Installing a PSS shat seal.

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Wandering Star

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My boats ashore and I want to install a PSS shaftseal. I’m not too familiar with the process (in fact I’m thinking of farming the job out) but if I can understand the process, I may give it a go myself There’s quite good access to the propshaft, grarbox coupling and stuffing box. What I’m mainly unsure about is the stuffing box end. Hopefully I’m attaching a picture of this and asking which bit in the photo will the outboard end of the PSS seal attach to? Which bits will I be removing? I know my propshaft is 1” but what/whereabout do I measure the outboard end of the seal In order to purchase the correct sized unit?

Any and all advice welcomed.

2BB82CC1-28A9-46AE-A3FC-73677B655B02.jpeg
 
The bellows of the PSS fits onto the stern tube that’s currently hidden by the rubber hose with two jubilee clips on it. Undo the clips and slide the old stuffing box assembly with flexible hose towards the engine and measure the size of the stern tube. When you order your PSS seal you need to specify both the shaft diameter and the diameter of the stern tube.

To fit the PSS shaft seal you’ll need to disconnect the shaft from the gearbox and slide thd shaft out of the boat enough to remove the old assembly and to slide the PSS bellows and carbon assembly on, followed by the stainless collar will its two O-rings inside it et cetera. The instructions with PSS seals are very straightforward and easy to follow.
 
It’s super easy. As above. Disconnect shaft, slide to allow enough room for bellows and stainless ring. Refit shaft and then get the bellow compression right. Tighten stainless ring.

I used a Michigan Seal which appears very good quality. Been on for 5 years now.
 
Wandering Star said:
My boats ashore and I want to install a PSS shaftseal. I’m not too familiar with the process (in fact I’m thinking of farming the job out) but if I can understand the process, I may give it a go myself There’s quite good access to the propshaft, grarbox coupling and stuffing box. What I’m mainly unsure about is the stuffing box end. Hopefully I’m attaching a picture of this and asking which bit in the photo will the outboard end of the PSS seal attach to? Which bits will I be removing? I know my propshaft is 1” but what/whereabout do I measure the outboard end of the seal In order to purchase the correct sized unit?

Any and all advice welcomed.

View attachment 139334
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Access envy. Pretty sure i would need to take engine out to do that.
 
Wandering Star said:
Thanks John, that sounds straightforward and well described- I’ll make an attempt on it this week.
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I suspect that the most difficult part of the job will be extracting the shaft from the coupling. If the coupling is the one I think it is, they often have a roll pin through the coupling and the shaft and they can be a right swine to remove. A large hammer and a parallel pin punch is the minimum. I've had to drill them out before now...
 
Photo attached of replacement two years ago. My boat is a Halmatic 30 and you need to hang upside down and very long arms to reach the coupling and tube. But after splitting the coupling all was simple and the instructions were good. As a matter of interest, the one I replaced was leaking a bit after 24 years service!!!!
 

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Now you’re worrying me! The boat (Rival 32) is a project, it was an entrant in the 2012 AZAB and fully prepared for the event but apparently on his return, the owner just walked away and left the boat on a mooring for 10 years! Consequently there was an accumulation of water over the year and as a result the coupling is severely corroded (from being immersed although the engine & gearbox are virtually as new.

Here‘s a picture of the coupling - any comments (yes I know it’s rusty) on it’s removal or anything else helpful, 18023873-4021-411A-8856-0D2D5FFC209F.jpegwould be welcome!
 
Plenty of penetrating oil over a few days and slacken the pinch bolts. It’s unlikely that you will get the shaft out of the coupling without some persuasion so some steel wedges and maybe a heat gun on the coupling. There may be a locating stud into a dimple in the shaft through the coupling at right angles to the shaft? Work the shaft out of the coupling by twisting the shaft by hand from the outside on the propeller.
Could be a long job but doable at a significant savings on yard costs!!!!!
 
john_morris_uk said:
I suspect that the most difficult part of the job will be extracting the shaft from the coupling. If the coupling is the one I think it is, they often have a roll pin through the coupling and the shaft and they can be a right swine to remove. A large hammer and a parallel pin punch is the minimum. I've had to drill them out before now...
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+1 on that!

