The Ford Barn

leo · 01-04-2012, 09:18 AM

When I rebuilt my water pump I used a combination of the leakless bushing and packing nut (12570 & 12620 Bratton's Cat.). I have not had any leaks but I did find the nut had worked itself loose so my question is how tight should this nut be without having a negative impact on the seal and does the nut or the bushing require any special maintenance?

columbiA · 01-04-2012, 07:38 PM

I think a bit of non-hardening Permatex on the threads should keep the nut from loosening off.Nut wont need to be very tite.When I grease the pump I only put about 1/4 of 1 pump of grease gun in rear bushing & 1/2 pump in front brg every 500 miles.

Doug in NJ · 01-05-2012, 10:53 PM

Bratton's leakless bushing and SS shaft have been on my car's water pump for 5 years, and have not leaked a drop.

Doug

Aerocraft · 01-06-2012, 09:50 AM

I have not had that style nut come loose with a very "firm" torque on the nut. After some experience using those two types of seals together, I have found that just the bushing with the seal works very well with the stainless shaft (Bratton's parts). Unfortunately, the life is something less thn 8,000 miles. Eventually, the edge of the seal cuts into the soft stainless allowing the seal to leak.

Recently, I purchased two of the "hard" stainless shafts from Snyders and I do expect them to last longer than the softer shafts. Only time will tell. Gar Williams

Purdy Swoft · 01-06-2012, 11:50 AM

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I have also used Brattons Brass water pump bushing with two Chicago rawhide seals with their leakless brass pack nut with no problems for many years. I just tighten the pack nut reasonably tight. Every so often I will back the packing nut off and add some grease at the end of the bushing and around the shaft. The only problem that I ever had with Brattons leakless packing nuts was with the aluminum version that is suppose to mimick the Zinc packing nut used on the 30-31 models. The aluminum packing nut is prone to sticking to the brass rear bushing. The sticking problem is caused by dis similar metals. Aluminum has a tendency of sticking to any metal that isn't aluminum. Brass doesn't stick to brass, so I use the brass nut, no matter what year. I use to use original pack nuts with the teflon rope seal. I don't see the teflon rope seals available anymore.

01-04-2012, 09:18 AM	#1
leo Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: New Jersey Posts: 734	Leakless Packing Nut (Chicago Rawhide Type)? When I rebuilt my water pump I used a combination of the leakless bushing and packing nut (12570 & 12620 Bratton's Cat.). I have not had any leaks but I did find the nut had worked itself loose so my question is how tight should this nut be without having a negative impact on the seal and does the nut or the bushing require any special maintenance?

01-04-2012, 07:38 PM	#2
columbiA Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: B.C. Canada Posts: 1,746	Re: Leakless Packing Nut (Chicago Rawhide Type)? I think a bit of non-hardening Permatex on the threads should keep the nut from loosening off.Nut wont need to be very tite.When I grease the pump I only put about 1/4 of 1 pump of grease gun in rear bushing & 1/2 pump in front brg every 500 miles.

01-05-2012, 10:53 PM	#3
Doug in NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Princeton, NJ Posts: 966	Re: Leakless Packing Nut (Chicago Rawhide Type)? Bratton's leakless bushing and SS shaft have been on my car's water pump for 5 years, and have not leaked a drop. Doug __________________ My '31 S/W sedan project:http://31ford.dougbraun.com My restoration diary: http://dougbraun.com/blog

01-06-2012, 09:50 AM	#4
Aerocraft Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Naperville, IL Posts: 1,387	Re: Leakless Packing Nut (Chicago Rawhide Type)? I have not had that style nut come loose with a very "firm" torque on the nut. After some experience using those two types of seals together, I have found that just the bushing with the seal works very well with the stainless shaft (Bratton's parts). Unfortunately, the life is something less thn 8,000 miles. Eventually, the edge of the seal cuts into the soft stainless allowing the seal to leak. Recently, I purchased two of the "hard" stainless shafts from Snyders and I do expect them to last longer than the softer shafts. Only time will tell. Gar Williams

01-06-2012, 11:50 AM	#5
Purdy Swoft Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Alabama Posts: 8,099	Re: Leakless Packing Nut (Chicago Rawhide Type)? Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I have also used Brattons Brass water pump bushing with two Chicago rawhide seals with their leakless brass pack nut with no problems for many years. I just tighten the pack nut reasonably tight. Every so often I will back the packing nut off and add some grease at the end of the bushing and around the shaft. The only problem that I ever had with Brattons leakless packing nuts was with the aluminum version that is suppose to mimick the Zinc packing nut used on the 30-31 models. The aluminum packing nut is prone to sticking to the brass rear bushing. The sticking problem is caused by dis similar metals. Aluminum has a tendency of sticking to any metal that isn't aluminum. Brass doesn't stick to brass, so I use the brass nut, no matter what year. I use to use original pack nuts with the teflon rope seal. I don't see the teflon rope seals available anymore.