vetus dripless shaft seal

[MRBear]

Hi Guys

 

Yet again i'm seeking to tap into your experience and expertise. I have a Vetus drip less shaft seal, my question is, after being moored for about 2 weeks, after I've initially engaged the prop then gone back to neutral there is a loudish squeal/humming as the shaft stops turning. is this normal because the seal is dry from standing?. it doesn't last long, just a few back and forth spins of the shaft and it stops.

[Tony Brooks]

Have you lubricated it? They need lubricant added every xxx hours, possibly 200.

[MRBear]

Hi Tony. no, i was told they were maintenance free. my boat is only 18months old. How do i lubricate it? 

[cuthound]

They need lubricating with silicone grease every 100 hours.

 

Undo the Allen bolt on the top, taking great care not to drop it in the bilge.

 

Put a small amount of silicone grease into a plastic syringe and recently squeeze it into the Vetus bearing.

 

Replace the Allen bolt and the job is a gud un.

[Tony Brooks]

I think the Vetus "manual" also says it needs the shaft descaling where the seal runs every 500 hours (I think) as well as the lubrication. That bit seems to be often ignored in inland use.

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, MRBear said:

i was told they were maintenance free.

 

By the salesman ?

 

I rest my case.

 

(What where you told about charging batteries ?)

[Tony Brooks]

1 hour ago, MRBear said:

Hi Tony. no, i was told they were maintenance free. my boat is only 18months old. snip

 

Not only the salesmen but also the boat builders who fit them (was going to day foist them on customers). I am sure Vetus give builders discounts they find hard to refuse. The Cutless shaft bearings they use are also prone to wear in gritty/muddy waters.

 

I am also sure that a packed gland together with an Aquadrive does not need much more maintenance. 20 years without adjustment and certainly no repacking.

 

Here is a snip from the online: Vetus document

 

Maintenance

The following maintenance must be performed after every 200 hours of operation or once a year while the ship is on dry dock and if the free space is sufficient:

• Untighten the hose clamps.

• Move the shaft seal to the coupling.

• Clean the surface of the deal rims where it touches the shaft so that it is free of grease, dirt and residue.

• Lubricate the shaft and the exposed seal rim .

• Reattach the shaft seal onto the prop shaft casing. Tighten the hose clamps (4 to 5 Nm torque).• Check the shaft seal and all connections for leakage immediately after launching.

Edited March 24, 2021 by Tony Brooks

[matty40s]

4 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

 

(What where you told about charging batteries ?)

Sealed for Life mate, long life battreess, never have to touch em.?

[MRBear]

Thanks "Cuthound" for the simple non scary advice

[MRBear]

can this greasing be done while i'm afloat or does it have to be when i'm out of the water?

[Tony Brooks]

7 hours ago, MRBear said:

can this greasing be done while i'm afloat or does it have to be when i'm out of the water?

 

Yes it can be done afloat, I am not so sure about the shaft descaling but some here have changed the seal while afloat so I think even that could be done afloat with  a degree of water ingress.

[cuthound]

I've never descaled mine or moved it to check shaft wear. When my seal failed I was on my way to have the boat blacked, which was lucky. The bilge pump just about kept up with the water ingress.

 

I asked the boatyard to swap it for a Radiche one, as they are cheaper and apparently last longer that the new Vetus ones whose design has been cheapened.

 

Mine had been on for 12 years when it failed. I looked at the shaft and there was a tiny score in it, maybe 0.25mm deep. The new seal rests in a different place to thebold one.

[MRBear]

Thanks tony,

I'm just worried that the moment i open that little valve there will be a huge jet of water coming into the bilge. 

[Tony Brooks]

2 minutes ago, MRBear said:

Thanks tony,

I'm just worried that the moment i open that little valve there will be a huge jet of water coming into the bilge. 

 

The Cutless aft bearing is fluted rubber so there are some gaps in it through which water will pass but it won't be a huge jet. The highest it can go is to the waterline so unless it's a deep draft bat say no more than 12" with 10" more likely. In any case the hole you expose is not that large  and you are going to stuff some sot of syringe into it. Once the grease is in I expect it will seal the hole while you crew the cap back on.

[MRBear]

thank you tony