I developed a bothersome vibration in the drive train and visible wobble at the stuffing box last season. No amount of alignment would correct it and I finally decided last fall to pull the shaft and take it to a shop to check the shaft and coupler. Although the alignment was within 3/1000's on multiple checks I suspected the coupler face was not square and this in fact was the case. In addition I wanted to replace the rubber tube portion of the shaft log which I think was probably original to the boat and 35 years old. It had become noticeably soft.
The new tube, which is considerably beefier than the old one-- 5 plies and about 1/4" thick, worried me that I wouldn't be able to clamp hard enough to seal well.
I'm happy to report that the installation is complete (note to self-- next time remember to put the packing nut on the shaft BEFORE driving the coupler onto the shaft), the result is leak-free, alignment within 2/1000s, absolutely no vibration in the stuffing box. I'll have to realign after she's been in the water
overnight and the rig is tensioned and tuned, but it's as close as I could get it on the hard.
The new tube, which is considerably beefier than the old one-- 5 plies and about 1/4" thick, worried me that I wouldn't be able to clamp hard enough to seal well.
I'm happy to report that the installation is complete (note to self-- next time remember to put the packing nut on the shaft BEFORE driving the coupler onto the shaft), the result is leak-free, alignment within 2/1000s, absolutely no vibration in the stuffing box. I'll have to realign after she's been in the water
overnight and the rig is tensioned and tuned, but it's as close as I could get it on the hard.
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