Vibrating shaft at slightly high revs.

[Hoohaa]

It's a Hydralign feathering prop. Made here in Sydney. It was installed a year ago. The problem predates it's arrival so we can definitely rule it out.

[Hoohaa]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Pillar bearing. We call them "pillow" blocks or bearing here.

Thanks cheech.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Hoohaa

It's a Hydralign feathering prop. Made here in Sydney. It was installed a year ago. The problem predates it's arrival so we can definitely rule it out.

Just got one of those ourselves! Really impressed so far

[Hoohaa]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

Just got one of those ourselves! Really impressed so far

Great. Did it come from OZ or are they available in the US?

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Hoohaa

Great. Did it come from OZ or are they available in the US?

Shipped from OZ, in a beautiful aluminum box.

[Hoohaa]

OK. Welcome to post 261.
It continues. I have decided to put A cutlass bearing into the forward end of my stern tube. It looks like I will be able to slip the boat in 3 to 4 weeks, so I am looking for parts and researching how to.
1. I would like to use a flanged rubber bearing which looks like these ones and is commonly used in Bennys but they are only sold in metric.
Does anyone know if they are available with a 1 1/8th" ID?


2. I was also hoping someone could send me a link to a drawing of my stern gland? Here is a pick.


3. Should I go to a dripless stern gland like the PSS shaft seal? I was thinking about installing one while I was up on the slip but have recently spoken to someone who says that they wear out fairly quickly (5 years??) and that my old fashioned stuffing box will last forever. So what are the opinions out there? Should I go dripless or not?

4. On another note. I have no way of measuring the OD of the stern tube until its out of the water and as I will only have the slip for the weekend I might need to machine down the outside diameter of the cutlass bearing to fit the stern tube. I am looking for ideas on how to machine it down without using a lathe. I do have allot of power tools at the ready including all the usual drills, grinders, saws ect also A Oscillating Spindle Sander and belt sander? Any ideas?
Well thats enough for know. Thanks in advance for your help and ideas.
Jeff

[Pete7]

This is a useful read about stuffing boxes.

Stern glands – Cox Engineering

There is no way I will put up with the constant dribble of stuffing gland and fitting a volvo seal was both cheap and simple a decade ago. We now have dry bilges.

1 1/8" cutlass bearings are available in the UK, presumably elsewhere too.

https://www.asap-supplies.com/propel...shaft-bearings

[Hoohaa]

[QUOTE=Pete7;2717507]This is a useful read about stuffing boxes.]
Thanks

Stern glands – Cox Engineering

[There is no way I will put up with the constant dribble of stuffing gland and fitting a volvo seal was both cheap and simple a decade ago. We now have dry bilges.]
Sounds good. But the volvo seals are not available in imperial, only metric. Or so they are telling me?

[1 1/8" cutlass bearings are available in the UK, presumably elsewhere too.]
Yes, Its the flanged, rubber ones that I am finding hard to get in 1 1/8th". But I have found a local maker but I don't think they do the flanged bearings?

[Pete7]

I have a 1" Volvo seal on my yacht, so they are certainly available in imperial sizes. Unfortunately they don't seem to do a 1 1/8". However, there are other similar options.

https://www.asap-supplies.com/propel...-size/1-1/8%22

Pete

[Hoohaa]

I like the PSS seals. is that the type that you have or is it one of these?
shaft seal.jpg Views: 152 Size: 4.6 KB " style="margin: 2px" />

[Pete7]

Yes, the one you have in the picture. Dead simple, needs grease once a year and do use real Volvo grease, not some cheap stuff because it doesn't work. Also needs burping if you dry or lift out to remove air from the seal, otherwise leave them alone for at least 7 years.

You will however, need to buy a vacuum cleaner and tin of floor polish as your bilges will be dusty in the future :-)

Pete

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Hoohaa

OK. Welcome to post 261.
It continues. I have decided to put A cutlass bearing into the forward end of my stern tube. It looks like I will be able to slip the boat in 3 to 4 weeks, so I am looking for parts and researching how to.
1. I would like to use a flanged rubber bearing which looks like these ones and is commonly used in Bennys but they are only sold in metric.
Does anyone know if they are available with a 1 1/8th" ID?
Attachment 177134

2. I was also hoping someone could send me a link to a drawing of my stern gland? Here is a pick.
Attachment 177135

3. Should I go to a dripless stern gland like the PSS shaft seal? I was thinking about installing one while I was up on the slip but have recently spoken to someone who says that they wear out fairly quickly (5 years??) and that my old fashioned stuffing box will last forever. So what are the opinions out there? Should I go dripless or not?

