The ease of dripless seals

mquiet

mquiet

Well-Known Member
Aug 4, 2009
1,500
North carolina
Boat Info
1999 480 Sedan Bridge
Engines
Caterpillar 3196
so our boat has the Tides dripless system and have been there since we purchs d the boat. The other week I noticed some water in my engine room forward bilge. After tasting to verify if fresh or salt, (it was salt) I was trying to solve where it was coming from. After a test cruise I saw under load it was the dripless shaft starting to leak. If you have never replaced the shaft seal with the spare, it is very easy. While the boat was in the slip, I loosened up the cap, took split o-ring off, pry our old seal and cut off shaft. Slide spare into place, put o-ring back, and attach cap. Done! 10 minutes and less than a gallon of water enters boat. Great system and now I'm good to go.
 
Your next replacement will require more effort since you'll need to pull the shaft.
 
kap2 said:
Your next replacement will require more effort since you'll need to pull the shaft.
Click to expand...
Yes and no, I agree that when the shaft needs removal it is more work. But I have two spares (now one) left in the carrier. But eventually it is much more work.
 
Matt do you have the factory original Tides Strong Seal (smooth blue tube) or the “newer” Sure Seal (accordion tube)? I had the older and replaced the seals at 15 years. Started leaking again not much later than that. Checked with Tides and they said they consider the whole system a 10 year replaceable item with a recommendation to swap out the seal at the 5 year mark whether it’s leaking then or not. So I replaced the whole thing with the Sure Seal system. Installers had to relocate the tube about 1/2” further up the shaft to get to a smooth shaft area. A few months ago I had to have a shaft replaced. The grove in the shaft from the 18 year seal location was significant.

Just a bunch of info to do with what you want.
 
Tides makes a great product... I went to Glide Seals for the simples reason you leave the old seal in and slide the new one down... tad easier and Glide has better material, about 15K sold a year in the ski market who are rough on shaft and seals etc,,,
 
I notice that the "this is quick and easy folks" have Sedan Bridges with straight inboards. Changing the Tides seals gets a lot more complicated on V-drives because you have substantially less room to see and work. Anything below about a 40 ft gas Sundancer and you are into remove the exhaust manifold country and you can forget a 15 minute seal change. Diesels are somewhat easier if you have access work from the back side of the stbd engine.
 
My Tides Strong Seals were in the boat 11 years ago when I bought the boat. In 10 seasons they have not leaked a drop. The spare seals still sit unused in the carrier in front of the original seals. Not sure how old they are but they just "work".
 
ZZ13 said:
Matt do you have the factory original Tides Strong Seal (smooth blue tube) or the “newer” Sure Seal (accordion tube)? I had the older and replaced the seals at 15 years. Started leaking again not much later than that. Checked with Tides and they said they consider the whole system a 10 year replaceable item with a recommendation to swap out the seal at the 5 year mark whether it’s leaking then or not. So I replaced the whole thing with the Sure Seal system. Installers had to relocate the tube about 1/2” further up the shaft to get to a smooth shaft area. A few months ago I had to have a shaft replaced. The grove in the shaft from the 18 year seal location was significant.

Just a bunch of info to do with what you want.
Click to expand...
I have no data on if these are original or upgraded. They do have the blue seal that is smooth, the process seems the same for both versions.
 
fwebster said:
I notice that the "this is quick and easy folks" have Sedan Bridges with straight inboards. Changing the Tides seals gets a lot more complicated on V-drives because you have substantially less room to see and work. Anything below about a 40 ft gas Sundancer and you are into remove the exhaust manifold country and you can forget a 15 minute seal change. Diesels are somewhat easier if you have access work from the back side of the stbd engine.
Click to expand...
Isn't quick and easy always relative to everything. The bigger the boat, than usually the easier the repair as the space is larger. I had V-drives in my previous boat and they were a nightmare to work on. But I like the Tides process and if access is not an issue, the repair to fix a leak with a spare seal is very easy.
 
mquiet said:
I have no data on if these are original or upgraded. They do have the blue seal that is smooth, the process seems the same for both versions.
Click to expand...
They are likely the original factory install. Tides switched to the Sure Seal in the year 2000. Sea Ray must have had a bunch of the Strong Seal in inventory to use up because I haven’t seen the Sure Seal on anything they built before 2002. You are getting some good life out of those. Congrats!
 
mquiet said:
so our boat has the Tides dripless system and have been there since we purchs d the boat. The other week I noticed some water in my engine room forward bilge. After tasting to verify if fresh or salt, (it was salt) I was trying to solve where it was coming from. After a test cruise I saw under load it was the dripless shaft starting to leak. If you have never replaced the shaft seal with the spare, it is very easy. While the boat was in the slip, I loosened up the cap, took split o-ring off, pry our old seal and cut off shaft. Slide spare into place, put o-ring back, and attach cap. Done! 10 minutes and less than a gallon of water enters boat. Great system and now I'm good to go.
Click to expand...
Thanks... I need to do this too.. I have spare on the shaft... I waited for the boat to be on pulled to attempt to replace it.. My biggest concern is reaching the shaft... I don't have a lot of space in the engine room...
 
mquiet said:
Yes and no, I agree that when the shaft needs removal it is more work. But I have two spares (now one) left in the carrier. But eventually it is much more work.
Click to expand...
And if that was the first set and lasted 20 years... Sounds like the next set is gonna be someone else's problem!
 
ZZ13 said:
That would be a new world record. 20 years sitting on a shaft not used then 20 years actually in use after that. That would be the 40 year seal!
Click to expand...
If that happens, I could then sell them the seal for a new boat. Hahahaha
 
Hi I need to change my dripless shaft assembly on a 1998 sundancer 400 vdrive diesel anyone know the shaft log size?
 
Tip sea said:
Hi I need to change my dripless shaft assembly on a 1998 sundancer 400 vdrive diesel anyone know the shaft log size?
Click to expand...

From the 1998 400DA parts list, the shaft log is 3.5" OD X 17"
 
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