drewkaree
Jetboaters Fleet Admiral 1*
- Messages
- 7,923
- Reaction score
- 29,300
- Points
- 822
- Location
- Central WI
- Boat Make
- Yamaha
- Year
- 2019
- Boat Model
- AR
- Boat Length
- 21
Writing this down to have something to point to.
*edit* Adding this first, for preventative measures...Pull your plugs after every use, and do not leave them screwed in. Best prevention that doesn't cost a dime, and is one of the things we take for granted so often. Just leave them unscrewed, and out of the installed position, resting atop the tray if possible.
The seals on the cleanout plugs need some sort of lube or something else, for multiple reasons
1 - the seals will seal better if they're supple and have SOMETHING to keep them flexible (and possibly add to the sealing itself)
2 - the seals will deteriorate for multiple reasons, including the detritus and organic matter in the very water you boat in
3 - the cleanout plugs WILL have to be rebuilt at some point. Father Time & Mother Nature are undefeated.
In regards to #3, I've changed my point of view to see these things as wear items, like spark plugs. You do YOU, and ignore this post entirely if you don't agree. I don't need you to agree, I'm simply laying this out for my edification, and for anyone to point to when they're trying to track down parts or what to use. This is what I choose to use, you may be fine with the water-based "pool lube" that's recommended around here. I found it to be watery, and required reapplication after every time I pulled the boat from the water if I wanted it to remain effective, which meant that I wouldn't use it as diligently as I should. Human nature and all.
I have a 2019. I have had to replace my seals twice, as of 2025 (I already have a set, and knew they were going to be replaced this year before I dunk it). I have soaked the 2nd set in 303, which got me about 6 months longer life than haphazard pool lube and good intentions on the original seals the boat came with. I had high hopes for the 303, as it's worked for wiper blades. Not so much, with these seals, hence the change in outlook. My waters are horrible with organic matter, as can be attested to by several members. I think that, and the tendency towards horribly hard water in my area is what leads to my seals being shot in such a short amount of time. They're cheap to replace - IF you buy the knockoff's on Amazon. If you're an "OEM or die" guy, this isn't for you. Those suckers are pricey with a brand name on the box. So, on with the show.
The rebuild kits come with the seals, and Amazon / E-bay and their knockoffs are the way to go. I've had the OEM's. The knockoffs didn't last any longer, or shorter, than the OEM seals. The problem with these rebuild kits is, nobody sells JUST the rubber seals, you MUST buy the rebuild "kit", which is really the plastic "plug" for the underside, the rubber seal itself, and a new set of screws. Don't reuse the screws. The last thing you want to do is strip out the screws the next time you have to rebuild your plugs. The plastic "plug" doesn't have to be replaced, if the original one is fine. That might be worth keeping, as some have had debris crack that plug.
You'll have to find out which kit you need. The technical term is "manhole rebuild kit", in case you can't track these down. Any links provided may be out of stock (as was the case with mine, and no estimate on availability either). The links provided here may be out of stock already, so search Amazon for the "Manhole rebuild kit", or "Cleanout plug rebuild kit" if these don't work. I HAVE purchased both at one point. They ARE NOT INTERCHANGEABLE. The 2017+ plugs are sized slightly smaller, and I think the newer kit is slightly too small for the 2016 and older plugs to fit properly.
Pay attention to the numbers your boat calls for (which is up to you to investigate the PROPER sku)
The sku my 2019 boat requires is F3F-67609-09-00: Appropriately, the one I bought is sold out and unavailable on Amazon ATM. E-bay has the least expensive set, currently $48 vs $68-87 anywhere else.
The sku for 2016 and older is FOR-67609-09-00. There are multiple choices on Amazon. Buy the cheapest. Currently, click this phrase for the link to this one, for $15
I will not be showing you how to rebuild these here. In my signature, there's a link to disassemble the current version of the screw-in type of cleanout plugs, and assembly is the reverse. If you have sigs turned off, click my profile, and select the "About" tab, and the link is there as well.
As for the stuff I use and recommend for lubing your seals, it's a similar recommendation as the original that led me down this path when I first saw beeswax recommended by @Cobra Jet Steering LLC. Mine is slightly different, although not as much as Jeff might think. I learned something about this after a "toilet wax ring" was tried (and it works very well, btw). It is VERY persistent, and difficult to wash away, which makes it PERFECT for this application, as Jeff can attest to with his experience, and many others who've used it. What I learned is that toilet wax rings aren't 100% beeswax, and depending on which one you buy, may not be wax at all. The cheap versions will be wax-based, so if you buy/bought the more expensive versions, you paid for a plastic horn, or you were hornswoggled into thinking price is an indicator of quality for this stuff.
