35-3 Stuffing Box

[joncyn]

Its time to haul our new to us Ericson for all those projects that can only be done on the hard. POs have done no maintenance on the shaft seal and it needs either repacking or thinking about replacing with a PSS seal any thoughts or experience in this area could really use some advice as its a mess down there
Thanks Joh

 

[Frank Langer]

We really like our PSS and have had no trouble with it. It keeps the bilge totally dry, doesn't need adjusting. I would recommend it.

Frank

 

[Cory B]

Pss

We replaced our with a PSS. Theres enough room for it. Its been trouble-free, and we like keeping the water out of the boat.

Our boat was kinda a mess back there when we got it, and we installed the PSS and replaced the engine mounts, shaft coupling, shaft, prop, and cutlass bearing all at the same time. Hopefully yours is in better shape.

 

[mherrcat]

Questions for Frank, since I have a 1985 30+:

Did you install the dripless shaft seal yourself? Did you have to completely remove the prop shaft to install? Did this entail having to drop the rudder? Did you have to have the prop shaft re-fitted to the coupling or were you able to just reinsert it? My prop shaft is 1" dia. but I am unsure what the inside diameter of the bellows should be to attach to the shaft log; what did you end up with?

I have been thinking of doing this and was concerned about the amount of space available between the shaft coupling and the shaft log to accomodate the dripless seal. I measured my stuffing box/pedro hose and it is 7"; most of the PSS seals for the 1" shaft are 6.975" uncompressed, which would work. The pedro hose looks to be 2" in outside diameter but I am unsure about the inside diameter. There is currently about a 1 1/4" space between the shaft coupling and the stuffing box.

 

[Mort Fligelman]

PSS Shaft Seal

Have used the PSS Shaft seal on my previous boat.....fantastic....no maintainence whatsoever.......

I just replaced the stuffing box on my 35-3 with the PSS....also, I installed a flexible coupling......fortunatly my motor mounts were good......it is just great....

I did not need to remove the shaft for the PSS, but I did have to do it for a badly damaged cutlass bearing....meant lifting the engine....a real PITA, and also expensive.....but....thats what old boats are......

Call the folks at PYI....they are great....very helpfull....give them all of your dimensions and they will work with you if possible...

Hope this answers some of your questions

 

[Emerald]

You may already be planning this, but if she's new to you and the maintenance has not been kept up on all areas, make sure you go through all through hulls and related lines. Get rid of any gate or ball valves and replace them with full flange seacocks and so forth.

 

[Frank Langer]

Hi Mark,

Our PSS was installed by the previous owner, so I don't have much information. I know that they pulled the 1" prop shaft, replaced the prop with a Varifold folding propeller and replaced the cutless bearing at the same time. There is lots of room for the PSS, and I even replaced the Hurth transmission with a Twin Disc transmission which is about an inch longer than the Hurth, and was able to fit it in as well. So I think you will have lots of room.

The PSS is available for various prop shaft sizes, including the 1". I don't think it's possible (or at least adviseable) to install it with the boat in the water, so a haul out is needed to do this correctly. But I think the installation is fairly straight forward.

I really like it on our E30+. Let me know if you have other questions.

Frank

 

[joncyn]

Thanks for all the great info looks like the dripless seal is the way to go by does anyone happen to know waht the shaft tube size is our boat is 15hrs drive time away so kinda hard to get that measurement
Thanks again
john