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General Packing Installation Instructions
- Remove all old packing. Examine the rings, this will show how the packing was installed. Look for glazing on the OD of packing, this means rings were not preloaded, and they were turning with the shaft.
- Clean stuffing box and shaft thoroughly.
- Examine shaft and stuffing box for wear and erosion.
- Replace shaft sleeve if excessive wear exists.
- Cut rings of packing to the PROPER size.
- Cut packing on the bias at a (45° angle), stagger joints.
- Install new packing ONE RING at a time
- DO NOT GREASE THE PACKING! This will carbonize and harden the inside of the packing.
- Place FIRST RING and seat it all the way to bottom of the stuffing box.
- A Tamping Tool should be used.
- Install One Ring at a time. Never push packing with packing, seat each ring properly one at a time.
- Place joints 90 degrees apart: (Example: the number of rings up to 4 rings and divided into 360). Each ring is 90 degrees apart (12, 3, 6, 9 o’clock positions). Repeat this until the rest of the rings are installed.
- In the case of deep stuffing boxes 5 rings or more and on slow moving equipment, the first 2 or 3 rings should be seated one at a time as discussed and with a the neck of the gland follower in the stuffing box and use of a Tamping Tool, tighten Gland follower down until you feel a strong resistance tighten 2 or 3 turns more on the gland follower nuts or bolts. (Place a 15% to 20% compression of packing on the gland nuts)
- Seat each remaining ring FIRMLY against the proceeding ring ONE at a time. No need to compress these rings as with the first 2 or 3 rings.
- When the last ring is installed, replace Gland follower and tighten bolts or nuts. They should be tightened until you can feel the packing resisting slightly. The neck of the Gland follower should be inside the stuffing box a minimum of 1/8”. The Gland should be straight not cocked; it should be even all the way around.
- Start equipment per plant procedures and safety guidelines.
- Make adjustments one flat at a time if necessary.
