Shaft Seal for Recommendation

[Fluter]

Our ancient HMI Oil-fed shaft seal just failed and we need to replace it with something more current. We have a 27 footer with a Yanmar GM10 and folding prop. Shaft size to be checked but approx 1”. Any suggestions on what might work best as a replacement? Thank you.

 

[RivalRedwing]

See
Dripless Shaft Seals - Buyer's Gude - Practical Boat Owner
and Vyv Cox's
Stern glands

Personally I use the Radice evolution of the Volvo seal and never regretted that choice. Measure the shaft size carefully (eg 1" is different to 25mm for seal selection) and also the end of the stern tube.

 

[rotrax]

I would reccomend the Volvo type stuffing box. All my boats have been fitted with them, none have ever dripped or failed.

You will need the tube size and the shaft size. I have successfuly epoxied a thin sleeve, turned from a bit of scaffold tube, to the outside of a GRP stern tube to bring it up to a size for which there was a Orbitrade unit available.

ASAP have a good range. Compared to alternatives, they are relitively inexpensive.

 

[Lightwave395]

I guess I'm unlucky, I had two Orbitrade seals fail in 5 years regardless of having had a new shaft and near perfect alignment but many others have no problems.
I subsequently went with PSS, which although expensive has proved perfect for me - 32 year old boat with a 5 year old 3YM30 engine

 

[vyv_cox]

My PSS seal is well past the recommended bellows replacement date but still performs perfectly. It did once have a corrosion issue when laid up but since I began flushing with fresh water after haul-out this has not recurred.

 

[rogerthebodger]

My PSS seal has also performed perfectly except on one long motor (14 hours the stainless steel rotor slipped back and allowed a leak which I only discovered after I arrived.

This I solved by fitting a clamp on coler like the one now supplied by PSS.

The stainless steel grub screws are too soft to bite into the shaft properly

 

[Tranona]

Radice for preference. However your choice may be limited by the stern tube arrangement and size. 1GM is a very bouncy engine and can generate a lot of shaft movement and if properly aligned the Radice does a good job in dealing with this. my next choice if you can't fit a Radice to our stern tube is a Tides Marine which is also a lip seal but has a much wider range of choice of shaft and stern tube size. Make sure you measure your shaft accurately as the small difference between 25mm and 1" is critical.

 

[john_morris_uk]

We’ve used PSS shaft seals successfully on our current boat and the previous one.

 

[Gixer]

Another vote for PSS.
I have a 27 foot boat, 1GM10 and 7/8in shaft.

 

[MikeBz]

I've just changed a 10-year old Volvo seal (nothing wrong with it, but the shaft was coming out to change the cutlass bearing, so thought I might as well do the seal at the same time). The replacement is an Orbitrade, not the venting one. It's a much stiffer rubber than the Volvo which makes it very difficult to burp - once I've got my arm in there I'm at full extent and don't have the strength to squeeze it hard enough. I didn't have this problem with the Volvo. So, if there is a next time, it will either be a vented one or another Volvo. The instructions with the Orbitrade refer to it as a 'Stuffy box'!

 

[rotrax]

I've just changed a 10-year old Volvo seal (nothing wrong with it, but the shaft was coming out to change the cutlass bearing, so thought I might as well do the seal at the same time). The replacement is an Orbitrade, not the venting one. It's a much stiffer rubber than the Volvo which makes it very difficult to burp - once I've got my arm in there I'm at full extent and don't have the strength to squeeze it hard enough. I didn't have this problem with the Volvo. So, if there is a next time, it will either be a vented one or another Volvo. The instructions with the Orbitrade refer to it as a 'Stuffy box'!

Our previous boat had an unvented Orbitrade. I had exactly your problem, hard to reach and then 'squeeze' to burp.

I found a gentle squeeze with a pair of water pump pliers was the answer.

On the current boat to make access easier I extended the seal 8 inches forward using an ASAP Exhaust joiner of the correct diameter and a new connector cuff and clips. It is now a doddle when it is annual lube time.

5 seasons on, over eight thousand NM's and nary a drip.

 

[Bobc]

Radice or PSS

 

[Tranona]

Both the original Volvo and the Radice are made by Radice. Orbitrade is a copy. Really no need to diverge from the original.

 

[ChromeDome]

Just a thought: Who made the Volvo branded seals?

Certainly not Volvo - they never made neither hoses, belts or anything in that category

 

[Topcat47]

My PSS seal is well past the recommended bellows replacement date but still performs perfectly. It did once have a corrosion issue when laid up but since I began flushing with fresh water after haul-out this has not recurred.

+! best seal I've ever fitted.

 

[Tranona]

Just a thought: Who made the Volvo branded seals?

Certainly not Volvo - they never made neither hoses, belts or anything in that category

See post 14 immediately above - unless you have me on ignore!

 

[penfold]

Our ancient HMI Oil-fed shaft seal just failed and we need to replace it with something more current. We have a 27 footer with a Yanmar GM10 and folding prop. Shaft size to be checked but approx 1”. Any suggestions on what might work best as a replacement? Thank you.

What has failed? They're pretty simple, just a couple of lip seals with a header tank to keep the space between lubricated; new seals may be all you need for another decade+ of service.

 

[Tranona]

Lip seals have a habit of scoring the shaft.

 

[penfold]

Not when they're oil lubricated they don't.

 

[rotrax]

Both the original Volvo and the Radice are made by Radice. Orbitrade is a copy. Really no need to diverge from the original.

My current Orbitrade has a vent tube-no need to 'burp'- and a lube port.

Far superior to a Volvo or Radice without those improvements.

IMHO, of course. From eleven years direct experience over two vessels.