Anyone want to rent me a Strut-Pro, or help me not need one?

[s/v Danneskjöld]

I need to swap out my cutless bearing on my '79 Hunter 30. I've gotten as far as I can get without one of these things. The set screws are out. I've got a pipe that is the right ID/OD and I've given it some penetrating oil and some love taps, but it doesn't seem to want to move.

I'm not inclined to remove the skeg and rudder and shaft, and was hoping maybe I could rent someone's strut pro rather than fork over $400 bones for something I'll only ever use once, or the coincidental $400 estimate for having the yard do the work. I've got a 1 inch shaft, but I'm happy to buy the appropriate adapter if yours doesn't match up. I'll even send the adapter back with it.

I figure it'd be a good way to justify the cost of that original purchase! Let me know, I'd be much obliged. I'm located in Ohio, but I'm happy to pay to ship and ship back.

 

[ggrizzard]

I've always just paid the 'Man' in the past so let us know how it turns out.

 

[Michael Davis]

Did that job last spring. Made my own tool with a couple of pieces of plate steel and some ready rod. I used 1/2 in rod but 5/8 or 3/4 would be better. Didn't pull the shaft but the prop was off as I was changing it anyway.

 

[Tally Ho]

If you already have the pipe sections (cut lengthwise) you are almost there. You need a plate with a “U” cutout to fit over the shaft (that will push the pipe through the strut) and a plate with a hole in it (large enough for the bearing to slide through). Tie them together with some threaded rod, and tighten them to press out the bearing.

My brother-in-law made my setup in his machine shop, but I think you are close...

Greg

 

[DougM]

Has anybody found a way to change the cutlass bearing on a Beneteau with its skeg design without having to pull the prop shaft? I took the prop off last fall, so that part is done. If I have to disconnect the shaft from the engine, the problem is going to be the lack of room to get the coupling off the shaft. There is just no room to get a gear puller on it. That said, I think I can get the shaft out without having to drop the rudder.
The boat has always been in fresh water so there is no corrosion evident in the bronze sleeve or the set screws. I was hoping that I could extract the old bearing without much effort, but Mr. Murphy probably has other ideas.

 

[Michael Davis]

Doug, my homemade McGiver method is on a Beneteau. Tally-Ho's much nicer machine shop product would work better I'm sure. I was advised to put the new cutlass bearing in the freezer overnight before the install to make it slide in easier. Not sure that was a big help but it went in OK. Is the skeg on a 323 different than those show?

 

[Gunni]

Has anybody found a way to change the cutlass bearing on a Beneteau with its skeg design without having to pull the prop shaft? I took the prop off last fall, so that part is done. .

I farmed this job out to a MaxProp specialist because I didn’t want to deal with R/R of a MaxProp. He did not pull the shaft, he removed the prop, cutlass bearing set screws and collar and then extracted the cutlass bearing back the shaft. It has a bronze sleeve that seemed handy for yanking on. The new one slid right in. The joys of a composite shaft strut.

 

[Ron20324]

Doug, I put in my 323 without removing the shaft. No, the 323 does not have a skeg. I might have put a pipe wrench on it to turn and pull it out. Alternatively, maybe got a cotter pin removing tool into the screw hole and got it out enough to get the pipe wrench on it?

 

[jssailem]

might have put a pipe wrench on it

Really Ron. Maybe,,, might’ve,,, likely!
It’s ok to use a bigger hammer. Most times it resolves a mechanical problem better than fineness.

 

[DougM]

No, the 323 does not have a skeg.

Ron, its a matter of definition, as you know the prop shaft is encapsulated in a fiberglass “fin”
leaving just a couple of inches of shaft exposed in front of the prop. I defined that as a skek to differentiate it from a support strut.

 

[Tally Ho]

This thread has some suggestions for removing the cutlass bearing on a Bene with the skeg.

https://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/b331-propellor-shaft-packing.128930/

 

[MitchM]

when i needed to replace my cut less bearing, i collected all the articles on the internet about how to make your own 'strut pro' . then realized that i'd be taking off work at $$$/ hour then fussing with cutting steel plate etc. I'd save a lot of time buying one rather than trying to fabricate one. i bit the bullet and bought one. it was a beauty and came with different size shims for different shaft diameters. it took me 15 minutes to swap out the bearing. i was gloating about this beautiful tool when our local mechanic came by -- i said how would you like to buy a strut pro, used only once -- i just want lifetime free borrowing rights. so i sold it at some discount. he has used this tool many times, charging very reasonable rates to swap out cut less bearings during the haul out season...he says it paid for itself in less than a year. i haven't needed it since...

 

[Claude L.-Auger]

I don't remember how much it cost me back when, but it was far less than the $400 you mention. I went to a shop and had them make me a tool. Prop has to be removed but the cutlass bearing can fairly easily be removed and a new one installed. I'd loan it to you but I'm in Florida and the tool is at my house in Montreal. Here is what I did. Good luck

 

[heritage]

Nice pdf file, Claude. It looks like you could add two more threaded rods to ease the wear and tear on your two rods.

 

[s/v Danneskjöld]

Thanks for all the advice guys!

I got the bearing swapped this weekend. Ended up doing my buddy’s Catalina 30 while I was at it as well.

Here’s what I did:
I soaked the old bearing in penetrating oil to see if that would get the juices flowing.
I bought some copper couplers for 1 inch copper pipe. Since my shaft is 1 inch, they were perfect ID and OD.
I took the Hazard Fraud heat gun to the whole mess and got it heated up real good to open it up just a tad.

Then I just stacked those couplers around the shaft and gave them a good smack with a hammer. Knocked the bearing right on through and then dremeled it off.

Tapped the new bearing in the same way.

I’m pretty sure the ingredient most necessary here was the heat and the legitimate rap with a hard hammer with the energy traveling directly to the old bearing.

All told, the parts cost me less than $15, and not much time once I was comfortable with what I was doing. Knocked out my buddy’s bearing in 10 minutes.