Shaft Seal Housing

Before Ordering

SureSeals are sold as a kit which includes a section of articulating hose (in most instances) and four hose clamps.

To determine:
1) If you have enough space to install a SureSeal and
2) Which SureSeal to order, you must know the following measurements:

Use our SureSeal Identifier or the Imperial or Metric size charts to determine your part number.
Verify that the dimensions listed in the chart will fit your application. (Optimally you should have pristine shaft conditions in the area 4 to 6 inches from the end of the stern tube towards the coupling!)

A hose running from a point on the engine’s raw water cooling system to this single injection fitting that will deliver cooling/lubricating water to the SureSeal. This water supply should produce a minimum of 1 gallon per minute at idle speed and approximately 2 psi. It should increase as you throttle up.

Warning! *** The SureSeal is not recommended for engines with less than 4 cylinders ***

Tides Marine offers a water pick-up kit to complete your installation.

CAUTION: The turn of the exhaust riser MUST be ABOVE the rest of the exhaust system.
Before operating the vessel you MUST TEST the water supply.

Recommended Water Pick-Up Points in Order of Preference

1. Hose Tee: In-line between the heat exchanger and riser (as close to the heat exchanger as possible).
2. Hose Tee: In-line between the oil cooler and the heat exchanger.
3. Hose Tee: In-line between the water pump and the oil cooler.
4. Drain Plug: Hose barb in the heat exchanger.
5. Drain Plug: Hose barb in oil cooler (if oil cooler is on pressure side of water pump). The bore should be at least .200”.
6. Drain Plug: Hose barb in the back of the water pump. Be sure the drain is on the pressure side of the pump.

Other Important Installation Notes

A. Vented Loops

When the engine(s) is/are installed below the waterline (or water-lift mufflers are used), a vented loop may be required to prevent back-flooding of water through the exhaust system and into the engine.

Follow ABYC guidelines regarding materials and installation practices. The vented loop or siphon break should be checked for proper function annually at a minimum.

The water pick-up fitting should be installed on the “pressure” side of the vented loop “T”. This vented loop should be as far above the waterline as is practical (a minimum of 12″ is required).

B. Check Valves

In twin-engine installations with water-lift mufflers, a check valve in each of the water pick-up lines is required if a crossover line is used between two SureSeals. The check valves should be checked for proper function annually at a minimum.

Maintenance

1. Tides Marine SureSeals require no winterization. Winterization fluids will not harm the SureSeals.
2. SureSeal assemblies should be inspected at least annually.
   1. Inspect the blue articulating hose for damage.
   2. Inspect the hose clamps for corrosion.
   3. Remove the water injection hoses from each SureSeal and make sure the fittings and hoses are free of debris.

   4. It is very important to regularly check the pick-up point and water flow in the engine’s raw water cooling system. The water flow should be checked anytime the vessel has run hot or been aground.

      If this fitting is a hose barb, Tides recommends that you remove the fitting from the pick-up point. Make sure it is free of debris, corrosion, etc. It is also a good idea to inspect the pick-up point for any debris that may have collected since the last inspection.

      If your water pick-up system uses hose tees, you should not have to remove the tee. Simply check the branch fitting on the tee to make sure it is free of debris.

   5. If your water pick-up system has any shut-off valves, check valves, siphon breaks or sight-gauges, be sure to inspect these as well.
   6. Make sure all hoses and clamps are re-assembled securely once you have completed any regularly scheduled inspections.

These products are available in custom sizes. Contact Tides Marine for more information.

SureSeal Identifier

The SureSeal Identifier is used to find the SureSeal Part Number that is right for your boat. Simply enter:

1. Your propeller shaft type, Imperial or Metric.
A. Your propeller shaft diameter.
B. Your stern tube OD (Outside Diameter)
C. If you have twin engines, do you plan on using the recommended crossover line?
D. You have the minimum required distance from the Coupling to the Stern Tube. See Charts: Imperial or Metric

Note: The propeller shaft must be in pristine condition in the area from 4 to 7 inches from the end of the stern tube towards the coupling!

Once you enter Yes or No for the crossover line, you will be directed to our online store to purchase the SureSeal. Once in the store, you will again have to choose the stern tube OD and which water injection fittings you require.

If you choose not to use this tool, you have the option of going to the Imperial or Metric Sizes chart on this website located in the sub-menu above.

 SureSeal Identifier Tool

SureSeal Installation Guide

The following is a brief description of a typical SureSeal installation. Detailed instructions are included with each product and should be followed closely.