4. On another note. I have no way of measuring the OD of the stern tube until its out of the water and as I will only have the slip for the weekend I might need to machine down the outside diameter of the cutlass bearing to fit the stern tube. I am looking for ideas on how to machine it down without using a lathe. I do have allot of power tools at the ready including all the usual drills, grinders, saws ect also A Oscillating Spindle Sander and belt sander? Any ideas?
Well thats enough for know. Thanks in advance for your help and ideas.
Jeff

PSS - https://store.pyiinc.com/collections...ant=3436095041 Easily purchased here in Oz.

I think you mean the INSIDE diameter of the stern tube, in terms of the cutless bearing.

The PSS comes with an adapter, at least on 1.5 inch shaft version, to accommodate a range of OUTSIDE diameters of stern tube.

As for what you are suggesting in the way of setup, is your engine soft mounted or hard mounted? If soft mounted, and if not using some kind of movement absorbing coupling between the prop shaft and the engine, you wont want a cutless at the front of the shaft.

If you are going to continue to use the hard nylon coupling that you originally had in the photos (the one I reckoned was buggered) or a new version of the same thing, then for the sake of this discussion, it is NOT a flexible coupling.

[GILow]

Regarding the whole dripless vs stern gland, I reckon it is worth looking at the boat's nature first.

I have a PSS, and true to form, it's as dry as a chip. But, since the boat has had leaky decks since the day I bought her, there's been no great advantage to this.

Also, the area under the shaft seal in my boat can hold 415 liters of water. That's a LOT of drips, before it overflows into the next chamber, which can hold 900 liters. So, again, not a great deal of advantage in my PSS seal.

The PSS, if not maintained, can, POTENTIALLY, fail quite catastrophically. Not such a problem with the old style stern glands.

So, on balance, in my boat, I rather wish I had the dribbly old stern gland because I would be a little more relaxed about things. Instead, I resign myself to replacing the PSS every 6 years, as per the manufacturer's advice. Yes, I know they last longer, there are people who've had them much longer, and ours was 12 years old when we bought the boat (I replaced it immediately), but I like to sleep at night.

[Hoohaa]

Thanks GILow.
Thats a good price for the PSS. I do have easy access to my stern gland if I needed to maintain it or keep an eye on it. I am still tossing this idea around.
My prop shaft is 1 1/8th" and I still don't know the internal diameter of the stern tube. I will measure the external diameter of the stern tube tomorrow.


On another note. You will be pleased to know that the red nylon coupling is now removed and replaced with a SIGMA drive. I did have a really close look at it and found that it had been deliberately (roughly)machined on the edge/cnr to clear a timber panel. But I am 100 percent convinced that it has no influence on the wobble. No change if removed or installed.
Regarding the placement of a cutlass bearing into the front of the stern tube. My prop shaft is 2.3m long and supported at each end no support in the middle.
The cutlass bearing will be a third support on the shaft and will also center the shaft accurately for alignment. There will be around 700mm from the coupling/SIGMA drive. Currently the shaft, when disconnected has at least 10-15mm of movement vertically and horizontally. It clearly has allot of play inside the stern tube.
I have flexible but relatively stiff engine mounts (new). So for the flexibility in the system I will be relying on the sigma drive and the flexibility of the unsupported length of shaft.
I have exhausted all other options except installing a cutlass bearing in the rear of the stern tube but there has been a teflon? bearing installed there a couple of years back which didn't solve the problem. I suspect that bearing was installed with play around the shaft as it is not fluted to allow water in.
Sorry for the long winded reply. Might be time for another video.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Hoohaa

Thanks GILow.
Thats a good price for the PSS.

....

Sorry, I gave that link to show that PSS made a 1 1/8th inch seal. That's probably a US price. I think I paid closer to AU$500 for my 1.5 inch seal from memory.

Yes, I followed your results with the coupling. I was surprised but concede I got it wrong. Glad to hear there was an explanation for the condition it was in. It looked horrible.