had an awful time getting two shafts out of their couplings last year. Probably never removed in 30+ yrs.
solution was cobble together a puller system with a backplate, spacers to shaft (suitably large socket!) and M10 bolts and nuts tightened as much as could, then heating the coupling for a good 15mins, pouring cold water over. Repeat a couple of times, then just heat, leave go home, next morning was loose :)
further access is awful, don't know why others thing it's easy, you need monkey arms to work there for more than a few mins at a time.

good luck

V
 
One you have the old gear out and the PSS loosely in place then re-attach the coupling. It is necessary to compress the gaiter on the PSS by a set amount (given in the instructions) and then do up the screws that fix the rotor in place. Compressing it and doing it up in the right place is tricky but here is very good wheeze that I only read after I had done mine! Get some plastic pipe and cut out a section along the length.Then cut the length so that is exactly the distance you require from the coupling to the rotor once the gaiter is compressed. Compress the gaiter and push the pipe over the shaft and it would hold everything in just the right position for doing up the screws. You can even leave it there as a failsafe.
 
Wandering Star said:
Now you’re worrying me! The boat (Rival 32) is a project, it was an entrant in the 2012 AZAB and fully prepared for the event but apparently on his return, the owner just walked away and left the boat on a mooring for 10 years! Consequently there was an accumulation of water over the year and as a result the coupling is severely corroded (from being immersed although the engine & gearbox are virtually as new.

Here‘s a picture of the coupling - any comments (yes I know it’s rusty) on it’s removal or anything else helpful, View attachment 139343would be welcome!
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Try the easiest methods first! First entry on this page of my website Coupling types and removal You may need to cut off your old bolts but usually the shaft will press out relatively easily.
 
I bought a strip of 3mm X 30mm mild steel, removed the coupling bolts, put the steel strip in the coupling flange gap, put the bolts back in from the reverse side so they were up against the steel then did them up with a socket and long extension - they forced the coupling 'jaws' apart and the shaft came out easily. It looks like a yanmar, there are (or sould be) two grub screws in the coupling too

PSS.jpg
 
If you can get the bolts out of the shaft clamp, to help in getting the shaft out of the clamp, clean up and grease the bolts then put the two (furthest from the gearbox) back in but from the threaded end. Put a flat plate (spatula, hacksaw blade or the like) down into the split in the clamp and tighten the bolts onto the flat plate to spread the clamp jaws a little and help break any rust seal between shaft and clamp.
 
Well, thanks for everyones invaluable help. Having looked through a number of previous YBW threads on similiar topics, in particular this long thread Failed to remove the shaft coupling and having regard to the condition of my coupling as per the picture in my post #9, I’ve decided to spend 10 minutes max trying to break the propshaft free of the coupling and if it won’t budge, I’ll have a mug of tea then go in with a cutting disk fitted to my grinder and simply cut through the thing - seems quicker & foolproof. I’ll replace with a new spit coupling for £99.

Using the advice given in this and other threads, fitting the PSS seal should be easy peasy in comparison.

Thanks all.
 
Ten minutes! Give it an hour - it will be a lot less hassle than chopping it off. Your coupling doesn't look too bad - no worse than mine was. Just make sure there are no roll pins or grub screws. LadyinBed's idea is worth a try plus some wriggling and tapping at the prop end.
Good luck - it's a great feeling when it succumbs!
 
Wandering Star said:
Well, thanks for everyones invaluable help. Having looked through a number of previous YBW threads on similiar topics, in particular this long thread Failed to remove the shaft coupling and having regard to the condition of my coupling as per the picture in my post #9, I’ve decided to spend 10 minutes max trying to break the propshaft free of the coupling and if it won’t budge, I’ll have a mug of tea then go in with a cutting disk fitted to my grinder and simply cut through the thing - seems quicker & foolproof. I’ll replace with a new spit coupling for £99
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The hot iron rich debris from the cutter will disperse very effectively and embed in the the fibreglass, later manifesting their presence as rust spots. Even in this enclosed spot - cover the cockpit well and consider your neighbours too
 
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