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Cracked stern tube


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Hi.

So yesterday I got the job of filling the stern tube greaser on my mates boat. Job done, I gave it a couple of turns, which is when I noticed that grease is being force out of what looks like a crack in the brass stern tube.

He says he's never noticed it before but he is very laid back when it comes to maintenance. 

I've suggested wrapping it in Denso tape and putting a jubilee clip on as a temporary fix until he can get something sorted (which could be never). 

So this has got me thinking, what could have caused the crack? Is this so serious that it needs fixing right away? Has anyone had/seen this problem?

Thanks in advance.

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Had something similar a few years ago on a shared boat. It didn't look like a crack, though, just a small hole. I put it down to a casting fault in the brass stern tube. Tape (without the jubilee clip!) lasted a few years until the tube was replaced due to wear.

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1 hour ago, DHutch said:

As long as it will hold grease sufficiently to allow/force the grease into the bearing, happy days.

Else replacing the lot is not a large job or even a huge expense.

Daniel

 I think you misunderstood.

It is not the stern tube greaser that is cracked. It is the actual stern tube with the propeller shaft running through.

I have never replaced a stern tube but I imagine it is a bigger job than you imply. Firstly the boat would need dry docking, then prop shaft removing, faulty stern tube removing and a replacement fitted. 

Not a job that I can see being tackled in the water??? 

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5 hours ago, Canal321 said:

 I think you misunderstood.

It is not the stern tube greaser that is cracked. It is the actual stern tube with the propeller shaft running through....

Oh, in that case my apologies!

As you say, changing the gland it's self would be significantly more laborious and likely expensive.  Presumably a conventional stuffing box type packed gland.

Anything can be done but I wouldn't want to learn while the boat was in the water.

 

2 hours ago, Canal321 said:

Also why did the title change??

Because I completely misunderstood the opening post. Sorry. 

Daniel

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3 hours ago, DHutch said:

As you say, changing the gland it's self would be significantly more laborious and likely expensive.  Presumably a conventional stuffing box type packed gland.

Still not sure you've understood. It's not the gland the OP is talking about but the tube between the gland and the sternpost. It will need a docking but then it's reasonably straightforward to take it all apart and screw a new tube onto the stub on the sternpost.

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As a temporary fix I would give it a proper clean and degrease. I would then use Araldite or something similar over the crack and allow to dry. I would then check for leaks. If no leaks I would wrap it in Denso or Gorilla tape and maybe Araldite over the lot to seal it. I might then paint it to match the surrounding paintwork.

 

I reckon that could last for years but I would want to check its not leaking on a regular basis. Change the whole thing on next blacking.

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17 hours ago, Canal321 said:

 

He says he's never noticed it before but he is very laid back when it comes to maintenance. 

 

1 hour ago, Old Son said:

 

I reckon that could last for years but I would want to check its not leaking on a regular basis. Change the whole thing on next blacking.

Incompatibility alert!! :D

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A warning as we have not been told exactly where on the tube the grease is leaking from.

I have had a case with a flexible stern gland (not a Vetus but a packed type) where the engine mounts had collapsed over the years so the shaft had worn a hole in the bottom of the tube. If its a rigid gland the hole the shaft goes into would be really oval with grease coming out of the front of the gland so this is less likely but without seeing the gland we can not be sure.

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Apologies for hi jacking this thread slightly but I have a small amount of water leaking in  where the brass stern tube goes through the  hull. Can this be remedied by tightening the brass tube ?

 

 

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If you can clean it up well and apply some Loctite or similar and try tightening it up, then you may succeed. It is however a parallel thread so nothing to tighten against. Also, beware of overtightening as you can distort the tube with too much force.

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