Shaft packing: at a loss

[b00ter]

Changed the shaft packing on my ski ray direct drive the other day. I pulled out 3 rings of the old stuff and replaced with 2 rings of the new teflon impregnated packing. (2 is all that would fit after being packed in).

EDIT: Today I tested the shaft packing after taking it for a hard run and noticed the packing nut was hot to touch (almost had to take my hand off). I noticed some of the wax/teflon coating had oozed out of the shaft area and was on the nut. I cooled it down and looked at the shaft and it was fine (no scoring). Any idea what might be wrong?

Any ideas why its not leaking out of the shaft area? Is the teflon stuff allot better at sealing that the normal wax stuff?

 

[Don S]

Re: Shaft packing: at a loss

Did you use the right size packing? If it's too tight it will burn up. A few drops per minute is needed to keep it from burning it's self up. If you couldn't touch it, then it was way too hot. Time to start over.

 

[b00ter]

Re: Shaft packing: at a loss

I thought I used the right packing. Its a direct drive 1:1 velvet drive tranny.

I put a 1/4" drill bit between the shaft and threads of the packing nut and I still had a slight amount of play so I ordered 1/4" teflon packing, as well as 3/16" packing just in case.

I first tried the 3/16" packing and it was way to loose, there was clearly a gap between the threads and the shaft, so it would need to be compacted allot in order to spread out and form somewhat of a seal.

The 1/4" packing was snug when I tried to put it in. I had to use a large allen key to push it into the nut and down into place.

Could it have been I may have compacted it down too much with the allen key into place and cause it to form a tight seal already without even having to tighten the nut in place?

 

[b00ter]

Re: Shaft packing: at a loss

I could have sworn the original packing I pulled out was allot bigger than the 3/16 stuff I bought though.

Whats the proper way to measure for packing? The sites I have looked at tell you to measure between the shaft and threads and that is what size packing you would need.

 

[b00ter]

Re: Shaft packing: at a loss

any how-tos?

 

[b00ter]

Re: Shaft packing: at a loss

will give that a try thanks allot