1agos Posted September 26, 2019 Report Share Posted September 26, 2019 I'm thinking of switching out my Vetus water lubricated stern bearing for a conventional grease system. Has anyone had this done ? What was involved.? What were the costs ? Thanks in advance for your replies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuthound Posted September 27, 2019 Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 Why? My Vetus gland is 12 years old and until recently has performed faultlessly. It has finally worn out. I am now changing it for a Radiche gland. http://cheshiremarine.co.uk/page141a.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmp Posted September 27, 2019 Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 My boat had this done before I bought it last year. I dont know the reason why. There is a receipt in the folder that came with the boat. It says "Swap out PSS stern gear for conventional stuffing box arrangement" £670 + VAT This was done last March. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea Dog Posted September 27, 2019 Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 My Volvo seal (about 70 quid nowadays) has given 11 years of totally drip free and trouble free service requiring nothing more than a burp when relaunching and a finger of silicone grease every 200 hours. I wouldn't change it for anything. They're not suitable for every application, granted, but you must have a really good reason to want a stuffing box over even a Vetus - what is it? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machpoint005 Posted September 27, 2019 Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 Our first boat had a Vetus gland and it worked just fine. Our current boat has a conventional gland and that works fine too. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. If it (the Vetus gland) is broke, you'll have to get a new one anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1agos Posted September 27, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 6 hours ago, cuthound said: Why? My Vetus gland is 12 years old and until recently has performed faultlessly. It has finally worn out. I am now changing it for a Radiche gland. http://cheshiremarine.co.uk/page141a.html The bearing is about 8 years old now and has a bit of play in it . I have replaced the double lip seals twice in six years because of leakage., (I do about 400-600hr a year) I believe this is probably because on my set up (which doesn't have an aquadrive ) the snatchy techno drive gearbox deformed the double lip seal overtime. ( i have changed the gearbox for a PRM150D this year) Another niggle is from an insurance point of view Vetus state in the maintenance schedule that the system should be inspected every 200/once a year ashore. Mine is only out every two years. Whether insurance companies would deny a claim or not because of this I'm not sure. All my previous boats have had grease lube systems and its something I'm very familiar with, as I lift the hatch to check for drips after every cruise I might as well turn a greaser. 6 hours ago, bmp said: My boat had this done before I bought it last year. I dont know the reason why. There is a receipt in the folder that came with the boat. It says "Swap out PSS stern gear for conventional stuffing box arrangement" £670 + VAT This was done last March. Hope this helps. Thankyou . Very helpful if I get quoted around the same I might afford an aquadrive fitted at the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1agos Posted September 27, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 5 hours ago, Machpoint005 said: Our first boat had a Vetus gland and it worked just fine. Our current boat has a conventional gland and that works fine too. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. If it (the Vetus gland) is broke, you'll have to get a new one anyway. On the right set up they do work perfectly well. Mine has to come out so so might as well have something I'm happy with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuthound Posted September 27, 2019 Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 Mine comes out roughly every 3-5 years as the hull blacking is 2 pack. I add a smidgeon of grease every 100 hours, and have covered 1500 hours in the last 4 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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