to be changed for my own sense of comfort. I changed the hose, renewed the coupler and stuffing box hardware, checked the shaft for wear and replaced the stuffing box packing per Ron's and/or Stu's great advice for dripless packing. Sliding the shaft back to the rudder allows plenty of room to make it all happen. I recall the toughest part was getting the bolts loose to free the coupling - a few were very rusty. I took the old hose to the shipyard chandlery and they cut a new piece for me. Check the shaft for scoring - some wear will be there. Mine wasn't significant and I'm sure it's the original shaft. There are great instructions here for aligning the shaft when you're in the water.  Good luck. 

One other note - the harmonic I heard at about 1500-1700 rpms went away after this. A nice added bene.. 

[mainesail]

What ever you do please use stuffing box hose that is designed for a stuffing box. Many yards, and even some builders, have used cheaper and inappropriate hose. Wet exhaust hose is not stuffing box hose though some yards seem to think it is. Buck Algonquin has a stuffing box hose specifically made for this purpose and it is well worth the money.

Stuffing Box Hose vs. Wet Exhaust Hose:


There is a difference..

[Ted Pounds]

That just goes to show a picture IS worth a thousand words.     Thanks.

[Bob K]

If you do see some wear on the shaft, consider a slightly longer hose to move the packing gland away from the wear area.  But only if the wear is slight. 

[Ron Hill]

Bob has a good idea to move the wear pattern on the shaft.  
Because the M35 engine has that 4th cylinder, the transmission coupling is closer to the packing gland(when compared to the M25XP).  You might consider a shorter piece of hose rather than a longer piece, when moving that wear pattern  A thought.  

[Mike and Joanne Stimmler]

Thanks for all of your ideas.

Mike

[Hawk]

On the age old packing material debate I am trying to locate some GFO up here in Vancouver before ordering on e-marine BUT...I assumed 3/16 would do until I saw on the Gore web site that a 1 inch shaft requres 1/4 inch GFO. They are referring to a Buck Algonquin Packing Box. Perhaps Catalina used a different stuffing box. I will try to measure it but any thoughts.

http://www.e-marine-inc.com/products/gfopacking/packing.html

Hawk

[Ron Hill]

Hawk : Don't pay any attention to the size of the drive shaft when you order GFO packing, as it's the inside size of the packing gland that determines the size of the packing against the drive shaft.  
MOST of the C34s use 3/16" packing.

[John Sheehan]

The packing gland on our MK II with the M 35-B engine took the 1/4" packing.

John

[Hawk]

Well the good news is the hose looks fine.

The bad news is despite 2 days of PB Blaster and 2 of us levering on the pipe and spanner wrenches today we could not get the locking nut and stuffing box to budge. Not sure when or if it's been done before.
We thought of getting a 2 foot piece of pipe for the end of the pipe wrench to really torque it but my shipwright friend said he has seen them break and I had to put the boat back in the water.

Sooo I still have water lubrication (thats good) BUT at 40 to 50 drips per minute (thats not so good).
I think I'll give it another try with PB and use some serious leverage. Otherwise looks like I have to pull the shaft and those coupling bolts don't look particularly cooperative. I know....may as well do your cutlass bearing while you're at it........lets see what page is that on.......

Hawk

 

[Ken Juul]

You might want to try using an hammer and chisel or flat blade screwdriver to seperate the jam and stuffing box nuts.  A good rap on the jam nut usually breaks it loose.  Once loose the nuts are much easier to work back and forth with PB or similiar to clean out the threads.

[Stu Jackson]

And also, once loose, before you put them back together, clean the threads and coat them especially the matching faces with Lanacote.  You'll never have a problem getting them apart again.