The way these rings are made so pliable is with the addition or mixture of a petroleum product to make the wax easier to compress when installing a toilet. I have no idea what petroleum product is used for each one, but if you open up the box in the store, dollars to donuts one of them has a distinctly chemical smell. Petroleum products on rubber aren't recommended, and it is claimed to do things to rubber that aren't good. This has not been my experience, with several items, and over those several items, there's also conflicting advice, as there's one where the seal is RECOMMENDED to be coated with "a light oil such as mineral oil", so like everything else - you do YOU, I don't need convincing, since I'm choosing to look at these as wear items, and this concoction HAS NOT increased the time between the seals needing replacement.
My recipe, using the whole smash of ingredients, uses mineral oil and pure beeswax. Pure beeswax difficult to compress, and flakes or chunks unless it's warmed - significantly. This makes pure beeswax difficult to apply to rubber. If you follow this method, you can do the research and this science experiment will show you the proof right before your very eyes. There's zero money to be made on this product without charging too much to make it worthwile, so steal this well-known and common recipe if you figure out a way to make this your side hustle - I'm even laying out how to do it for you - but you'll see how easy this is, and how cheap it is to make, and there's even other uses you'll love. If you're squeamish about greasy or dirty hands, this recipe blends into your skin easily and leaves them as soft as a cube dwellers' hands, smells good, and isn't something you have to worry about giving you a third testicle or kids with flippers or other deformities!
Before I move on to the recipe, as I previously stated, pool lube is not for me, but you may prefer it, or have different opinions/views than I. Here's the link to the stuff I used - multiple others here use this product, which is why I originally chose it, so this isn't my recommendation, only what you'll find elsewhere. Purchased 7/12/2021 for $10.74 / 4oz
Now, my recipe requires something to warm the beeswax. Goodwill has old crockpots or small dip warmers available for cheap. I suggest you get one there, and dedicate it to such things as these, vs. using your current warming appliance.
You'll need beeswax, and pellets are the best method to obtain fast melting beeswax. Here's a link for those who need it "Food grade" isn't needed, but if it's the least expensive, no reason not to go with it. I'd buy a pound of it to start, and get more later. I gave away many, so I bought more initially, but an lb is the perfect starting amount.
You'll also need mineral oil to make the version I use. Here's another link for those who need it. I actually found this cheaper to obtain at a local store. It pays to shop around, but nobody seems to price this with a ridiculous markup, just get the least expensive. I think mine was $6-8 / 32oz. If you are fine with storing the excess, the 32oz seems to be the Goldilocks size, but you'll only need 4oz for your first batch with 16oz of beeswax.
You also need one last thing - containers for this stuff. I smoke pipes, and pipe tobacco tins seem to be perfect for this. If you have something similar to these, just use that, otherwise click this link for 60ml / 2oz tin containers
I dunno if a scale should be included as one of the supplies needed, but you're gonna need a scale to weight out the beeswax. You're going to add 4oz of beeswax pellets, and 1oz of mineral oil, to the crockpot. I wouldn't recommend making the whole bag at once, maybe start with half the bag - 8oz - and 2oz of mineral oil, and go from there. Stir it frequently until all the beeswax is melted. You can compare how easily the pure beeswax can be applied or wiped onto the rubber seal, and after you've done your science experiment, how much better the addition of a little oil can improve things. Pour the melted concoction into the containers and allow to cool. They'll look solid again when they're done.
Go and use it when you're done. If you have any cutting boards at home, and you've used "food grade" ingredients, this stuff is GREAT to recondition those. It's often sold as "board butter" or "cutting board conditioner" or any number of marketing names that hide that this is just wax and oil. Any wooden utensils, wooden clogs, wooden legs, the wife, fence posts, wooden handles...on and on and on.
Will this swell your seals? Likely. Will this swell them and turn them unusable? Unlikely. Your oil filter doesn't stop sealing to the mating metal gasket surface after the conventional wisdom of oiling the seal is done, in fact it's often recommended on many filters. Has this destroyed rubber seals on these boats before? My experience is that my water is demonstrably more detrimental to the condition and life of my seals than this stuff. Hope this is helpful, or at least gives you something to consider.
