Vetus stern gland grease

[Pete & Helen]

Anyone got details of a supplier of the stern gland grease used in the Vetus setup.

[Guest]

Many chandlers stock "Volvo" stern grease which is a silicone grease identical to the Vetus, though a different colour, but much less cost. Further savings still can be made bu buying silicone grease from a plumber's merchant in (usually) a small white plastic pot. This can be shot into the Vetus gland with a standard plastic syringe. I buy Volvo grease from these people (no connection): http://cheshiremarine.co.uk/page6.html

 

Vetus online shop sell the Vetus branded stuff: http://www.vetus-shop.com/grease-for-vetus-zwb-bearing-15g-p-2671.html

 

Important: The grease must always be Silicone!

Edited December 7, 2015 by Guest

[blackrose]

Usually about a fiver for a small pot.

[Guest]

Usually about a fiver for a small pot.

Gone up a quid in ten years then Pretty certain the pot I got a few years back was 4 quid, just finished it off this year.

 

Forgot to say that there is some on ebay that I once mistakenly bought, but it is too thin for this job. Okay for hinges and electrical contacts etc.

[RichardN]

Kings Lock Chandlery stock it and the Volvo equivalent but I can't find it on their web site. http://www.kingslock.co.uk/kings-lock-and-vetus/t9/ They do mail order and are very reasonable on postage & packing!

 

If you have been used to having a conventional stern gland then the Vetus will come as a bit of a shock. The tubes are tiny, smaller then a small travellers toothpaste tube and they last for years.

[ROBDEN]

Kings Lock Chandlery stock it and the Volvo equivalent but I can't find it on their web site. http://www.kingslock.co.uk/kings-lock-and-vetus/t9/ They do mail order and are very reasonable on postage & packing!

 

If you have been used to having a conventional stern gland then the Vetus will come as a bit of a shock. The tubes are tiny, smaller then a small travellers toothpaste tube and they last for years.

It depends on how much you use the boat.

I put some in every 150/200 hours. I use at least two tubes a year, sometimes three or four.

 

Rob....

[Guest]

It depends on how much you use the boat.

I put some in every 150/200 hours. I use at least two tubes a year, sometimes three or four.

 

Rob....

I used to do ours every engine oil change, so last year filled it four times (don't have a Vetus seal anymore.)

[Sea Dog]

It depends on how much you use the boat.

I put some in every 150/200 hours. I use at least two tubes a year, sometimes three or four.

 

Rob....

Might you be using a bit much at a time? I appreciate you may be doing high mileage, and mines a Volvo stern seal rather than Vetus, but all my instructions ask for is a wee wipe around the lip seal annually or x many hours (not sure if it's not 250). After maybe a dozen treatments tube No1 of blue Volvo's own brand will last a good while longer yet. Never so much as a drip from the seal. I'm so impressed with it!

[RichardN]

It depends on how much you use the boat.

I put some in every 150/200 hours. I use at least two tubes a year, sometimes three or four.

 

Rob....

The only time we used a lot of grease was just before we had seals etc replaced as everything was a bit worn out.

 

Wonder if I am doing the right thing?

 

I have a photo somewhere of my stern gland but have not been able to find it quickly but google images gives me this which looks pretty similar. I unscrew the small bolt (allen key required) on top at the front and squirt grease into the hole, that takes a tiny amount. I rotate the shaft a few times, poke the tube in again and squirt a bit more, repeating if necessary till I see a small smear of grease on the shaft. That gets done at every service that I do so perhaps 3 times a year and additionally before doing something interesting. Apart from when my seals were worn out a tube lasts me several years. Should I be doing something else?

[ROBDEN]

The only time we used a lot of grease was just before we had seals etc replaced as everything was a bit worn out.

 

Wonder if I am doing the right thing?

 

I have a photo somewhere of my stern gland but have not been able to find it quickly but google images gives me this which looks pretty similar. I unscrew the small bolt (allen key required) on top at the front and squirt grease into the hole, that takes a tiny amount. I rotate the shaft a few times, poke the tube in again and squirt a bit more, repeating if necessary till I see a small smear of grease on the shaft. That gets done at every service that I do so perhaps 3 times a year and additionally before doing something interesting. Apart from when my seals were worn out a tube lasts me several years. Should I be doing something else?

I put the greese into a plastic syringe (20p from Boots) and give it a squirt.

