Beneteau 36 rudder removal
- Thread starter galynd
- Start date
No need to drop the rudder to change the cutlass bearing. Just remove the propeller and press the old one out and the new one in. There is a tool available but I made my own.
Not sure about a 36cc, but on my 351 the rudder has to be dropped to remove the shaft (did it in the spring, not bad after my wife dug the hole 
) Not sure what you have for a cutless bearing, mine had been changed from original, but the replacement from Beneteau has a 'hat' on the outer dia. and it can be replaced with removal of just the prop
) Not sure what you have for a cutless bearing, mine had been changed from original, but the replacement from Beneteau has a 'hat' on the outer dia. and it can be replaced with removal of just the prop
Pretty sure the 36cc has an enclosed tube that prevents that tool from working.
Further research says you are correct. Just trying to make life difficult for us. It was very easy to do on our First 38.
Did mine in the spring too 351 is similar to 361, new one is a hat ,as Brian said can be removed by just removing prop. The one installed on my boat was phenolic (no hat) ,I had to drop rudder and remove shaft, using a socket that was close to inside diameter of tube I drove the old one out from inside attaching socket extensions.Do not slide hammer shaft out of coupling you will damage transmission bearing ,split coupling and using a puller remove coupling half. Rudder is easy to drop 2 pins and a couple of bolts for steering quadrant dig hole build up with wood over hole to support rudder.
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Osculati-Ru...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Osculati-Ru...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649
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Thanks everyone for your replies. The cutlass bearing is solid rubber (or similar material). I'm not sure what you mean by a hat? It has a rib on the outside. It's held in place by nylon screws. There is no strut. I'll look through my old pics to post.
That's the replacement I used. The 'hat', (for lack of a better word,sorry) is the very end part, furthest left in the picture, looks like a flange.Thanks everyone for your replies. The cutlass bearing is solid rubber (or similar material). I'm not sure what you mean by a hat? It has a rib on the outside. It's held in place by nylon screws. There is no strut. I'll look through my old pics to post.
Gees, that's what I got into with mine, no flange/hat/rib and had to remove the shaft to cut it out,as it was at one time replaced with a brass bearing. If it has what's left of an original rubber bearing it might slide out once the screws are removed by sticking a small screwdriver in the holes and prying back. The new one pushes in with a bit of lube and twisting I'm not liking the look of that stern tube, maybe it's just the picture, but it looks loose?
That's just sealant, covered with bottom paint, that is deteriorating where the stern tube is glassed into the skeg. Just finished a bottom job and waiting to splash this week. I replaced the sealant because it was looking like that in Greg's photo. Get a utility knife and cut the old sealant away from the stainless steel stern tube. Beneteau recommends a bead of 5200 or 4200 to reseal. Not sure why the sealant is necessary as the stern tube is epoxied into the frp skeg. In any event, I resealed with 5200 and recoated with bottom paint. I consider it routine maintenance that I check on every haul out and replace as needed.
Also, definitely instruct divers to keep collar type anodes away from the rubber cutlass bearing when changing the anode because the rotating anode will wear the rubber flange (hat) that is seen in Greg's second photo.
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This is from an old thread from another forum
skipper_stu
Re: Beneteau 361- can I remove the cutlass bearing without removing shaft
Its easy, don't need to remove the shaft, all you do is remove the prop, (probably need a 3 leg puller) undo 2 plastic screws going through the mini skeg in to the rubber cutlass bearing, use a flat bladed screw driver at the edge of the "top hat" to ease it out, its only about 70 mm long, it comes out easily. Put some volvo blue grease on the inside and outside of the new bearing, push it in and replace the screws, replace the prop and away you go. On the 361 I think its either 30mm or 35 mm, best got from Foxs on the east coast, about $ ish, give em a bell they will tell which one it is. I replaced the one on my 351 twice and they were the cheapest and the fastest. The reason for the second replacement was because the tosser next to me a few years ago left a 10mm braid line in the water and when my prop picked it up it went in between the prop and the bearing and forced it all up the skeg, getting that lot out involved the use of long thin self tappers in the manner of packing removers. Sorry just read your post again, I suspect you have the same prob as me with a rope around the shaft. OK start again get the prop off, get two LONG self tappers, you will find that you can screw them in to the old bearing up the skeg, get a pair of mole wrenches on the screws, wiggle and pull and tap etc, it will come out believe me, slowly but surely, as i explained been there done it.!!!
Stu
Also keep in mind that once the cutlass is out, you will be able to move the shaft so it might clear the rudder?
Good luck
skipper_stu
Its easy, don't need to remove the shaft, all you do is remove the prop, (probably need a 3 leg puller) undo 2 plastic screws going through the mini skeg in to the rubber cutlass bearing, use a flat bladed screw driver at the edge of the "top hat" to ease it out, its only about 70 mm long, it comes out easily. Put some volvo blue grease on the inside and outside of the new bearing, push it in and replace the screws, replace the prop and away you go. On the 361 I think its either 30mm or 35 mm, best got from Foxs on the east coast, about $ ish, give em a bell they will tell which one it is. I replaced the one on my 351 twice and they were the cheapest and the fastest. The reason for the second replacement was because the tosser next to me a few years ago left a 10mm braid line in the water and when my prop picked it up it went in between the prop and the bearing and forced it all up the skeg, getting that lot out involved the use of long thin self tappers in the manner of packing removers. Sorry just read your post again, I suspect you have the same prob as me with a rope around the shaft. OK start again get the prop off, get two LONG self tappers, you will find that you can screw them in to the old bearing up the skeg, get a pair of mole wrenches on the screws, wiggle and pull and tap etc, it will come out believe me, slowly but surely, as i explained been there done it.!!!
Stu
Also keep in mind that once the cutlass is out, you will be able to move the shaft so it might clear the rudder?
Good luck
Actually this is a weak point in a Beneteau, many people including myself have had a water leak inside the boat at the tube,there are several posts to this. During manufacturing Beneteau pours polyester resin into the void to hold the tube in place. During curing it contracts and cracks,water can run up the tube into the boat, so they put a bead of 5200 around it. I actually removed caulking ground in a bit filled with epoxy 404 mixture then glassed a nice radius with epoxy /matt and cloth. No leaks or cracks at tube ,a 90 degree corner is very weak and subject to cracking and I now know there is no movement in tube.There are a few beneteaus in our club that have had this repair.
Thanks again everyone. I'm relieved that I probably won't have to drop the rudder. Yes, Joker... I figure it's from line wrapped around the shaft which I have removed occasionally, including fishing line. The shaft and cutlass bearing is 30 mm diameter. I have it already. Also, the seal at the end of the tube is 5200. I've never had a leaking problem and it appears sealed very well on the inside.