Volvo Shaft Seal

[cindersailor]

I am fed up with water and grease in the bilges! I am going to replace the old packing gland with a greasless type. The volvo shaft seal (rubber packing box in volvospeak) seems to have lots of fans. However I am unsure whether it will fit in my boat. The shaft is 1" and I understand that this will be OK with the 25mm seal, but I am more concerned about the size of the stern tube which has an OD of 1.5" (approx 38mm). The spec of the seal is for a 42 mm stern tube. My question therefore is whether there is sufficient flexibility in the rubber to successfully seal onto this smaller diameter stern tube. Any one have any experience of fitting one of these to an undersized sterntube?

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

I am planning to do the same when the boat next comes out. If the tubes don't match up (I still have not measured mine) I am considering inserting a short bit of rubber hose as a 'go-between' liner. I don't think that you can safely / reliably clamp a 42mm bore straight onto a 38mm OD.

 

[pvb]

The Volvo seal is a very substantial chunk of rubber - you wouldn't be able to compress it successfully on to a 38mm tube.

 

[vyv_cox]

Suggest you look at a Sureseal by Tidesmarine. My boat has similar dimensions to yours and that's the way I'm going. There was an article about it in November's PBO, David Rainsbury fitting one to his Contessa. Lake Engineering have quoted me £110 plus VAT. It's a lip seal design running on the shaft.

 

[mdrifter]

My VP shaft seal is for 25mm shaft and the tube is c.45mm over which the seal is a tight push - absolutely no good for 38mm tube. I'm changing to a pss since we have a drip and the seal requires careful alignment after which it has been known to last for up to 10 years or more I've been told by a couple of Westerly Owners. There is a problem of getting the VP grease in - it can't be done on the water and the grease tube nozzle could be a bit longer and finer imho and I have a thing about VP which could be another reason for the pss + R&D coupling combo I'm fitting.

 

[pvb]

Volvo grease...

Don't know whether it's still available, but Volvo used to do grease in little flat foil sachets. Cut the corner off, slide gently under the seal, squeeze some grease in. Easy.

 

[SimonD]

Re: Volvo grease...

New seals come with a sachet of the grease. It's a doddle to grease the thing either way.

Given my positive experience of the VP seal, I'd certainly have a go at getting it to fit. Making the stern tube bigger is certainly easier than making it smaller! I can't see what's wrong with sliding on a piece of tube of the right ID and OD (assuming you can find some). Possibly seal it in place with some sikaflex. Alternatively, you can get quite big diameter heat shrink tubing. A few pieces of that should build up the few mm you need.

Simon

 

[Frankklose]

Re: Volvo grease...

I want to do exactly the same. My tube diameter is also 1.5". Just for info . I am goinging to replace a "Deep Sea Seal". Its simular to the PSS. The PSS has the disadvantage that you cant remove e.g. the gearbox because the PSS has to apply pressure against the other end.
I want to install a Aqua Drive and the Volvo Seal is shorter.

 

[stevebirch2002]

With the earlier Vegas thay had a narrow stern tube so the Volvo seal had too much slop. Just make a sleeve to fit over the sterntube to the correct diameter, easy peezy. Many Vegas with newer engines now have these Volvo Seals as standard. Mine has been fitted for the last seven years and only maintenance is a finger of grease smeared around the outside lip with the red plastic opener inserted.

 

[steve_cronin]

A nitrile rubber sleeve would be a good idea to pack out the difference. I would take advice from some outfit like Volspec though first.

Steve Cronin

 

[dickh]

I fitted the Volvo seal earlier this year and it worked fine, but I did have to have a new bronze part made to suit the Volvo seal. Cost about £50 from memory from a place in Norfolk(used the original as a pattern but with larger diameter and longer). PM me if you want to know the company.