shaft seal

[dodsworth]

I need to replace the shaft seal on my Contessa 32. Unfortunately the stern tube only protrudes 5/8" into the boat with an outside diameter of 35mm, although there is a lip on the end of the tube. Could any one suggest the best way of replacing the shaft seal.

 

[Guest]

Could you supply some more information. I am assuming that you consider 5/8" too little for a good pipe clamp?

The tube material?
The shaft size?
Bearing type?
What was the shaft seal?

 

[roger]

In the chenical industries there are clamps that fit onto lipped pipes. They are hinged bands with a screw tightening system. THe inner side of the band has a V groove so that when two lipped pipes are mated, tightening the screw forces the two lips together. A system like this would allow you to fit an extension to the shaft tube - thus giving you more room to work.

 

[dodsworth]

the shaft is 1" dia. the stern tube is made of bronze. the bearing is a cutlass at the outboard end of the tube. there is a plate at each end of the tube fastened to the hull by two bolts. the old seal was a hayard HMI one of the oil seals had gone

 

[Guest]

Sorry, but shaft seals on a cutlass bearings need to be secure. A full failure can be above bilge pump capability. See previous posts on poor guy in Alaska.

Personally I prefer the packing versions hard bolted to the hull. But if the seal must be on a rubber tube then I prefer the PSS (with pipe clamp shaft safety covered in previous posts) (also only the highspeed vented version). However, the rubber tube must stay attached to the stern tube!

Can you work out if the in-board plate can be removed and if the end of the tube comes with it. If so I would have a bigger one made up. I'm guessing they are one part ,as to put a lip on the end of a complete bronze stern tube would be costly in lost metal.