J/30 Class Association Forums J/30 Forum The Boat, Sails and Equipment Cutlass Bearing

Adding to Thor - if instead of a stuffing box you have one of the dripless seals made by PSS http://www.shaftseal.com/ You need to loosen the allen screws that hold the stainless steel collar against the carbon seating surface. The allen screws are 2 deep and act as locking devices for the inner screw. You need to fully remove the outer screws, then loosen the inner screws. There is a little rubber o-ring inside the stainless steel collar that can be damaged by nicks and burrs on the shaft. Take a piece of emery cloth to clean up the shaft, including the keyway so nothing damages the o-ring when sliding the collar off. Use soapy water to help slide the collar off, not oil or petroleum products as it will damage the seal.

Bill - Rhapsody #348