just replaced my shaft packing

I just replaced the shaft packing in my '05 Mobius LSV. It was fairly easy. It took about 1.5 hours, and I'm kind of slow. I made a little tool out of a piece of coat hanger to use for removing the old fiber that worked really well. I've attached a picture of it and a closeup of the tip. The large bends are just a way to hold it. I bent the tip 90 degrees and then ground it down to a point to be able to grab the old fiber. I also attached a picture of the wrench I used. It's a plumbing wrench I got at Home Depot.

I was a little surprised when I removed a total of 5 pieces of fiber (none of which were broken). The instructions I used said to install 2, maybe 3 pieces.

I replaced it with 3 pieces of GOR fiber. When I hand tightened it at the end of the instructions, it went all the way up against the lock nut. Does that mean I need to add another piece of fiber? Maybe that's why there were 5 in there previously?

I haven't put it in the water yet to see if it is leaking.

Hey Wolf,

I'm in the process of replacing the packing in my '06 LS.

Question: What size diameter packing did you/we use? I understand there's different thicknesses?

Any help would be appreciated.

According to the instructions I linked to (and other posts I've seen on this site), it's 3/16" for V-drives and 1/4" for direct-drives. So, I used 3/16". Those instructions say to cut the packing to lengths of 4 1/8". It didn't say if the length is any different when using 3/16" instead 1/4". 4 1/8" seemed just right for me. I cut the first length to 4 1/4" just to check, but it was just a bit long.

I saw other people post that getting the old packing out was the hardest part. That's why I made the little tool from a coat hanger. So, my only advice would be to make something like that.

I ended up having to put in four pieces in my 02 LSV. The way I measured mine was to crawl under the boat and wrap the rope packing around the shaft and cut it to the correct size. Then I just got inside the boat and put in the pieces I had cut. I also cut about three extra pieces and put them in a zip loc baggie "just in case".

I've got an 06 LSV that I recently purchased. I've never changed packing in a V drive until this one so I wasn't sure how. I read the same instructions as mentioned in the post above. I didn't totally understand the instructions.

It says something about sliding the shaft down into the strut. Did yall understand that? So I decided to do what made since to me.

I loostened the jam nut enough to take the big packing nut off and slide it up the shaft. Then I removed any old packing from inside the big packing nut.

I only see packing inside the big nut. There is no room for packing any where else that I can see.

Does anyone no if there is packing down under that rubber hose piece that is clamped around the drive shaft as it goes through the hull?

I installed two pieces of 3/16" packing inside the big nut and run it back down hand tight and snugged it up a bit with channel locks.

It leaks about 1 drop every 15 - 20 seconds. It seems to work fine.

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Originally Posted by LSM

I read the same instructions as mentioned in the post above. I didn't totally understand the instructions.

It says something about sliding the shaft down into the strut. Did yall understand that? So I decided to do what made since to me.

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I never noticed that line before!! It is probably a cut and paste error when Brian sent me the instructions. I bet this is a small section that he copied from a larger set of instructions on how to replace the drive shaft. You are correct, in this case it does not make sence and should be ignored.

I ended up adding a 4th piece of packing. What I realized is that eventually, it is going to start leaking and need to be slightly tightened. If it starts out as tight as it can go, there's no way to tighten it further in the future.

When I got to the lake, it worked great. I had almost no leaking at all (my understanding is that the GOR fiber is supposed to be almost dripless).

I must have actually used instructions from a different post because mine didn't have that strange line in it. When I started the thread, I just searched for something that looked the same as mine but didn't read it carefully. LSM - sorry about the confusion it caused you.

For anyone else, the only suggestion I have is to mark the shaft nut in one spot and then use that spot as a reference for where you have the ends of each piece of packing meet. I.e. you'd have the ends of the first piece meet where you marked it. Then, the ends of the second piece would meet opposite of where you marked it. The ends of the the third piece would be back to where you marked it.

If you don't mark it, you have no way of knowing where the ends of the first 2 pieces are when you add the 3rd piece.

Thank you for the info Wolfpack.

I just adjusted mine this weekend. I like the wrench that you found. I had a difficult time finding a wrench that I could get into the space. I ended up using a large water pump plier.

Next time I am at Home Depot I will pick up a wrench like you used and leave it in my boat.

