Replace Leaking Dripless Seal

When I purchased this boat it had a leaking dripless seal around the prop shaft.  After looking around I decided to go with the new style OJ flex gland.  Seemed like it wouldn't be too difficult to install.  

This project took me about 4-5 hours. In hindsight, on a scale of 1 (Anyone should be able to do this) to 10 (pay someone else),  I would say this was a 6-7.  I would also highly recommend having a helper on hand. I was probably in and out of the boat 10-20 times doing this by my self, I also got to a point where I needed a helper to hold things.  If I didn't have to pull the rudder this would have been much easier.

Here is the guy we are replacing:

Black hose with two hose clamps.

Here is what is going in:  

gray tube is used to protect the gland from shaft while installing.

First step is to pull the shaft coupler off the back of the V-Drive:

Not much room in there:

First I got a pry bar locked in there to keep things from spinning, and used an 1 1/4" wrench to spin the nut off the end.

Next was to remove the 4 bolts holding the coupler to the transmission. 5/8" on both sides.

Next step: Out of the boat and pull the prop.

Remove the cotter pin.  Use a block of wood to keep the prop from spinning, and take the nut off. Well don't take it all the way off, just to the end. This will keep the prop from hitting the ground on the next step.

Use the prop puller to free the prop from the shaft. Couple turns and it will pop free.

Notice where the nut is on the end of the shaft.

The next step is to press the shaft out of the coupler. 

I actually made a tool out of 1/4" steel and some bolts, but while I was removing the prop I noticed that I could just pull the shaft out of the coupler.  Once the prop was off though I couldn't get a good grip to pull it.  So I put the nut back on the end of the shaft and used a slide hammer to give it a couple taps.

I didn't get a good picture of this step, because I was surprised it worked.  Here is the slide hammer though

Now, just need to pull the prop shaft a couple feet....  And exactly what I didn't want.  It hit the rudder.

This is where the project got time consuming and difficult.  I was about 30 minutes to this point.

My picture taking got a little sporadic at this point, because that wasn't fun to get out. Or back in...

This is what we are after, the shaft with the cotter pin and arm attached is the rudder.  Should be easy... Pull the cotter pin and loosen the bolt.

That white elbow is the ballast tank intake and it is directly above the rudder shaft. 

That cotter pin was installed by someone much stronger than me. I still have no idea how it went in. I ended up using my slide hammer to get it out. Also the bolt was very difficult to turn, with very little space to turn it.  I ended up getting it loose, then using a wood block and hammer outside the boat to pull the rudder free of the arm.  About 1 hour later it was off.

Now to put the new flex gland on.

I pulled the shaft all the way out to inspect it and make it easier to take a picture of the protecting sleeve.

Inside the boat.  Remove the hose clamp holding the old seal to the boat (the one closer to the rear of the boat, left side of the picture below). Remove the old seal.

I used a 5/16" end wrench, but a short 5/16" socket would probably fit too.

Put the new gland in and tighten both hose clamps.

Push the shaft back in through. 

I couldn't get the protecting sleeve off without pushing it all the way through the transmission.  This is also where I needed a helper. Someone to hold the shaft outside the boat while I pulled the sleeve off.

And, this is where I stopped taking pictures.  Put everything back together in the reverse order.

I put the coupler back on with 3 of the 4 bolts.  Then pushed the shaft far enough through to start the 1 1/4 nut.  Then I tightened the large nut until the it stopped.  Then I made sure all 4 bolts were tight.

45 minutes to an hour to get the new seal and prop shaft back into the boat.

After that I moved on to the rudder. 

Put a block of wood on a jack and pushed the rudder all the way back into the boat.  Then inside the boat, I removed the ballast intake hose to make room. Put the steering arm in place with the key in the key way opposite the locking bolt. Gently tapped the steering arm back on. 

Then I tightened the steering arm bolt until the arm wouldn't move up and down any longer.  Then a new cotter pin through the hole and bend it in place.

Put the ballast system back together. Check the steering to make sure it is still works and is smooth.

About an hour to get the rudder back into the boat :(.

I didn't put the prop back on yet, because it needs some repair.  Unfortunate contact with a rock under the dock at the lake over Labor Day weekend.