Authorised Australian Distributor

PSS Shaft Seal — Genuine Type A, In Stock in Australia

The PSS shaft seal is a dripless mechanical face seal for propeller shafts, and one of the most widely fitted dripless seals in the world. Instead of compressing flax packing around a spinning shaft — the traditional stuffing box approach, which is designed to drip — the PSS moves the sealing job onto a pair of precision faces. The result is a dry bilge under the shaft: no packing, no drips, minimal maintenance.

PSSSeals.com.au is the Australian home of the genuine PSS Type A, run by Luxfords Marine of Mornington, Victoria — supplying quality marine products since 1963. We supply the full Type A range, dispatch Australia-wide, and answer the phone when you're not sure what to measure.

How the PSS Type A Works

Three parts do the work. A 316L stainless-steel rotor clamps to the propeller shaft — two o-rings seal it to the shaft, and two pairs of set screws at 90 degrees lock it in place. The rotor spins against a stationary carbon flange carried on a nitrile rubber bellows, which clamps over the stern tube with hose clamps. Compressing the bellows at installation pre-loads the carbon against the rotor, keeping the two faces mated while absorbing propeller thrust, misalignment and vibration.

Because the sealing surfaces are the rotor and the carbon — not the shaft itself — the shaft doesn't wear the way it does under packing or a rubber lip seal. The carbon is lapped flat to four helium light bands, which is what makes a PSS dripless shaft seal genuinely dripless. For the full mechanics see how it works, for fitting see the installation guide, and for how the styles compare see dripless shaft seals explained and rubber lip seal vs dripless.

The Range We Stock

We supply the genuine PSS Type A for every shaft from 3/4" to 3-3/4" (20–95 mm), across every stern-tube combination. Sizing takes two measurements: your propeller shaft diameter (metric or imperial) and your stern tube's outside diameter. Each bellows seals across a small range of stern-tube OD — about 1/8", a few millimetres — so the seal finder lists every seal for your shaft with the OD range each one covers, plus live stock and prices.

Engine brand doesn't come into it. A PSS Type A shaft seal fits any standard shaft installation — Volvo Penta, Yanmar or anything else — because it's sized to the shaft and stern tube, not the engine. And since fitting one usually means a haul-out, the same lift is the easiest time to check your cutlass bearing; our sister store CutlassBearings.com.au stocks Exalto cutlass bearings.

PSS Shaft Seal Prices in Australia

Genuine PSS Type A seals range from $872 to $5,421 AUD including GST, depending on shaft diameter and stern-tube size — the median seal is about $1,997. Rather than a static price list, the finder shows the live price for every seal that fits your measurements. Every price is in Australian dollars with GST included — no surprises at checkout.

Seals showing In stock in the finder dispatch fast, Australia-wide, from our Australian warehouse. Sizes we don't hold are special order, dispatched in 2–3 weeks. Once fitted, upkeep is light: inspect the bellows like any underwater rubber hose and replace it about every six years — see the maintenance guide.

PSS Shaft Seal FAQs

What is a PSS shaft seal?

A PSS shaft seal is a dripless mechanical face seal for propeller shafts. A 316L stainless-steel rotor on the shaft spins against a stationary carbon flange carried on a rubber bellows, sealing the stern tube without packing — and without the constant drip a traditional stuffing box relies on.

How much does a PSS shaft seal cost?

Genuine PSS Type A seals run from $872 to $5,421 AUD including GST depending on shaft diameter and stern-tube size, with a median of about $1,997. The seal finder shows the live price for every seal that fits your measurements.

Is PSS the same as PYI?

PYI Inc is the US manufacturer of the PSS brand, so a PYI PSS shaft seal and a PSS shaft seal are the same product family. We are the authorised Australian distributor, so every seal we supply is genuine PSS.

What sizes do PSS shaft seals come in?

The PSS Type A fits propeller shafts from 3/4" to 3-3/4" (20–95 mm), with bellows options covering the standard stern-tube outside diameters in that range. Sizing takes two measurements — shaft diameter and stern-tube OD — and the finder lists every match.