Cutlass bearing strut

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ChrisCall

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Mar 27, 2016
89
Catalina 30 Hingham
Just getting started with with spring commissioning and planned to replace my 2 blade prop with a 3 blade and replace my cuttlass bearing while I was at it.

Went to take measurements for making a tool to press out cuttless bearing. Cleaned off shaft,removed zincs and paint from strut ... when I noticed that the ID and OD of the strut bore on one side was worn or almost mushroomed out . Will attach some pictures.
Any suggestions on what to do ?
Should I just install new cuttlass bearing or do I need a new strut?
There are no binds and the shaft spins freely. could this be a misalignment issue ?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.IMG_20160327_123547679.jpg IMG_20160327_122912794.jpg
 
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Anonymous member 131

In my humble opinion, this needs a boat yard repair person. I'm replacing my own cutlass bearing (with strut on) this year myself. I have built my own removal/replacement tool using cad cam plas cutter etc... but in looking at your photos I would first ask if you have checked your motor mounts to insure you have all four intact mounts and not one or more is broken? Last year I bought FRUITION and felt vibrations on my way home. I dived on the shaft and found my bearing starting to work back out of the strut. My first check was to the motor mount where I found a newly cracked motor mount. Repaired it in port during my trip sailing my boat down from the tip of the mitten in michigan to the thumb of michigan. So even on a trip it can be done. Anyway you look at it you have to find out why its out of wack so far, and it is dangerously out of adjustment there. I would not run that at all. Once you get the alignment issue corrected then you can assess weather your strut can be saved. Truthfully I'm not one to say you can or can't but truthfully by the photos it dosent look promising. If you hit something ran ashore etc... you might get your insurance to look at it. Either way I would take it to a good yard and have the strut replaced. If you even think it's not good replace it, because if you don't and it is bad you will be throwing good money after bad money once you throw the new bearing right back out and maybe worse. Don't take my advice though, have a GOOD yardman look at it.

May Good winds bless all your voyages

Fruition
 
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ChrisCall

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Mar 27, 2016
89
Catalina 30 Hingham
Thanks for the info will check motor mounts this weekend. Also another thing I noticed when I cleaned the paint off the strut there where no set screws. Is this normal?
 
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Anonymous member 131

There are struts that are simply pressed in and struts that are pressed in and have set screws so after wire brushing your strut if there is no set screws then no worries its just a cold press fit.
 
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Anonymous member 131

FYI COLD PRESS FIT. Put you bearing in the frezzer over night and keep it frozzen until pressing it in in a pre cooled cooler.
 
kito

kito

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Sep 13, 2012
2,011
1979 Hunter Cherubini 30 Clemmons
I am just trying to figure out how your strut got in that condition? One would think bronze would crack before it got deformed to that extent.
 
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Anonymous member 131

It looks like it happened over lotsa time and forces have a way of moving things in crazy ways
 
JK_Boston_Catalina310

JK_Boston_Catalina310

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Nov 18, 2010
2,441
Catalina 310 Hingham, MA
Mark_Conely said:
It looks like it happened over lotsa time and forces have a way of moving things in crazy ways
Click to expand
Mark,

The current bearing is not deformed. Just the strut. So it has been running like this for the life of that bearing. Also there is no vibration when the motor is running.

Also, only the forward side of the strut is deformed. If it was an alignment issue I would suspect that both sides would be deformed.

I am with Chris and think the strut was deformed trying to remove an old bearing.

Jesse
 
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