1. Remove shaft from transmission coupling.
2. Disassemble and remove all of the existing shaft sealing system.
3. Remove the hose clamps and old hose from the shaft log (stern tube). Discard them. DO NOT RE-USE these components as they will not function correctly with the SureSeal.
4. Draw the shaft back up against the coupling. This will expose the portion of the shaft that was located under the old hose and stuffing box.
5. Insert the end of the SureSeal unit into the articulated hose and push in as far as it will go.
6. Position the SureSeal Unit while installed in the articulated hose next to the stern tube to determine approximately where the lip seal will ride on the shaft.
7. Examine this area carefully. Be SURE that it is free of pitting, nicks or surface imperfections which could cause leaking. Clean this area thoroughly. Polish the shaft using 280 to 320 grit wet/dry sandpaper or emery cloth working around the shaft. Fore and aft actions could put flats or grooves in the shaft. Do NOT over polish the shaft or this will prevent the lip seal from sealing out the water. The assembly may be shifted forward slightly by adjusting the position of the hose on the stern tube at the time of installation.
8. Carefully press the red seal protector into the front of the SureSeal. Make certain it covers the “lip” portion of the seal.
9. Back the shaft away from the coupling to provide enough room to install the assembly.
10. Carefully slide the assembly (hose-end first) onto the shaft so that the shaft passes through the red seal protector.
11. Slide the assembly down the shaft and onto the stern tube. Push on as far as it will go or as needed to position the lip seal on a clean spot on the shaft. Make sure the hose is over the stern tube enough to be able to put both hose clamps on.
12. Reconnect the shaft to the coupling. Make certain the coupling is firmly secured to the transmission.
13. Space the 2 hose clamps over the stern tube end evenly and “snug”. Hose clamp screws should be on opposite sides to distribute the pressure evenly. Space the two clamps on the SureSeal end of the hose evenly and “snug”. Confirm that both the SureSeal and stern tube are fully inserted into the articulating hose. Tighten all hose clamps.
14. Pull the red seal protector from the SureSeal. Separate the tabs to split the cone and remove it from the shaft.
15. Connect the SureSeal to a pressurized water supply source (point in the engines raw water cooling system) by attaching the water injection hose to the stainless steel fitting on the housing. If there is a sceond hose fiting on the SureSeal, it is used to complete a crossover feed between port and starboard shaft seals. Complete crossover instructions are included with the Water Pick-Up Kits and should be followed closely.
    CHECK WATER SUPPLY TO SURESEAL(S) BEFORE OPERATING VESSEL (1 gallon per minute at idle)
16. *** NEVER USE GREASE OF ANY KIND ***

Download Complete SureSeal Installation Instructions

Download Water Pick-Up Kit Instructions

Imperial Sizes (All Dimensions are in Inches)

The chart below will give you the SureSeal part number and a link to buy the complete SureSeal Kit, the SureSeal Housing—which comes with a new lip seal and the water injection fitting(s)—the lip seal, connecting hose and hose clamps used in the SureSeal Kit from our online store.

All measurements are in 4 digit decimal form. For example, 7/8 inch = 0875, 2 inch = 2000, 2 5/8 inch = 2625.
(Note: Some SureSeal Kits use 2 different clamp sizes.)

Distance from the end of the stern tube to where the lip seal will ride on the shaft.

Please Note: If the surface of your propeller shaft (between the propeller shaft coupling and the stern tube) is in poor condition (tool marks, rust, or pits) it will be necessary to bring this area of the shaft back to “like new” condition.

If a stuffing box has worn the propeller shaft surface anywhere between 4-7 inches ahead of the stern tube, it may be necessary to adjust the Tides blue hose that covers the stern tube (or the hose end of the SureSeal) to locate the lip seal ahead of this area.

If shaft condition is suspect (as described above) and hose adjustments cannot position the lip seal to a clean, “nominal” spot on the shaft, (while maintaining a 2 clamp engagement on both ends), or some sort of Face Seal product may work better on your vessel than the Tides product.

Select Your Propeller Shaft Size   7/8″1″1 1/8″1 1/4″1 3/8″1 1/2″1 5/8″1 3/4″2″2 1/4″2 1/2″2 3/4″3″3 1/4″3 1/2″3 3/4″4″4 1/4″4 1/2″5″5 1/2″6″

Metric Sizes (All Dimensions are in Millimeters)

The chart below will give you the SureSeal part number and a link to buy the complete SureSeal Kit, the SureSeal Housing—which comes with a new lip seal and the water injection fitting(s)—the lip seal, connecting hose and hose clamps used in the SureSeal Kit from our online store.

All measurements are in millimeters.
(Note: Some SureSeal Kits use 2 different clamp sizes.)

Distance from the end of the stern tube to where the lip seal will ride on the shaft.

Please Note: If the surface of your propeller shaft (between the propeller shaft coupling and the stern tube) is in poor condition (tool marks, rust, or pits) it will be necessary to bring this area of the shaft back to “like new” condition.

If a stuffing box has worn the propeller shaft surface anywhere between 102MM to 178MM ahead of the stern tube, it may be necessary to adjust the Tides blue hose that covers the stern tube (or the hose end of the SureSeal) to locate the lip seal ahead of this area.

If shaft condition is suspect (as described above) and hose adjustments cannot position the lip seal to a clean, “nominal” spot on the shaft, (while maintaining a 2 clamp engagement on both ends), or some sort of Face Seal product may work better on your vessel than the Tides product.

Select Your Propeller Shaft Size   25 mm30 mm35 mm40 mm45 mm50 mm55 mm60 mm65 mm70 mm75 mm80 mm85 mm90 mm95 mm100 mm105 mm110 mm120 mm