I am getting ready to replace my cutlass bearing on a C30 and noticed my prop shaft is a little corroded. For those that have pulled the prop, how did you prep the shaft?
Prep for cutlass bearing replacement
- Thread starter Bill21761
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3 in 1 oil and some gauze pads. Oh nevermind. That's for the Fetzer valve.
I did mine about 6 years ago on a corroded shaft and it came right off with the prop puller and a little lithium grease. It came off very easy I'd send you mine but it got sold with the boat. You may not even need one as it may come off easy with just the lubricant.
Now the bearing was a different story. There was a member of the forum that actually sent me his Strut Pro tool. Here is a link for a home-made one. http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=25420&highlight=cutlass+bearing+tool or http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=75137&highlight=cutlass+bearing+tool
Here's a pic of the Strut-Pro, which is an expensive version of the homemade one.
I did mine about 6 years ago on a corroded shaft and it came right off with the prop puller and a little lithium grease. It came off very easy I'd send you mine but it got sold with the boat. You may not even need one as it may come off easy with just the lubricant.
Now the bearing was a different story. There was a member of the forum that actually sent me his Strut Pro tool. Here is a link for a home-made one. http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=25420&highlight=cutlass+bearing+tool or http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=75137&highlight=cutlass+bearing+tool
Here's a pic of the Strut-Pro, which is an expensive version of the homemade one.
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Thanks for the reply. I made a mistake on the original post! I meant to ask about how to prep the shaft for pulling the shaft, not the prop. Seems like it will be hard to pull a corroded shaft through the cutlass bearing if it is not clean. Any thoughts?
What's the cutlass bearing dirty with? If it's rough stuff you need to worry about scoring the shaft and that may happen regardless of how much grease you use. Do you think you'd be able to get much of the dirt out before pulling it using high pressure water?? If you cant, I would put as much lubricant on as possible.
If you are pulling the shaft just to get the cutlass bearing out, the tools I linked you to (and the Strut Pro) remove it without removing the shaft. All you need to do is pull the prop, remove the bearing, slide off, slide on the new one and replace the prop.
How bad is the corossion?? Do you need to replace the shaft?
If you are pulling the shaft just to get the cutlass bearing out, the tools I linked you to (and the Strut Pro) remove it without removing the shaft. All you need to do is pull the prop, remove the bearing, slide off, slide on the new one and replace the prop.
How bad is the corossion?? Do you need to replace the shaft?
It is the shaft that needs to be cleaned up, not the cutlass bearing. It is not bad enough that the shaft needs replacing, so I am not concerned about that.
Also, I already have a tool to pull the bearing, but it only works with the shaft out.
Also, I already have a tool to pull the bearing, but it only works with the shaft out.
I'd get some emory cloth on it. If it is so bad you are worried about pulling it thru the bearing, I would replace it. Why mess around with this stuff??...Do it once and do it right and replace everything. For this type of work, you need patience and two hands..once you get it shiny and clean, you should be able to better assess its condition and also be able to pull it thru the cutless bearing.
I still have the bronze shaft from my 1977. I'll take pictures and send it to you cheap if you want it. It had some wear from the stuffing box & the shaft log (engine out of alignment for a lot of years apparently.) - I replaced everything aft of, including, the rear main seal when I re-did my beast last year. The shaft is 46-1/4" length...the newer boats have a longer shaft, I am guessing for additional prop clearance to go with the noisy diesels.
I also did not have luck pulling/pushing my bearing out..I cut it with a Dremel tool with a little sanding drum..and then it came out...see pic.
I still have the bronze shaft from my 1977. I'll take pictures and send it to you cheap if you want it. It had some wear from the stuffing box & the shaft log (engine out of alignment for a lot of years apparently.) - I replaced everything aft of, including, the rear main seal when I re-did my beast last year. The shaft is 46-1/4" length...the newer boats have a longer shaft, I am guessing for additional prop clearance to go with the noisy diesels.
I also did not have luck pulling/pushing my bearing out..I cut it with a Dremel tool with a little sanding drum..and then it came out...see pic.
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