*edit* Adding this first, for preventative measures...Pull your plugs after every use, and do not leave them screwed in. Best prevention that doesn't cost a dime, and is one of the things we take for granted so often. Just leave them unscrewed, and out of the installed position, resting atop the tray if possible.
The seals on the cleanout plugs need some sort of lube or something else, for multiple reasons
1 - the seals will seal better if they're supple and have SOMETHING to keep them flexible (and possibly add to the sealing itself)
2 - the seals will deteriorate for multiple reasons, including the detritus and organic matter in the very water you boat in
3 - the cleanout plugs WILL have to be rebuilt at some point. Father Time & Mother Nature are undefeated.
In regards to #3, I've changed my point of view to see these things as wear items, like spark plugs. You do YOU, and ignore this post entirely if you don't agree. I don't need you to agree, I'm simply laying this out for my edification, and for anyone to point to when they're trying to track down parts or what to use. This is what I choose to use, you may be fine with the water-based "pool lube" that's recommended around here. I found it to be watery, and required reapplication after every time I pulled the boat from the water if I wanted it to remain effective, which meant that I wouldn't use it as diligently as I should. Human nature and all.
I have a 2019. I have had to replace my seals twice, as of 2025 (I already have a set, and knew they were going to be replaced this year before I dunk it). I have soaked the 2nd set in 303, which got me about 6 months longer life than haphazard pool lube and good intentions on the original seals the boat came with. I had high hopes for the 303, as it's worked for wiper blades. Not so much, with these seals, hence the change in outlook. My waters are horrible with organic matter, as can be attested to by several members. I think that, and the tendency towards horribly hard water in my area is what leads to my seals being shot in such a short amount of time. They're cheap to replace - IF you buy the knockoff's on Amazon. If you're an "OEM or die" guy, this isn't for you. Those suckers are pricey with a brand name on the box. So, on with the show.
The rebuild kits come with the seals, and Amazon / E-bay and their knockoffs are the way to go. I've had the OEM's. The knockoffs didn't last any longer, or shorter, than the OEM seals. The problem with these rebuild kits is, nobody sells JUST the rubber seals, you MUST buy the rebuild "kit", which is really the plastic "plug" for the underside, the rubber seal itself, and a new set of screws. Don't reuse the screws. The last thing you want to do is strip out the screws the next time you have to rebuild your plugs. The plastic "plug" doesn't have to be replaced, if the original one is fine. That might be worth keeping, as some have had debris crack that plug.
You'll have to find out which kit you need. The technical term is "manhole rebuild kit", in case you can't track these down. Any links provided may be out of stock (as was the case with mine, and no estimate on availability either). The links provided here may be out of stock already, so search Amazon for the "Manhole rebuild kit", or "Cleanout plug rebuild kit" if these don't work. I HAVE purchased both at one point. They ARE NOT INTERCHANGEABLE. The 2017+ plugs are sized slightly smaller, and I think the newer kit is slightly too small for the 2016 and older plugs to fit properly.
Pay attention to the numbers your boat calls for (which is up to you to investigate the PROPER sku)
The sku my 2019 boat requires is F3F-67609-09-00: Appropriately, the one I bought is sold out and unavailable on Amazon ATM. E-bay has the least expensive set, currently $48 vs $68-87 anywhere else.
The sku for 2016 and older is FOR-67609-09-00. There are multiple choices on Amazon. Buy the cheapest. Currently, click this phrase for the link to this one, for $15
I will not be showing you how to rebuild these here. In my signature, there's a link to disassemble the current version of the screw-in type of cleanout plugs, and assembly is the reverse. If you have sigs turned off, click my profile, and select the "About" tab, and the link is there as well.
As for the stuff I use and recommend for lubing your seals, it's a similar recommendation as the original that led me down this path when I first saw beeswax recommended by @Cobra Jet Steering LLC. Mine is slightly different, although not as much as Jeff might think. I learned something about this after a "toilet wax ring" was tried (and it works very well, btw). It is VERY persistent, and difficult to wash away, which makes it PERFECT for this application, as Jeff can attest to with his experience, and many others who've used it. What I learned is that toilet wax rings aren't 100% beeswax, and depending on which one you buy, may not be wax at all. The cheap versions will be wax-based, so if you buy/bought the more expensive versions, you paid for a plastic horn, or you were hornswoggled into thinking price is an indicator of quality for this stuff.
