Refilling the grease dispenser for stern gland

[Ratty & Moley]

Hi Folks

 

After we had a service a few months ago our guy advised us that the stern gland would need repacking at some point. I'm thinking that we have now reached that point as we have a steady drip. I'm not sure how to tell if the grease gun needs refilling ?? I can't seem to turn the tap at all as it's too stiff ... How do I fill the grease thing and should the tap be so stiff ?

Stiff novice boaters especially on the maintenance stuff so any advice much appreciated ... Thanks

[Phil Ambrose]

If you cannot turn the greaser its probably wound in to its fullest extent. You should be able to unscrew the complete barrel and screw then wind out the screw, then with a tin of grease refill the barrel by whatever means you find easiest then screw the barrel back on. Giving the screw a few turns should see grease oozing out of the stern gland. Its usual to give a turn or two whenever you finish cruising for the day.

This should cure your drip, if not come back for how to renew gland packing.

Phil

[Ratty & Moley]

Thanks Phil, I'll try and see if i can unscrew the barrel. Is the re packing a big job ?

[pquinn]

make sure you put the right grease in there.It would be a good idea to do a search on here for refilling the greaser as it comes up now and again and there are more than one way to skin that cat.

[nicknorman]

Thanks Phil, I'll try and see if i can unscrew the barrel. Is the re packing a big job ?

The re packing isn't a particularly big job but to be honest, I would get it done professionally. When you dismantle the gland with the boat in the water, the seal is lost and a fair flow of water will come into the boat so you need to get the old packing out and new packing in in a fairly expeditious manner.

 

But are you sure it needs repacking right now? The gland is adjustable - there should be 2 studs with nuts on them, which pull one part of the gland into the other, thus compressing the packing material. Unless those two pieces are right up against each other, tightening both nuts equally - probably just one flat each (1/6th of a turn) will be enough to stop the drips. Afterwards make sure the prop shaft still turns freely.

[Grace and Favour]

Please don't skin your cat in order to fill your greaser......It not only causes enormous suffering to the cat, but that aside, you still cannot fill a greaser that way.

 

 

You want this type of grease

Edited April 25, 2014 by Grace & Favour

[nicknorman]

By the way, just to mention that stern greasers can be quite stiff, it depends to some extent on temperature - in cold weather the grease is thicker and so its harder to turn the handle. You could try backing the handle off 1/2 turn and then forwards again. If it comes to an abrupt stop it is probably bottomed out and so needs refilling, but normally that would be only when there is very little threaded portion left showing.

[MtB]

Just to clarify, repacking the stern gland is not the same thing as repacking the stern greaser.

 

The stern gland is the part of the stern tube that seals the prop shaft against water ingress, and repacking it involves partially dismantling it to replace the packing material.

 

Repacking the stern greaser simply means removing the top of the grease reservoir and using a teaspoon to refill it with stern gland grease.

 

Hope that helps.

 

MtB

[mark99]

 

 

Repacking the stern greaser simply means removing the top of the grease reservoir and using a teaspoon to refill it with stern gland grease.

 

Hope that helps.

 

MtB

 

 

Using a <silver> teaspoon to refill it with stern gland grease if it's a SMH.

[Grace and Favour]

 

 

Using a <silver> teaspoon to refill it with stern gland grease if it's a SMH.

Wouldn't an SMH require Dodo grease - - or something of equal value?

[YamYam]

I use Lithium grease EP2. It has a plastic lid inside with a hole in the middle. If you dismantle your brass screw thingy, just push the brass cylinder into the tin of grease pressing down on plastic lid and the grease fills the brass tube. Jobs a good un

[nicknorman]

Wouldn't an SMH require Dodo grease - - or something of equal value?

I wouldn't know, the butler takes care of that sort of thing.

