Teflon stuffing tube Question Help Pls

Hello new to the Forum and boat scene I have Pro Shockwave 26” boat I emailed Horizon a few questions and they didn’t answer them except tell me he owns one and it’s fine. My question was is the Teflon stuffing tube supposed to turn with the Flex Shaft or not ? I noticed mine does and am I supposed to grease that as well ( Teflon tube and Flex Shaft) ? I ordered a OSE Flex Shaft and Strut Upgrade with a Metal Prop . I have been here ing about bad stuff with this boat, I didn’t research enough before I ordered it. Also would it be alright to run it without Teflon stuffing tube? Also noticed there was no gap between the the Strut and Dog Drive but have put about 4mm gap. Plus I ordered OSE Coupler for it . Any help would be appreciated Thx.

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This is a common problem on some boats where the liner spins with the flex, this should deff not happen. Some liners are under size to the fit of the stuffing tube allowing them to spin. A simple fix is to get a roll of ptfe plumbers tape & wrap it around the outside of the liner in 2 or 3 areas along the liner then slide back into the stuffing tube, you simply gauge how much to wrap around the liner by how tight it fits into the stuffing tube. This simple method works 100%.

I've also used the teflon tape method Martin suggested, it works well. I'd add that you might want to pull the liner out, clean the outside surface so there's no grease, and swab the inside of the brass stuffing tube with a pipe cleaner and alcohol. If those two mating surfaces are clean, that can help reduce the slippage as well.

Thanks guys will do that I’m still waiting for OSE Flex and Strut upgrade, I didn’t want to take out in the water till I got it plus is it bad to run without Teflon tube ?

This method with Plumbers tape is it hard to take out Teflon tube with the tape . If I had to take it out in the future .

Its probably a 50/50 split on running teflon liners & running direct in the stuffing tube with no liner, with no liner you need to make sure the flex is well lubed with metal to metal on the flex & stuffing tube. You also need to make sure that with no liner the flex isn't to loose fit in the stuffing tube, most that remove the liner are generally going up to a larger diameter flex so that problem dosn't happen.

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Originally Posted by CC75

This method with Plumbers tape is it hard to take out Teflon tube with the tape . If I had to take it out in the future .

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No the ptfe tape is quite supple & springy so compresses very well but is still easy to pull the liner out.

Awesome thx Martin much appreciated

This is a great idea with the Teflon tape! :thumbup1: Thanks! I run liners in all my boats, but typically put a few drops of CA at the motor side of the teflon tube and glue it to the stuffing tube.

BTW, you will hear a lot of bad things about Teflon tubes on this forum and others. I believe it gets a bad name mostly due to poor implementation, but also variation in the tubing itself (as martin mentioned). It takes some finesse to get it right, but once you do, it's a low friction, low maintenance solution.

I run teflon liners with no problems even at higher rpm 42000 - 48000 rpm with no problems, you deff need to make sure things are set up right to not get problems. I have heard several times of some melting liners & breaking flexes due to this or burning electrics up due to increase in amp draw with such problems with flex & liners.

delete, thanks

If you have a tight liner & are having trouble getting the liner in the stuffing tube simply stretch the liner, hold one end of the liner clamped in the vice & the other end in pliers or vice grips & stretch the liner. You will be surprised at how much longer the liner gets whilst only reducing the o/d of the liner diameter a small bit, where the ends of the liner are damaged by holding in the vice etc the extra length the liner has grown to enables the squashed ends to be cut off. It only takes a few minutes to do this method to get a good slide in fit in the stuffing tube.

Nice! Never thought of adjusting the ID by stretching. I usually have to hunt for the correct ID. Once I find a stash, I buy a lot of it. If the ID is too large, you start getting water up the tube. If it's too small, unwanted friction.