Packing Nut

[gthibodeau]

How hard or easy is it to tighten the shaft packing nut on a 2006 22SSV....? I hate going all the way to the shop for this seamingly easy repair....

[TayTay]

I actually am kind of the same boat. I need to replace the packing in my '05 22SSV so any input would be GREAT!

[tg0824SSVGG]

Buy a new Supra ... they have dripless seals, no packing Lot of help I am, huh!!

[chautauquasun]

Not sure about v drives I have never worked on one but I repacked mine last year and tightened the nut back up. pretty simple job. search the threads for packing the drive shaft, I posted instructions from another site about how to do it. I followed the directions and it went pretty well.

[purple boat]

It is pretty easy to do, (on a DD) just make sure you don not over-tighten the nut or it will wear the shaft and leak. Personally, with a v-drive, I would change it over to a dripless seal, since it will be kind of a pain because you are going to be working under the trans, and possibly working blind... When you cut the packing, the ends have to almost meet perfectly and make sure the ends from the different layers don't line up if you stay with the rope packing. I put a dripless in my DD and have been very happy with it; no leaks, no adjustments, etc.

[TayTay]

So I just got off the phone with a dealer and to REPLACE the packing is over a 3 hour job because they have to remove the engine to get to the seal. They quoted me $381 in labor plus the packing and tax!! That's a lot of money right there. I want to know who screwed up the packing in the first place to need to be replaced at 250 hours!

[chautauquasun]

Yours is a v drive right? I have never seen the v drive set up so I have no idea about your question, however it sure seems fishy that they would have to pull the motor for a job that is going to have to be done on a somewhat regular basis. I would get a second opinion before having it done...and if it is true what they are quoting you I would look into spending the money on a dripless seal so you dont have to replace the packing in the future.

[TayTay]

So I did some calling around and all the shops I called, including the closest Supra Dealership said that it is over a 3 hr job to get that replaced. I did find a shop locally that charges $85/hr for labor which is cheaper than the Malibu dealership I originally called who is $108/hr.

I don't know if they take the engine all the way out or just lift it up a little bit to access the shaft easier. After making the calls it seems like they just have to lift it up a little bit still that entails unhooking stuff and hooking it back, which takes time. I'm just going to pay to get it taken care of, then hopefully that will be that...for a while. I figure I will have a shop, who guarantees their work do it, then if i have any problems in the future, I can just take it back to them.

[jzelt]

It is tight access. I tightened up the nut last fall after the last run as it was dripping alot.

I bought the replacement packing and will be doing it this summer before the houseboat trip.

3 hrs is probably realistic as it is difficult to move around. I am hoping it will be a fairly simple deal for me now that I have tightened it up once. I take off the intake line from the bottom of the boat so I have more room on the port side. Then have to do pretty much everything from that side as hoses/water filter for the ballast, etc take up the starboard side for access.

I basically can get a hand down that side to hold a wrench.

I bought a set of picks (4 in a pack. 1 straight, 1 with 90 deg bend, 1 with 45 deg, 1 with 180 deg) and plan on using them to pull the old packing out of the nut.

I have a 1" ID pvc pipe cut to 2" long like the link said and cut 1/4 of it out so it will clamp on the drive shaft.

There is a set of wires that connect to the v-drive (not sure if it is temp sensor or something) that I have to remove since the reach bends the connect part. (broke one when I tightened it up, now won't be in the way when they are removed).

Not really looking forward to the job, just not sure I want to spend $150 for dripless. But I will look at what it takes to install when I am in there as I don't like having water of any kind inside the boat. Usually not a good sign.

[jzelt]

I replaced the packing last night. Took 2 1/2 hours. Most of the time was getting the new packing in the nut and getting it pushed back far enough to get the next wrap in.