stuffing box and drive train maintenance

[Cutwater28GG]

is there anything I need to do beyond watching for excessive drips?
I had the transmission fluid changed last service.

could it be possible to have the opposite problem with no drips over time and I need to ensure the stuffing box is dripping?

what about vibration and shaft alignment. as its a diesel there is a basic level of vibration from the engine. how do I tell if anything is amiss in the drivetrain ?

trying to cover my bases before heading up to Roche Harbor this weekend.

 

[baz]

I posted the below back in 2010.... it maybe of interest to you. 🙂 Hope it helps...

Shaft alignment is the alignment of the engine's output shaft from the gearbox to the prop shaft. Too much mis-alignment means unwanted stress on the gearbox output shaft's bearing. Proper alignment is therefore crucial to avoid premature bearing failure. The alignment, if needed, requires the 4 engine mounts to be adjusted. Bobby indicated he has come to expect Ranger Tugs to have no issues with alignment as the Ranger Tug factory assembly folks do a great job.

To quickly determine if the shaft alignment is in need of adjustment one simply reaches down to the prop shaft (the shiny piece of shaft between the gearbox output and the stuffing box) and grab it and turn it with throttle lever in neutral position. If it turns freely the alignment is typically in good shape. However, if it's hard or stiff to turn or worse still one has to use a wrench to turn the shaft the alignment is in need of adjustment.

 

[Cutwater28GG]

excellent thank you!

 

[knotflying]

No drip is usually an indication that the adjustment has been over tightened. It is important to tighten only enough to slow the drip down to about once every 20 seconds while the shaft is turning. Sometimes just an 1/8 or less of a turn is enough.