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Originally Posted by ICWater

Thank you for the info Wolfpack.

I just adjusted mine this weekend. I like the wrench that you found. I had a difficult time finding a wrench that I could get into the space. I ended up using a large water pump plier.

Next time I am at Home Depot I will pick up a wrench like you used and leave it in my boat.

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That looks like an oil filter wrench. You can find it in any auto parts store, or WalMart for that matter. I don't know that you'll find it in the Home Depot type store.

Thank you Wayne

Do you have to remove the old packing or just add one new piece. and also do you need to add greese or just the packing?
Darren

Old comes out and new in the same way.

yes, you must physically pull the old packing out. If I remember right, a member of this forum posted his ideas as to how to do it. They made a jig out of a wire coat hanger to pull the packing out.

Did anyone find the wrench prictured in this post or something comparable that works well?

I need to adjust my packing nut tighter, but I didn't have a wrench in my tool bag that I could get into the small space. Short handle is the key, my large channel locks that are big enough for the nut have too long of a handle. AutoZone didn't have an oil filter wrench like is pictured here and the small handled channell locks they have may not be big enough for the nut.

I just went through this process with much help from these threads, so first of all...thanks!

A couple of additions I have to add for those still going to try it. For comparison, I havce the '05 LSV. I can't reach the packing nut/shaft through the engine hatch, so have to go through the hole under the rear seat. Second, my boat has a bunch of wiriing on the port side, so to access the nut with any tools, I had to use starboard side (left side when facing the stern from the inside of the boat). I took off the water hose to the tranny to make it simpler (as well as my ballast water strainer).

I used 2 1/4 inch channel locks for the packing nut (the big nut), and my smaller channel locks for the jam nut (the skinny nut).

All of my directions are listed as you are sitting in the boat facing the rear.

1. Loosened the jam nut by turning clockwise.
2. Loosened the packing nut by turning counterclockwise.
3. Pulled the jam nut towards me 'up' the shaft (about 4 inches)
4. Fought and fought to get the packing out until I realized the easiest way to do it. Get a really small screwdriver or 'pick'. Reach into the packing nut and press until you feel the slight 'give', indicating you are on packing material.
5. Then, while applying pressure to the tool, slowly rotate the nut with your other hand. Soon, you will feel the tool 'dip', indicating you've found the seam of the packing thread.
6. Now dig at that seam like a madman, rotating packing nut to help you dig it out. (The first piece took my 15 minutes to figure out...the next 3 pieces took about 5 total)
7. I had 4 pieces in there. You'll know you are done when the inserted tool hits metal and not the squishy material.
8. I then cut 4 pieces of 4 1/8 inch goretex packing material that I got from skidim (like $12)
9. I put 2 pieces in, went through the whole tightening/loosening as instructed, then put the next 2 pieces in and packed again, and finally tightened it up as tight as I could with my hands.

It's funny how it seemed like it was so hard, but now I could do it in 30 minutes from start to finish. Appreciate all the help you guys out there provide...it has been saving me serious cash.

Replaced my packing this weekend. Best way I found to remove old packing was to use a drywall screw. Screw into the packing (close to the split if you can find it) and pull each ring out. My 06 LSV only had 2 rings in it and was leaking, put 2 back in it and stil leaking so think I am going to add another ring or two to the nut.

Great website with instructions

www.pbase.com/maincruising/stuffing_box

www.pbase.com/mainecruising/stuffing_box

Corrected Link

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Originally Posted by SC_LSV

www.pbase.com/mainecruising/stuffing_box

Corrected Link

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great walkthrough.. replaced mine last year, but I am probably going to do it again this fall as it hasnt stopped leaking all summer... its like 5 drips every 10 seconds instead of every minute...

going to use the GFO this time around.

The instructions that everyone has posted here are great, but I just took the packing nut off of my 2001 LSV and when I slide it up the shaft, it only slides about 1/2" before it hits the coupler. This 1/2" doesn't give me enough room to even feel the packing with a small screwdriver (much more remove it). I noticed that the instructions from helix_rider said that he slid the nut up about 4". 4" would give enough room to clean out the packing nut. Is there really that much difference between an '01 and an '05. Has anyone else experienced this?

Here's an image of the nut before I loosened it.