teflon.....stuffing tube

[hammertime]

should i use the teflon that comes with the flex shaft.... or should i not use it ....opinions??

[saleens7]

yes........

[Mich. Maniac]

If you read tips on how to make stuffing tube, Steven from OSE says he doesnt. I didnt plan on using it except to line up my tubes. then pull them out after they are in place and you know your tubes are centered on your flex shaft. Im no pro so just repeating what ive read

[Fluid]

I haven't used teflon for at least ten years. It just isn't necessary unless you have no idea where your strut will be. I use plain K&S brass tubing run from 1/2" behind the motor coupler into the strut nose. Contrary to most of what I read from so-called "experts", you do not need to aneal the brass. I have never worn out a brass tube from either cable or wire, oval or SAW racing. I do make sure to use a good lubricant....not sewing machine oil. But teflon is more forgiving in the installation, it wears out, gets wrapped around the cable, and causes more driveline drag.... ;)


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[hammertime]

ok thanx guys.

[Steven Vaccaro]

I haven't used teflon for at least ten years. It just isn't necessary unless you have no idea where your strut will be. I use plain K&S brass tubing run from 1/2" behind the motor coupler into the strut nose. Contrary to most of what I read from so-called "experts", you do not need to aneal the brass. I have never worn out a brass tube from either cable or wire, oval or SAW racing. I do make sure to use a good lubricant....not sewing machine oil. But teflon is more forgiving in the installation, it wears out, gets wrapped around the cable, and causes more driveline drag.... ;)


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I like to anneal a stuffing tube in a mono that allows me limited hatch access. Its makes adjusting the tube easier for me. Than I brace the stuffing tube end nearest to the motor with a permanent support. On something like a cat I wouldn't and not need to anneal. I dont suggest annealing a stuffing tube at all on hydros or cats. The unsupported stuffing tube outside the boat needs to be as strong as possible.

[hammertime]

ok im building a cat..... this is my first build and have no idea how to bend the stuffing tube properly i read the tips page but i still suck

[Dennis Whitt]

I still use teflon on pretty much all of my boats.I would guess to save argument that it is personal taste and intent.
I like the freedom of movement it gives me as far as the strut end is concerned.
On a Kat,I usually ran brass or alumineum tubing with in about 2 inches of the strut and and leave the teflon open right into the strut.
I also will run a peice of heat shrink from were the stuffing tube ends all the way back and over the strut bullet.I have found that this helps aleiviate water comming up the stuffing tube with out having to use as much power robbing cable grease.
To finnish my set ups,I also bevell the front part of the drivedog.( the part closest to the strut)I notice that water hits the front of the drive dog and is pushed up the shaft.I like doing anything to free up my shaft.By using the teflon liner and Light oil along with the other tips I described should provide a nice smooth low friction drive line.But thats just my preferance.:)

[hammertime]

ok sounds good thank you very much for the advice guys much appreciated

[SJFE]

Ok so by coating the cable and prop shaft with prather greas before each day out I'm slowing the boat down? I am assuming this is over kill. I also pull the cable after every use and allow it to dry for a few days before re installing it...Am I waising my time again?...I dont wana do stuff I dont have to.

[Dennis Whitt]

Like I said it depends on the aplication.You should always grease the strut.But cable grease is used for heat reduction,wear reduction and water reduction.
I do use cable grease on all of my large boats.
For sport running,Grease her up but for racing try greasing just the stub and using a light oil on the the rest.As long as you have done a few things to keep water intrusion to a minimum.Again it is personal preferance.But when you need that little extra edge.........

[Mich. Maniac]

So what about stinger struts. there really is no way to keep water out of tube is there? Also water gets in strut wouldnt it?

[Dennis Whitt]

I havent seen a stinger upclose but I suspect that there is an open area between the center part of of the bracket and the front of the body of the stinger.
Whare house hobbies had a similar product and my fix for this was to place a suitable peice of silicone tubing over the teflon tubing and slide that into the strut face creating a seal.
As far as the drive dog end,If I am not mistaken the brass bushing has a flange that the drive dog rides against.If this is correct than you can use the beveling method on the front of the drive dog.In essence you are taking a strait drive dog and givving it a cone shape.Simply chuck the smoth end of a 3/16th drill bit with the cutting end in the chuck and mount your drive dog on the end and run it on a sanding disk.It will take it right down as most of the light duty drive dogs 3/16th and 1/8th are nickle plated brass.
Oh and I see you are in SW Michigan.We are having a fun run a little north of you this sunday at 10.If you are interested give me a call.517-795-8303 Dennis.

[Mich. Maniac]

Is there a way to put teflon back into stuff tube??

[Steven Vaccaro]

Do you mean replace the teflon? If so it slides out and you slide new stuff in.

[SJFE]

In a perfect word is slides in and out...The one I did in the fighter was an sob & a half. I don't dig the .130 stuff.

[Mich. Maniac]

Yeha I got it back in, not sure I want to use it though, I notice its harder to spin cable with it but Im probly safer to use on my first FE. I will line up my tubes and secure them. maybe Ill pull it back out later. thanks for the help!!!

[brooks93]

Ok so by coating the cable and prop shaft with prather greas before each day out I'm slowing the boat down? I am assuming this is over kill. I also pull the cable after every use and allow it to dry for a few days before re installing it...Am I waising my time again?...I dont wana do stuff I dont have to.


I pull all my cables after I am done with the boat. I wipe them down to get any grease off of them and then spray them with WD40 and wipe them down again.

lay them in the hull until I need the boat again. I wouldn't put the shaft back in the driveline unless your going to run it. You can have some water in it that could cause the cable to rust.

the first run on a fresh greased up shaft will be a bit more drag on the driveline but, its not much.

[Mich. Maniac]

So how do you grease your cables? Im using stinger struts and Im thinking about pulling the teflon/ Im thinkin if I almost pack the tubes and grease the cable well I should heat up and run down the cable to the strut. to me strut wouldnt hold enough grease. should brass bushing spin or no or doesnt it matter?

[boater76]

Im a novice and I just got my first flex cable. I for a fact are going to use the teflon with the cable. I am still in learning process of lots of stuff yet.

ken