[Nightwatch]

I use Lithium grease EP2. It has a plastic lid inside with a hole in the middle. If you dismantle your brass screw thingy, just push the brass cylinder into the tin of grease pressing down on plastic lid and the grease fills the brass tube. Jobs a good un

I do it this way as well. But I also get an assistant to unscrew the plunger as I press down. It minimises the amount of air that might find its way in.

 

After many years we have started to use a water resistant grease. K99 from Morris. As someone has already recommended.

 

It's one of those jobs I put off until I have to do it. But pleased when I have done it.

 

Martyn

[YamYam]

I do it this way as well. But I also get an assistant to unscrew the plunger as I press down. It minimises the amount of air that might find its way in.

After many years we have started to use a water resistant grease. K99 from Morris. As someone has already recommended.

It's one of those jobs I put off until I have to do it. But pleased when I have done it.

Martyn

Not being the sharpest tool in the box took me a few years to realise what that plastic lid was for as I'd been trying to fill the brass cylinder with a knife and getting the usual air blocks :-) ijust use that lithium grease because its supposed to be more heat resistant but thats just going on advertising blurb rather than any knowledge of the subject itself :-)

[ChimneyChain]

When filling the brass cylinder with grease, fill with grease and keep plunging a screw driver up and down to expel air then keep repeating the procedure.

 

Darren

[jelunga]

Far easier and less messy if you have a small tub of grease with and internal plate with hole in the middle to wind the "tap" of the greaser fully down, remove the barrel from the boat fitting, place over the hole in the grease tub, unscrew the "tap" and it will suck the grease out of the tub with no air bubbles and less mess.

Trouble is if you have bought a large tin of grease there is no internal plate and the job gets messy.

[MtB]

I find what happens is I push really hard down on the plate, nothing happens, so I push even harder then the plate tips sideways and I accidentally shove the brass tube right down into the full tin of grease, which consequently bursts grease out everywhere and I wish I'd just used the teaspoon in the first place.

 

 

MtB

[bottle]

Mike

 

Don't push so hard and unscrew the plunger as you keep pressure applied..

 

The plunger has to start fully down as it will be when the tube is empty.

[Pete & Helen]

Do it like your icing a cake. Get a plastic bag, put your hand inside, scoop a handful of grease, turn the bag inside out so the grease is now inside. cut a corner of the bag and pipe the grease into the barrel. Job done no mess.

[bottle]

.sorry my mistake.

Edited April 26, 2014 by bottle

[jim and pat dalton]

When filling the brass cylinder with grease, fill with grease and keep plunging a screw driver up and down to expel air then keep repeating the procedure.

 

Darren

If you have no internal plate and have to resort to spooning it in. Just place a plastic straw in the cylinder and that will let the air escape as you spoon the lovely grease in

[Scholar Gypsy]

... and on my greasers (I have one on a plummer block as well) I usually unscrew the top (so that you have a cylinder with nothing at either end), and that makes getting grease in and air out even easier.

[b0atman]

take the plunger out of the tube then fill with greese refit plunger this will force some grease out of tube wipe this flat and reassemble job done .Ps I wear disposable gloves from the petrol station dispenser.

[Pie Eater]

Ask a nearby boater to show you.

 

Steve

[ditchcrawler]

Far easier and less messy if you have a small tub of grease with and internal plate with hole in the middle to wind the "tap" of the greaser fully down, remove the barrel from the boat fitting, place over the hole in the grease tub, unscrew the "tap" and it will suck the grease out of the tub with no air bubbles and less mess.

Trouble is if you have bought a large tin of grease there is no internal plate and the job gets messy.

Like what I did. still on my first tin after 12 years.

If you have no internal plate and have to resort to spooning it in. Just place a plastic straw in the cylinder and that will let the air escape as you spoon the lovely grease in

I unscrew the barrel from the base then unscrew the plunger from the top. I now have an open tube that I just fill with grease, little air and put it all together again.

... and on my greasers (I have one on a plummer block as well) I usually unscrew the top (so that you have a cylinder with nothing at either end), and that makes getting grease in and air out even easier.

Didn't read that before I replied.