The way these rings are made so pliable is with the addition or mixture of a petroleum product to make the wax easier to compress when installing a toilet. I have no idea what petroleum product is used for each one, but if you open up the box in the store, dollars to donuts one of them has a distinctly chemical smell. Petroleum products on rubber aren't recommended, and it is claimed to do things to rubber that aren't good. This has not been my experience, with several items, and over those several items, there's also conflicting advice, as there's one where the seal is RECOMMENDED to be coated with "a light oil such as mineral oil", so like everything else - you do YOU, I don't need convincing, since I'm choosing to look at these as wear items, and this concoction HAS NOT increased the time between the seals needing replacement.
My recipe, using the whole smash of ingredients, uses mineral oil and pure beeswax. Pure beeswax difficult to compress, and flakes or chunks unless it's warmed - significantly. This makes pure beeswax difficult to apply to rubber. If you follow this method, you can do the research and this science experiment will show you the proof right before your very eyes. There's zero money to be made on this product without charging too much to make it worthwile, so steal this well-known and common recipe if you figure out a way to make this your side hustle - I'm even laying out how to do it for you - but you'll see how easy this is, and how cheap it is to make, and there's even other uses you'll love. If you're squeamish about greasy or dirty hands, this recipe blends into your skin easily and leaves them as soft as a cube dwellers' hands, smells good, and isn't something you have to worry about giving you a third testicle or kids with flippers or other deformities!
Before I move on to the recipe, as I previously stated, pool lube is not for me, but you may prefer it, or have different opinions/views than I. Here's the link to the stuff I used - multiple others here use this product, which is why I originally chose it, so this isn't my recommendation, only what you'll find elsewhere. Purchased 7/12/2021 for $10.74 / 4oz
Now, my recipe requires something to warm the beeswax. Goodwill has old crockpots or small dip warmers available for cheap. I suggest you get one there, and dedicate it to such things as these, vs. using your current warming appliance.
You'll need beeswax, and pellets are the best method to obtain fast melting beeswax. Here's a link for those who need it "Food grade" isn't needed, but if it's the least expensive, no reason not to go with it. I'd buy a pound of it to start, and get more later. I gave away many, so I bought more initially, but an lb is the perfect starting amount.
You'll also need mineral oil to make the version I use. Here's another link for those who need it. I actually found this cheaper to obtain at a local store. It pays to shop around, but nobody seems to price this with a ridiculous markup, just get the least expensive. I think mine was $6-8 / 32oz. If you are fine with storing the excess, the 32oz seems to be the Goldilocks size, but you'll only need 4oz for your first batch with 16oz of beeswax.
You also need one last thing - containers for this stuff. I smoke pipes, and pipe tobacco tins seem to be perfect for this. If you have something similar to these, just use that, otherwise click this link for 60ml / 2oz tin containers
I dunno if a scale should be included as one of the supplies needed, but you're gonna need a scale to weight out the beeswax. You're going to add 4oz of beeswax pellets, and 1oz of mineral oil, to the crockpot. I wouldn't recommend making the whole bag at once, maybe start with half the bag - 8oz - and 2oz of mineral oil, and go from there. Stir it frequently until all the beeswax is melted. You can compare how easily the pure beeswax can be applied or wiped onto the rubber seal, and after you've done your science experiment, how much better the addition of a little oil can improve things. Pour the melted concoction into the containers and allow to cool. They'll look solid again when they're done.
Go and use it when you're done. If you have any cutting boards at home, and you've used "food grade" ingredients, this stuff is GREAT to recondition those. It's often sold as "board butter" or "cutting board conditioner" or any number of marketing names that hide that this is just wax and oil. Any wooden utensils, wooden clogs, wooden legs, the wife, fence posts, wooden handles...on and on and on.
Will this swell your seals? Likely. Will this swell them and turn them unusable? Unlikely. Your oil filter doesn't stop sealing to the mating metal gasket surface after the conventional wisdom of oiling the seal is done, in fact it's often recommended on many filters. Has this destroyed rubber seals on these boats before? My experience is that my water is demonstrably more detrimental to the condition and life of my seals than this stuff. Hope this is helpful, or at least gives you something to consider.
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