Recommend me a stern gland

[purplerobbie]

I need to replace my stern gland and I don't know what to go for?
PSS?
Stuffing box?
Blackjack type?

What do people recommend?

 

[sailorman]

Stuffing box, basic, little to go wrong, if correctly adjusted no grease or water in the boat, last for ever

 

[Caer Urfa]

I need to replace my stern gland and I don't know what to go for?
PSS?
Stuffing box?
Blackjack type?

What do people recommend?

Just fitted a PSS seal two months ago and nothing but trouble since with leaks.

From my experience so far unless your engine is perfectly in line with your stern gear and you have good engine mounts my suggestion
is forget it.

At the next 'lift out' I will go back to another conventional stuffing box and re fit it.

Mike

 

[Tranona]

If you can fit it a Volvo or a Radice moulded one piece gland is the simplest cheapest smallest and easiest to maintain type.

 

[snooks]

PSS shaft seal

Apart from a black line of carbon tainted water across the engine bay when it was bedding in I haven't touched it.

 

[snooks]

If you can fit it a Volvo or a Radice moulded one piece gland is the simplest cheapest smallest and easiest to maintain* type.

*I'd agree with with that, but with the caveat that it's only easy to maintain if you can get to it to burp it every time you dry out.

I can't, so I couldn't go down that route.

 

[Keith-i]

Lasdrop Gen2. Happy customer here.

 

[Tranona]

*I'd agree with with that, but with the caveat that it's only easy to maintain if you can get to it to burp it every time you dry out.

I can't, so I couldn't go down that route.

You don't have to if you buy the Radice version which i have just fitted to replace a Volvo. It has a vent (and a greaser point).

 

[pvb]

Yes, my choice now would be a Radice seal.

 

[vyv_cox]

I have two boats, one has a PSS, the other has a packed gland. The PSS has been installed for eight years and apart from one minor problem, soon sorted, has been spectacularly reliable.

It had a packed gland previously which was OK but needed regular grease applications at the seal, which is hidden under two folding bikes, two cushions and a plywood cover. Plus we needed to carry the grease and fill the greaser from time to time.

The boat with a packed gland has been loads of trouble. Originally it was very badly packed and leaked like a sieve. I repacked it with PTFE packing that ran hot all the time requiring us to pour seawater over the housing very frequently to allow us to keep running. I repacked it using graphite/cotton that was better but it is taking a long time to set up leak free.

Overall the PSS is the clear winner.

 

[Norman_E]

Another vote for the Radice seal. I replaced my old Volvo seal with one.

 

[pcatterall]

Read other threads on this ( there are plenty!!)
If your gland area is easy to get at then the conventional stuffing box has the merit of less chance of rare but serious failure of lip type seals.
Of the others and From my reading the volvo does score well and is cheap.
I have a lip type seal and am changing to a PSS as my shaft has become worn ot the seal ( though we have put this down to some sort of rare crevice corrosion.
read on and take your pick!!

 

[JumbleDuck]

What's your bilge like? If it's deep and damp anyway, the occasional drip from a stuffing box won't matter and you'll have something simple, reliable and easy to service which won't need replaced after five years. If you have a shallow bilge with dead spiders and occasional specks of dust only in it, go for something exotic but be prepared for greater expense and a relatively short service life.

 

[GHA]

I just put one of these in with a new engine from T Norris. Only done about 5 hours so far but seems to run cool and drip free. Should last for a long time.

 

[sailorman]

I just put one of these in with a new engine from T Norris. Only done about 5 hours so far but seems to run cool and drip free. Should last for a long time.

unscrw the greaser pot & replace with a remote greaser for a trouble free instalation

 

[Tim Good]

I have a PSS and have had some issues balancing the Stainless ring to prevent wobble. It seems people love or hate them and I'm in the middle at the moment. I like how there is no contact with the shaft at all.

That said, if there was a Radice seal that fit my diameter of shaft and stern tube that would also be a serious consideration. Radice are not the only ones to make a water-fed volvo seal so look around.

 

[purplerobbie]

Is there anywhere online you can get theses radice seals?

 

[Tim Good]

Is there anywhere online you can get theses radice seals?

Unsure if you buy online but Michigan do them in Newton Abbott -

http://www.mmp-i.com/images/downloads/Shaft_Seals.pdf

 

[pvb]

Is there anywhere online you can get theses radice seals?

www.sillette.co.uk

 

[Tranona]

Is there anywhere online you can get theses radice seals?

Yes. Sillete Sonic or Lake Engineering. Same company but stocks are held at Lake in Poole which is where i got mine from. Make sure you measure your stern tube diameter accurately as there are two different sizes - also the shaft diameter needs to be accurate. Details are on their website.