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Re-Packing Your Stuffing Box


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I discovered this awesome "How-to" site that describes in incredible detail and with high resolution pictures how to re-pack a stuffing box. It's NOT specific to direct drive or v-drives, but the information is generic for most stuffing boxes.

http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/stuffing_box&page=1

This should probably be put into the "DIY" section, but I am ony a lowly "Crew Member" and do not have permission to post in that forum. If someone with a loftier status would care to post it there, I'm sure many will benefit from the information. All credit should go to the original poster.

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  • 1 month later...

I discovered this awesome "How-to" site that describes in incredible detail and with high resolution pictures how to re-pack a stuffing box. It's NOT specific to direct drive or v-drives, but the information is generic for most stuffing boxes.

http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/stuffing_box&page=1

This should probably be put into the "DIY" section, but I am ony a lowly "Crew Member" and do not have permission to post in that forum. If someone with a loftier status would care to post it there, I'm sure many will benefit from the information. All credit should go to the original poster.

This is a great link! Thanks for posting!

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There are a few threads talking about this too. We don't often refer to it as a "stuffing box" but more commonly call it a "prop packing" or "prop shaft seal".

Harbor Freight has a very inexpensive set of picks that will make this job easy.

Since when? Is "stuffing box" now deemed not PC? I've always called it a stuffing box, now there is one more thing I have to adapt to :unsure:

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Since when? Is "stuffing box" now deemed not PC? I've always called it a stuffing box, now there is one more thing I have to adapt to :unsure:

I think Bill is just plugging in some good search terms so this thread comes up in more results

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Since when? Is "stuffing box" now deemed not PC? I've always called it a stuffing box, now there is one more thing I have to adapt to :unsure:

Thanks 99. Just saying there may be other terms to search by. I haven't heard it called a stuffing box in a while. :unsure:

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  • 2 weeks later...

I am needing to do this! So thanks for posting this link! It's a lifesaver and kept me from asking some dumb questions. I am still trying to decide if I want to go to the dripless setup though but that requires the shaft be pulled out some and also I would need to remove the prop to do that.

Any other things I need to know about this? Also I am doing it on my 97 Malibu Tantrum although I am guessing they all work about the same.

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Go with the "virtually drippless" from Skidim. There is no removing the prop shaft & it leaks a lot less than the old flax packing did.

SHAFT PACKING VIRTUALLY DRIPLESS 1/4"

Contact Skidim by phone if your not positive. They are stand up guys & will give great advice for your boat.

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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Go with the "virtually drippless" from Skidim. There is no removing the prop shaft & it leaks a lot less than the old flax packing did.

SHAFT PACKING VIRTUALLY DRIPLESS 1/4"

Contact Skidim by phone if your not positive. They are stand up guys & will give great advice for your boat.

I wish I would have known about that when I did mine, that stuff looks real good,

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Is there also packing around the rudder shaft? I have a large amount of water coming in but noticed no dripping from the shaft but also I was unable to check with the shaft in motion. From what I gather it may not drip at all unless the shaft is turning. I am glad I have a good bilge pump LOL. I need to get it on the water with someone else driving so I can make sure there are no other leaks. Aside from the rudder and the prop shaft is there anything else that could leak (without putting a hole in the bottom).

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Go with the "virtually drippless" from Skidim. There is no removing the prop shaft & it leaks a lot less than the old flax packing did.

SHAFT PACKING VIRTUALLY DRIPLESS 1/4"

Contact Skidim by phone if your not positive. They are stand up guys & will give great advice for your boat.

just to verify 1/4 is the correct thickness for our boats? I have the same boat as you Bill. I need to do this as well.

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just to verify 1/4 is the correct thickness for our boats? I have the same boat as you Bill. I need to do this as well.

I stuck my foot in my mouth once on this one.

I THINK thats right.

