Today we’re covering gland followers - most pumps have them, and we've had a lot of inquiries about why we manufacture them. In this post, I’ll cover everything you need to know to make an informed decision when it comes to replacing your gland follower.

Why We Make Custom Gland Followers

The number one reason we started getting into manufacturing custom gland followers was because we had customers that were going from a mechanical seal configuration over to standard packing or using our PackRyt bearing technology in their pumps.

In the process, they either misplaced or got rid of the gland follower that came with the pump.

So we decided that we would start making gland followers. But as we got into the process, we realized that we could make some enhancements to the gland followers that would make them a lot stronger and more reliable. The more we looked into it, the more we realized that this is actually a very integral part to what we do when sealing with packing.

And so, our CustomGland Followers were born.

Why Replace a Gland Follower?

There are many reasons why you would want to replace them:

●     You don't have it anymore - Maybe you switched from mechanical seal and threw it out or misplaced it

●     Physical damage - The gland follower you have is either bent, broken, or just worn out over time

●     Inadequate design - The design isn't adequate enough, meaning it's not exacting even pressure or force onto that packing

●     Splitting problems - It may be splitting at the seam

●     Material issues - Maybe the material itself isn't resilient enough either mechanically or chemically

If you find yourself in one of these situations, you may be researching your options for replacement. Let’s take a look.

The Problems with Cast Gland Followers

Most gland followers are cast then machined.

But, here's the problem with casting: you have entrained air in the material which makes them mechanically less resilient than if it was just a straight machined piece.

Also, when you look at the typical design, it's not horrible, but you can see that it was a bit of an afterthought. They have bolts that come down and secure the two halves together. Yes, you do have some mating surface which gives it some inherent strength, but if you apply too much pressure at that split, all you're asking to keep this thing together are these two quarter-inch bolts.

 So what happens when you apply too much pressure? You could have a gap or splitting of the gland itself. What will that do?

●     It'll lock itself on the outer diameter

●     It may potentially allow the internal part to contact the inner diameter, causing shaft scoring

Cast and machined parts have inherent weaknesses, and some of these designs just lend themselves to problems.

Benefits of Custom GlandFollowers

What makes us different is that we machine every single one of our gland followers. None of our gland followers are cast then machined. We take a solid piece of steel, aluminum, whatever material you want us to make it out of, and we machine all of these parts individually.

Like this:

Another key feature: all of our gland followers are interlocking. That means you don't have an actual split where the stud goes through, which can cause motion and potentially cause the gland follower to split.

By having it interlocked, you have a much more mated surface. This actually prohibits the gland from splitting in that direction once you apply enough force down on the actual gland itself.

Along with the construction, we also machine our custom gland followers to exact tolerances based on the size of the pump that we're going to be placing them in. This allows for closer tolerance and closer clearance, which will prevent it from actually opening up when you put it into service.

Flexible Configurations

Custom-Made for Your Application

The gland follower is a critical component in your packing system that deserves more attention than it typically gets. While it might seem like a simple part, the difference between cast and machined construction, between basic splits and interlocking designs, can significantly impact your pump's reliability and performance.

Reach out to our team if you have any questions or you would like us to measure up for a gland follower for your specific application.