For future reference. Wrap a shammy leather around the prop instead of bluetack If you cut packing to length then cover in grease, then on a flat piece of wood slighter hammer the width it will go in easier, when you do the holding nut up it will reverse the hammering process. To remove old packing use a long wood screw, screw into old packing and pull with pliers, to clear out anything left use a metal scriber. Insert one piece of packing do up retaining collar to compress, repeat process for 2nd and 3rd piece. 10 years working in a boat yard I've done hundreds this way
all the above from @tonypetchey6024 is 100% correct, you MUST remove all of the old packing and grease before inserting the new otherwise you will be creating a problem. If you're worried about water rushing in then put a pump in the engine bay and leave it running to pump out the water. After fitting the 3 new ropes and refitting the collar the securing nuts must be tightened exactly the same number of turns so that the collar pressure is even around the packing. Also when tightening the nuts the prop shaft should rotate by hand without any friction, if you over tighten the nuts you risk damaging the prop shaft. Better to under tighten the nuts, cruise for 30 minutes, re-grease using the stern greaser and re-tighten the nuts. Your installation is also missing 2 locking nuts which really isn't good. There is an RCR video here which may be of use mate - ua-cam.com/video/KVMBshpU5ys/v-deo.html
Being built like a Prop Forward doesn't help when dealing with a Prop Aft. Top marks for trying though Lumpy. I reckon it should last until February, although I would have greased the packing first on the shaft before tightening down the gland nuts. Well done maintaining Wee May narrowboat as a boat and not turned it into a submarine. Merry Christmas Lumpy and Mrs Lumsden and Best Wishes for the New Year.
You're right mate! My shape does not help me in tight spaces! Yeah it's all still looking good so I'll do a proper job in Feb. Merry Christmas to you too sir!
After doing this on two occasions in the water, all the advice is good advice apart from hammering new pieces , correct size shouldn't need it .Only thing I can add is ,have everything you will need close to hand .Best Regards to you both again !Ya favourite vlk
Very interesting to see this Paul, all credit to you for having a go, braver man than me. When you were talking about the bolts at the end of the vlog I like the way you effortlessly switched from imperial to metric measurements 😁, something I do all the time. Must be our age bud 😂. Nice one anyway 👍
Lumpy, you could get the old stuff out by screwing in a couple of long wood screws either side, and pulling out with pliers! Also, I would oil the packing first, for lube and extra waterproofing! Cheers. Jeff.
As a diver doing many of these each year in tidal marinas .. Use a carrier bag around the prop , squeeze all the water / air out from inside the bag . Cable tie or jubilee clip it to the stern tube .. that way you can rotate or move shaft with any water ingress is only from what you didn't get out the bag ... Any blue tac etc etc you dont get off the shaft will at some point get into the strrn tube / cutlass bearing resulting in a costly job
I did mine in the water last year, not a drop of water came in. I did not know about the blue tack trick, otherwise I would have done that to. I don't like wearing gloves either. BTW my bolts are top and bottom too, I was told it was rare and normally they are side to side, I guess not so rare lol. I was told to leave the old in. I only got 2 rounds in also, and that was nearly a year ago and still good.
Hi Paul. Interesting to watch and very useful feedback from others, which I’ve always found a good way of learning. You didn’t make it clear why you were repacking. Was it leaking badly or just old, and you felt it should be done. I know that packing comes in different sizes. How did you assess what size you needed? Cheers Alan
Hello Alan. Yes you're right, I didn't really make that clear. It had got to the end of its adjustment so needed repacking. I just bloody guessed!! Not knowing there were different sizes, and got lucky!! Yes people's comments have been really useful indeed!
@@NarrowboatNatterings It’s not a job I’d relish tackling, mine was repacked 7 years ago I think (found an invoice), before I bought the boat, so my impression is it’s good for a while yet.
Done mine before, are you sure the packing is the right size, shouldn't need to flatten it,. You can get the old packing out by using a sharp pointed self tapping screw, screw it in with a screwdriver and a pair of pliers to pull it out. When you put the new packing in, smear some grease on the inside to give it some lubrication against the shaft. Ideally the nuts should be at 3 and 9 °clock, whilst it's out of the water it might be a good idea to turn them as long as you've got the thread on the bearings. The adjusting nuts need to be equal, obviously the push the brass packer down the gland so uneven pressure will cause wear on the shaft eventually and a poor seal. (Presume they are the same length, as long as the packer thing is equal that's ok) Hope you're both well
Your new packers should be cut at 45 degrees and should be lightly greased,hammered slightly to assist entry into the tube. (By the way where did you get my dads ball pein hammer 🔨 I used to use it in our shed to cut kindling with an old German bayonet.) that was about 62 years ago 😂😂. I’d get it out and done your putting a big strain on your prop shaft never put to much packing in the gland is sized to take a set amount. 😊👍🖐🖐
For future reference.
Wrap a shammy leather around the prop instead of bluetack
If you cut packing to length then cover in grease, then on a flat piece of wood slighter hammer the width it will go in easier, when you do the holding nut up it will reverse the hammering process.
To remove old packing use a long wood screw, screw into old packing and pull with pliers, to clear out anything left use a metal scriber.
Insert one piece of packing do up retaining collar to compress, repeat process for 2nd and 3rd piece.
