Measurements of the Cutlass Bearing?

[RSHunter27]

I am fairly sure that my '80 27' requires a 1" (shaft) 1.75" OD but am unsure of the length of the bearing and it appears that is either top secret, commonly known or standard? As I cannot find the particular for this vessel. I know that I have not looked everywhere, but 10-15 searches have been fruitless. Mine is currently extending roughly 1-1.5 out of the strut. I believe this to be incorrect. But an accurate measurement will satisfy my need to be correct when I order. The lake is too low for a haul, so... I am going to have to do it floating. The shaft is currently very difficult to turn. Engine is in my salon. And I wish to sail. Any accurate assistance very appreciated!!
-Rob

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Mine is currently extending roughly 1-1.5 out of the strut. I believe this to be incorrect.

Most definitely wrong. Should be the same length as the strut. Not a major problem, just looks sloppy.

The shaft is currently very difficult to turn.

So "THIS" is the heart of the whole matter.

1. The engine is in neutral and difficult to turn, I assume ?
2. The next test will be to remove the bolts form the coupling flanges and see how difficult the shaft flange is to rotate by hand.
3. How difficult is it to turn the transmission coupling flange ?

Regardless of what you find, I think it's "ALIGNMENT TIME". Let's go from there depending on what you find.

 

[RSHunter27]

Most definitely wrong. Should be the same length as the strut. Not a major problem, just looks sloppy.



So "THIS" is the heart of the whole matter.

1. The engine is in neutral and difficult to turn, I assume ?
2. The next test will be to remove the bolts form the coupling flanges and see how difficult the shaft flange is to rotate by hand.
3. How difficult is it to turn the transmission coupling flange ?

Regardless of what you find, I think it's "ALIGNMENT TIME". Let's go from there depending on what you find.

 

[RSHunter27]

Yes, I had disconnected the coupling first. The shaft is difficult to turn not connected to the gearbox. I have the I now have the motor sitting in my salon.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

I have the I now have the motor sitting in my salon.

Now that does sound just a little peculiar ! You mean "with all hoses and wires disconnected" sitting in your salon ? Any chance you could supply a picture so we can see HOW MUCH the motor is just sitting in the salon ?

Next item "is the packing gland loose and not your source of friction?"

Lastly, any chance the strut has been struck and bent off to one side causing the shaft to bind in what my manual calls the stern bearing and which the rest of us call part of the shaft log ?

 

[Tally Ho]

Do you have scuba gear? I don’t think you are going to be able to change the cutlass bearing under water.

Do you have any strut bearing removal tools? Yours stick out more than it should, so maybe you can get some vice grips on it, but who knows…again, even more difficult in the water.

You can jump in and measure the length of the strut. That will give you the length you need for the bearing.

BUT, as others have said, it sounds like you have more issues than just a worn strut bearing.

Good luck…


Greg

 

[RSHunter27]

Now that does sound just a little peculiar ! You mean "with all hoses and wires disconnected" sitting in your salon ? Any chance you could supply a picture so we can see HOW MUCH the motor is just sitting in the salon ?

Next item "is the packing gland loose and not your source of friction?"

Lastly, any chance the strut has been struck and bent off to one side causing the shaft to bind in what my manual calls the stern bearing and which the rest of us call part of the shaft log ?

View attachment 218740

Well yes it's certainly possible that the strut may be off-centered. I repacked the stuffing box and I have turned the shaft with the stuffing box at various degrees of tight, or of loose whichever way you look at it. Only relatively light differences in the degree of stiffness. Yes I can supply pictures and I will. It is the entire motor that has been removed boom pullies. And I will dive and do my measurements. But I wish if someone had the exact measurements, that they would give them so that I can weigh what I measure against what the good book says.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Yep, there 'tis. What make of engine is it ? Just curious as to why you decided to remove the engine from its base ?

Never had to deal with the strut but I presume the new cutlass bearing is cut to the length while in the strut and that's a really a wild guess. It all goes back to who made the strut. But at this time, I think the cutlass bearing is the last thing on your list to worry about.