It's a good fit, gets plenty in and it's quick and easy.

 

Rob....

[dor]

The only time we used a lot of grease was just before we had seals etc replaced as everything was a bit worn out.

 

Wonder if I am doing the right thing?

 

I have a photo somewhere of my stern gland but have not been able to find it quickly but google images gives me this which looks pretty similar. I unscrew the small bolt (allen key required) on top at the front and squirt grease into the hole, that takes a tiny amount. I rotate the shaft a few times, poke the tube in again and squirt a bit more, repeating if necessary till I see a small smear of grease on the shaft. That gets done at every service that I do so perhaps 3 times a year and additionally before doing something interesting. Apart from when my seals were worn out a tube lasts me several years. Should I be doing something else?

I'm surprised you get grease coming out of the seal around the shaft unless the seals are rather worn. I give the hole a squirt, rotate the shaft nd give it another squirt, then run a little grease round the outside of ther seal next to the shaft. About every 100 hours or so (recommended interval is 100 hours I think)

 

If the grease comes through the seal, or the seal drips then the seals are worn. This is usually the result of a badly aligned propshaft. Otherwise the seals should last for thousands of hours.

 

It is surprising how many people complain about the Vetus shaft and say how much it drips and when you ask them how often they grease it they say "oh, I thought it was maintainance-free".

[pearley]

I put the greese into a plastic syringe (20p from Boots) and give it a squirt.

It's a good fit, gets plenty in and it's quick and easy.

 

Rob....

 

The instructions that came with my Volvo Penta seal say 10cc every 200 hours. I use a Boots syringe too but they gave me free. Do it with every oil change.

 

The original seal didn't have instructions so I was putting too much grease in which over time lifted the sealing lips off the shaft so making a leak necessitating seal replacement at 4500 hours.

[RichardN]

Thank you, interesting.

 

I wonder if my memory of the grease is from before the seals going (they have only just been changed).

 

10cc sounds an awful lot, I doubt if I manage to even get 0.5cc in. Due to do it again at the end of the month so will look more carefully then (and take a syringe with me).

[ROBDEN]

I'm surprised you get grease coming out of the seal around the shaft unless the seals are rather worn. I give the hole a squirt, rotate the shaft nd give it another squirt, then run a little grease round the outside of ther seal next to the shaft. About every 100 hours or so (recommended interval is 100 hours I think)

 

If the grease comes through the seal, or the seal drips then the seals are worn. This is usually the result of a badly aligned propshaft. Otherwise the seals should last for thousands of hours.

 

It is surprising how many people complain about the Vetus shaft and say how much it drips and when you ask them how often they grease it they say "oh, I thought it was maintainance-free".

When we bought Downeaster (one year old) no one said anything about the propshaft.

About 14 months later I noticed the seal was dripping. I looked into this, then realised that it needed greese.

I managed to get a lot of greese in and it stopped dripping. Now I do it about every 100/150 hours and it has never dripped since.

 

Rob....

[Guest]

I'm surprised you get grease coming out of the seal around the shaft unless the seals are rather worn. I give the hole a squirt, rotate the shaft nd give it another squirt, then run a little grease round the outside of ther seal next to the shaft. About every 100 hours or so (recommended interval is 100 hours I think)

 

If the grease comes through the seal, or the seal drips then the seals are worn. This is usually the result of a badly aligned propshaft. Otherwise the seals should last for thousands of hours.

 

It is surprising how many people complain about the Vetus shaft and say how much it drips and when you ask them how often they grease it they say "oh, I thought it was maintainance-free".

I used to swear by Vetus stern seals, but after less success with the newer type, have now changed over to a Radice seal. Full story here:

http://destinynarrowboat.weebly.com/vetus.html

[pearley]

Thank you, interesting.

 

I wonder if my memory of the grease is from before the seals going (they have only just been changed).

 

10cc sounds an awful lot, I doubt if I manage to even get 0.5cc in. Due to do it again at the end of the month so will look more carefully then (and take a syringe with me).

Stupid me, should be 1cc. Edited December 17, 2015 by pearley

[valrene9600]

This is good value from plumbers merchants. Works perfectly for years now in my Vetus stern gear.

 

http://www.geocel.co.uk/catalogue/single-applications/plumbing/trade-mate-plumba-grease

 

 

Less than a fiver for 50ml.

Edited December 17, 2015 by valrene9600