10 years working in a boat yard I've done hundreds this way
Mate! This is all fantastic advice! Greatly appreciated!
all the above from @tonypetchey6024 is 100% correct, you MUST remove all of the old packing and grease before inserting the new otherwise you will be creating a problem. If you're worried about water rushing in then put a pump in the engine bay and leave it running to pump out the water. After fitting the 3 new ropes and refitting the collar the securing nuts must be tightened exactly the same number of turns so that the collar pressure is even around the packing. Also when tightening the nuts the prop shaft should rotate by hand without any friction, if you over tighten the nuts you risk damaging the prop shaft. Better to under tighten the nuts, cruise for 30 minutes, re-grease using the stern greaser and re-tighten the nuts. Your installation is also missing 2 locking nuts which really isn't good. There is an RCR video here which may be of use mate - ua-cam.com/video/KVMBshpU5ys/v-deo.html
Being built like a Prop Forward doesn't help when dealing with a Prop Aft.
Top marks for trying though Lumpy. I reckon it should last until February, although I would have greased the packing first on the shaft before tightening down the gland nuts.
Well done maintaining Wee May narrowboat as a boat and not turned it into a submarine.
Merry Christmas Lumpy and Mrs Lumsden and Best Wishes for the New Year.
You're right mate! My shape does not help me in tight spaces!
Yeah it's all still looking good so I'll do a proper job in Feb.
Merry Christmas to you too sir!
After doing this on two occasions in the water, all the advice is good advice apart from hammering new pieces , correct size shouldn't need it .Only thing I can add is ,have everything you will need close to hand .Best Regards to you both again !Ya favourite vlk
Thank you sir! Keep up the good work matey! Merry Christmas!
Great work Mr lumsdon, 👍
Thank you sir. Merry Christmas!
Very interesting to see this Paul, all credit to you for having a go, braver man than me. When you were talking about the bolts at the end of the vlog I like the way you effortlessly switched from imperial to metric measurements 😁, something I do all the time. Must be our age bud 😂. Nice one anyway 👍
Haha! Yes the imperial metric thing has been the Bain of my life!!
@@NarrowboatNatterings 😂😂😂, know exactly what you mean.
Great video keep up the great work. Might let you come and do mine afterwards🤣🤣👍🏻
Erm.... I wouldn't trust me matey!!
Lumpy, you could get the old stuff out by screwing in a couple of long wood screws either side, and pulling out with pliers!
Also, I would oil the packing first, for lube and extra waterproofing! Cheers.
Jeff.
That sounds like a great idea! I'm on that in Feb!
As a diver doing many of these each year in tidal marinas ..
Use a carrier bag around the prop , squeeze all the water / air out from inside the bag . Cable tie or jubilee clip it to the stern tube .. that way you can rotate or move shaft with any water ingress is only from what you didn't get out the bag ...
Any blue tac etc etc you dont get off the shaft will at some point get into the strrn tube / cutlass bearing resulting in a costly job
Do not forget to remove in the reverse way ... before starting and engaging gears
Great advice mate! Thank you so much!
I did mine in the water last year, not a drop of water came in. I did not know about the blue tack trick, otherwise I would have done that to. I don't like wearing gloves either. BTW my bolts are top and bottom too, I was told it was rare and normally they are side to side, I guess not so rare lol. I was told to leave the old in. I only got 2 rounds in also, and that was nearly a year ago and still good.
This is all good news to me! It's been great since I did it (3 months ago).
Hi Paul. Interesting to watch and very useful feedback from others, which I’ve always found a good way of learning. You didn’t make it clear why you were repacking. Was it leaking badly or just old, and you felt it should be done. I know that packing comes in different sizes. How did you assess what size you needed? Cheers Alan
Hello Alan. Yes you're right, I didn't really make that clear. It had got to the end of its adjustment so needed repacking.
I just bloody guessed!! Not knowing there were different sizes, and got lucky!!
Yes people's comments have been really useful indeed!
@@NarrowboatNatterings It’s not a job I’d relish tackling, mine was repacked 7 years ago I think (found an invoice), before I bought the boat, so my impression is it’s good for a while yet.
@@MyNarrowboatVenture 7 years!!! Bloody hell that's good! Don't fix what ain't broke!
An engineer friend told me I could put a bin bag over the prop and gland inlet
I like that. Sounds feasible.
Stern tube STERN TUBE...
Haha!.... Sorry.
Done mine before, are you sure the packing is the right size, shouldn't need to flatten it,. You can get the old packing out by using a sharp pointed self tapping screw, screw it in with a screwdriver and a pair of pliers to pull it out.
When you put the new packing in, smear some grease on the inside to give it some lubrication against the shaft.
Ideally the nuts should be at 3 and 9 °clock, whilst it's out of the water it might be a good idea to turn them as long as you've got the thread on the bearings.
The adjusting nuts need to be equal, obviously the push the brass packer down the gland so uneven pressure will cause wear on the shaft eventually and a poor seal. (Presume they are the same length, as long as the packer thing is equal that's ok)
Hope you're both well
Hello Geoff! There's some great advice there mate. Thank you.
We're good. Possibly see you at Easter?
@@NarrowboatNatterings all being well, I'll be hiding under the bush 😃
So you found how useless the packing extractor is. Used to use them in the navy repacking 550 psi steam valves, found the best tool was a scribber
@@chriscooper5875 absolutely!! What a pile of sh*t that was!!!
Your new packers should be cut at 45 degrees and should be lightly greased,hammered slightly to assist entry into the tube. (By the way where did you get my dads ball pein hammer 🔨 I used to use it in our shed to cut kindling with an old German bayonet.) that was about 62 years ago 😂😂. I’d get it out and done your putting a big strain on your prop shaft never put to much packing in the gland is sized to take a set amount. 😊👍🖐🖐
Haha! Hmmm. I'll go steady with the ball pein hammer in future!
Thanks for all the other advice.
You gave it a good try, see ya, take care.
Thank you Barbara. X
So you found how useless the packing extractor is. Used to use them in the navy repacking 550 psi steam valves, found the best tool was a scribber