If I were doing the work, I would be looking at major misalignment being the cause of the friction. I can see the rubber ribs in the bearing wearing away with age which would NOT be the cause of the friction. Is there something foreign stuck in the cutlass bearing causing the friction. One or more rubber ribs pulled out and wrapped around the shaft ? Time to get desperate .

I don't know what you can see under water as far as alignment so you may have to haul and I know you don't have enough water to haul right now. It's a bugger !

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Can you take any underwater close up shots of what you've got down there ? Always helps.

 

[RSHunter27]

Can you take any underwater close up shots of what you've got down there ? Always helps.

No I don't have any underwater camera equipment. However a neighbor does and is a diver with equipment. He's the one I was going to tap to replace the bearing. I'm still looking for someone to provide the measurements so that I can weigh it against what I find. You never know what might have been changed or altered in the past.

 

[RSHunter27]

Yep, there 'tis. What make of engine is it ? Just curious as to why you decided to remove the engine from its base ?

Never had to deal with the strut but I presume the new cutlass bearing is cut to the length while in the strut and that's a really a wild guess. It all goes back to who made the strut. But at this time, I think the cutlass bearing is the last thing on your list to worry about.

If I were doing the work, I would be looking at major misalignment being the cause of the friction. I can see the rubber ribs in the bearing wearing away with age which would NOT be the cause of the friction. Is there something foreign stuck in the cutlass bearing causing the friction. One or more rubber ribs pulled out and wrapped around the shaft ? Time to get desperate .

I don't know what you can see under water as far as alignment so you may have to haul and I know you don't have enough water to haul right now. It's a bugger !

Yes for sure if I could have hauled her out I'm sure I would have been done and back sailing again long by now. What engine? Well that's part of where this all started. Originally I believed that I had an engine/gearbox problem. So I removed the original Renault put in a BMW (pictured in salon). When I fired up the new BMW all good. Shifted into reverse, all good. Shifted into forward and that's when everything hit the proverbial fan. It was exactly what occurred with the Renault. But this time instead of "S" canning the motor right away, I disconnected the gearbox from the shaft and the engine re-fired and when not connected to the shaft was happy in forward and reverse. When I look back at the secrets of events. The the issue likely started long ago and whatever it is, was progressively increasing in its intensity until the shaft has gotten so tight that the engine does not want to push it. Strange is that it doesn't pose an issue in reverse. At least not notable.

 

[heritage]

This is the one that fits my H27:. Morse BLACKFISH 1 X 1 1/4 X 4 Brass Bearing

It is about an inch too long, so you can let it stick out an inch or cut some off with a hacksaw. Easy to cut because of how thin the brass and rubber casing is.

 

[RSHunter27]

Thank you for your reply. It was these numbers that I was looking for. Might I ask what year your h27 is?

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

I disconnected the gearbox from the shaft and the engine re-fired and when not connected to the shaft was happy in forward and reverse.

Is the shaft bronze or SS ?

Also, when you get down there, check whether the shaft is centred in the "stern bearing" (as Hunter calls it) or rubbing against it.

 

[RSHunter27]

Bronze

 

[RSHunter27]

Is the shaft bronze or SS ?

Also, when you get down there, check whether the shaft is centred in the "stern bearing" (as Hunter calls it) or rubbing against it.

I have a diver coming Monday with a underwater video camera and we will check it all out.

 

[Tally Ho]

My old bronze shaft has a lot of circumferential cracks once I got a good look at it…and several wear bands…

Does the shaft turn easily when not connected to the engine?

Greg

 

[RSHunter27]

My old bronze shaft has a lot of circumferential cracks once I got a good look at it…and several wear bands…

Does the shaft turn easily when not connected to the engine?

Greg

No. It is very difficult to turn even with a lever applied.

 

[RSHunter27]

I have a diver coming Monday with a underwater video camera and we will check it all out.

Is there no type of race or thrust bearing in the stern "bearing" or is it as it appears just the tube?

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Is there no type of race or thrust bearing in the stern "bearing" or is it as it appears just the tube?

If I understand you correctly, no because there is no physical contact (except for the gland) between the prop shaft and the stern bearing hence no need for resistance to thrust. The prop thrust is absorbed in the transmission and moves on from there.