The description on the 1/4" says:

* GFO Fiber Packing (Shaft - Rudders)

* Easy To Install - Bilges Stay Dry

* 1/4" Is usually used with 1" shafts (exception most Correct Crafts up to 2002? use 3/16". After 2002 it seems to be 1/4")

And the description on the 3/16" says:

* GFO Fiber Packing (Shaft - Rudder)

* Easy To Install - Bilges Stay Dry

* 3/16" packing is usually used with 1-1/8" shafts, (1" Exception -Most Correct Crafts up to 2002 use 3/16, some early Malibus and Ski Supremes)

But I've had a couple IPAs tonite so I could be wrong.

Give the guys at Skidim a call if there is any question. :crazy:

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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No freaking wonder I can't get my seal in there I am trying to stuff 1/4 inch on the 1 and 1/8th inch shaft. No matter what I try I cannot get it in there. I noticed the old stuff looked quite a bit smaller but thought maybe wear wore it down LOL. Not the case Haha.

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I redid my 05 last spring with 3/16 GFO, 1 1/8 drive shaft. I'd call it drip-less.

Sa-weet! Just what I wanted to hear.

No freaking wonder I can't get my seal in there I am trying to stuff 1/4 inch on the 1 and 1/8th inch shaft. No matter what I try I cannot get it in there. I noticed the old stuff looked quite a bit smaller but thought maybe wear wore it down LOL. Not the case Haha.

:lol: Ten pounds of potatoes in a five pound sack eh?

Edited by Ruffdog
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Yeah. I used some cheap packing though for now. PTFE stuff. No drips unless I back it wwaaayyyy off. So I'd call it a success. I plan on replacing with the dripless stuff soon though.

I can't believe how easy it was to replace the packing. Gravy, If I'd had known it would be that easy I would have had some biscuits to go with all that gravy. Ha.

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Yeah. I used some cheap packing though for now. PTFE stuff. No drips unless I back it wwaaayyyy off. So I'd call it a success. I plan on replacing with the dripless stuff soon though.

I can't believe how easy it was to replace the packing. Gravy, If I'd had known it would be that easy I would have had some biscuits to go with all that gravy. Ha.

I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure you are supposed to have SOME drips. If you don't you're too tight, especially with the non-goretex stuff.

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Yeah I spoke with a guy who works on these things all the time. He said when it's just installed it might not drip right at first but go easy for a bit and then check. I still have other mysterious problems with water coming in though. So I am not concerned with the shaft packing at the moment. It drips a little bit so I call that good. I am getting a lot of water inside from the right side of the boat. It's irritating. Coming in somewhere near the rub rail in the rear.

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  • 1 month later...

What is the easiest way to access the packing box on a Malibu Wakesetter VLX? Its located under the transmission. And it is steady streaming. I have to run the BLG every hour or so. Thanks for your help.

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What is the easiest way to access the packing box on a Malibu Wakesetter VLX? Its located under the transmission. And it is steady streaming. I have to run the BLG every hour or so. Thanks for your help.

Easiest way, huh.......

Pull the rear, middle seat cushion. Then stick your face down underneath the v-drive (have someone hold your hair back, like your busy worshipping the porcelain god). :crazy:

The prop shaft is underneath the v-drive. And the packing nuts are toward the stern end of the prop shaft.

Access is the easy part. Actually DOING it is the PITA.

I used a pair of plumbing spanner adjustable wrenches that I picked up at Home Depot for like $10 each. Real boat mechanics use a pair of packing wrenches that cost about 4 times that.

And to get the packing material out, I found a pack of 4 picks at Harbor Freight for like $2. You'll have to back the first nut all the way off, then use the picks to pick the waxy rope packing out of the packing gland. When you get the first one out, don't get all happyhappy yet..... there are typically 3 layers of it in there.

Really only takes like an hour or so. But with all the swearing & stickin your face down in the bilge, it seems like a lot more. :rofl:

Good luck.

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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I bet I get it done with a lot less swearing on my DD. Biggrin.gif

Yea, probably will!

Too bad none of us v-drive owners are there or you'd be swearing with someone's foot on your head while your pickin that old waxy rope out of there. :rofl: "I think theres another piece in there! Did you get it all out??" :clap:

It's really not that tough. Just tight spaces like getting to the impeller.

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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