HI, Because our shaft is corroded at the stuffing box, and the cutless bearing requires replacement, we find it necessary to pull the shaft and replace it. Because our boat is configured with a skeg, there is very little room between the end of shaft and the forward leading edge of the skeg. Any thoughts on how to replace the shaft in an '81 hunter???
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C
Chuck
Pulling prop shaft
Just a thought, how about pulling the strut for the cutlass bearing along with the shaft. Maybe able to drop whole thing at one time and clearing the rudder skeg.
Just a thought, how about pulling the strut for the cutlass bearing along with the shaft. Maybe able to drop whole thing at one time and clearing the rudder skeg.
H
Howard
Try this:
IF you can unbotl the bflanges between the shaft and the engine and can pull them apart about 3/4" you then take a socket or a big nut and put it between the two flanges so the nut is pressing on the threaded end of the crank shaft and the prop shaft. Using the nuts from the flanges (I use .s3 opr 4 slightly longer botlds and nuts and you put the botls in the flange and tighten the bolths evenly this will pull the flange off the shaft. if the two flanges touch you loosten them and put a bigger or a second bolt in. (I'ved also use 1/2" sockets in place of big nuts. It helps if you put penertrating oil like wd=40 or crc 50 (comes in a spray can in any auto parts store) on the end of the shaftwhere the flange meets. Do this every day or so for a week or 2 before you start. It really helps. Once the flange is off clean the shaft with some emery cloth or sand paper so it's nice and shiney. You should then be able to pull the shaft out the back of the boat from the outside. (you may have to prop the rudder to pull the shaft. If you do it this way you do not have to take the prop off. I wrap a rag arount the prop to make it easy to grip. Once the shaft is out you have to take out the 1 or 2 hex head set screws from the strut. You may have to dig around a little to find the because the tend to get filled with bottom paint. Try not to ruin them but if you do brass replacements are available in any hardware store. With the hex screws out I put a hack saw blade into the whole where the shafrt was and saw through the rupper cutlass bearing and into the soft brass shell. I do this on the top and bottom 180 degrees apart. If you do it like this the bearing will fall out. If it doeent you a small screwdriver to bend a tab on the end of the sawed bearing and use a needle nose plyer to twist it out (top and bottom, remember you just cutit in 2). With te old bearing out clean the whole with stainless steel wool. (you can use regular steel wool if you make sure that you clean out all the little fibers. You don't want them to rust and sweell in the tube when your done. I then put anti sieze compund comes in a tube at home depot or the hardware store in the plumbing section. This acts as a lubercant and helps get the cutlass bearingout if you need to later. I always bring the shaft with me to the boat sotre to make sure that I get the correct internal diameter size by making sure that they fit on the shaft. I usually get a few different outside diameter sizes cause I cut up the old one when it came out. I dry fit the bearing and return th ones I don't use. Gently push the new cutlass bearing into place. You can VERY lightly use a blocu of wood to tap the bearing into place. If it does not go in easily STOP. Use some emery cloth to clean out the whole and try again. You'll get it. If it's too long you can trim it with a hack shaw after the shaft is in. With the bearing in: Slide in the shaft Replace the rudder Tap te flance on the inside shft (don't forget the keystock, set screws and wire retainers) Bolt the tow flange together. If all goes well the job should take about 3 hours. Have fund and e mail me if you need more help
IF you can unbotl the bflanges between the shaft and the engine and can pull them apart about 3/4" you then take a socket or a big nut and put it between the two flanges so the nut is pressing on the threaded end of the crank shaft and the prop shaft. Using the nuts from the flanges (I use .s3 opr 4 slightly longer botlds and nuts and you put the botls in the flange and tighten the bolths evenly this will pull the flange off the shaft. if the two flanges touch you loosten them and put a bigger or a second bolt in. (I'ved also use 1/2" sockets in place of big nuts. It helps if you put penertrating oil like wd=40 or crc 50 (comes in a spray can in any auto parts store) on the end of the shaftwhere the flange meets. Do this every day or so for a week or 2 before you start. It really helps. Once the flange is off clean the shaft with some emery cloth or sand paper so it's nice and shiney. You should then be able to pull the shaft out the back of the boat from the outside. (you may have to prop the rudder to pull the shaft. If you do it this way you do not have to take the prop off. I wrap a rag arount the prop to make it easy to grip. Once the shaft is out you have to take out the 1 or 2 hex head set screws from the strut. You may have to dig around a little to find the because the tend to get filled with bottom paint. Try not to ruin them but if you do brass replacements are available in any hardware store. With the hex screws out I put a hack saw blade into the whole where the shafrt was and saw through the rupper cutlass bearing and into the soft brass shell. I do this on the top and bottom 180 degrees apart. If you do it like this the bearing will fall out. If it doeent you a small screwdriver to bend a tab on the end of the sawed bearing and use a needle nose plyer to twist it out (top and bottom, remember you just cutit in 2). With te old bearing out clean the whole with stainless steel wool. (you can use regular steel wool if you make sure that you clean out all the little fibers. You don't want them to rust and sweell in the tube when your done. I then put anti sieze compund comes in a tube at home depot or the hardware store in the plumbing section. This acts as a lubercant and helps get the cutlass bearingout if you need to later. I always bring the shaft with me to the boat sotre to make sure that I get the correct internal diameter size by making sure that they fit on the shaft. I usually get a few different outside diameter sizes cause I cut up the old one when it came out. I dry fit the bearing and return th ones I don't use. Gently push the new cutlass bearing into place. You can VERY lightly use a blocu of wood to tap the bearing into place. If it does not go in easily STOP. Use some emery cloth to clean out the whole and try again. You'll get it. If it's too long you can trim it with a hack shaw after the shaft is in. With the bearing in: Slide in the shaft Replace the rudder Tap te flance on the inside shft (don't forget the keystock, set screws and wire retainers) Bolt the tow flange together. If all goes well the job should take about 3 hours. Have fund and e mail me if you need more help
D
David
I use
Chuck's method when pulling the shaft on my boat. At the same time you are checking the backing plate and providing new bedding for the strut.
Chuck's method when pulling the shaft on my boat. At the same time you are checking the backing plate and providing new bedding for the strut.
J
J. Tesoriero
I just did the WHOLE thing!
I just replaced just about everything on my 1980 Hunter 30. It was a case of the "well, as long as I'm replacing the bearing, I might as well....." In the long run I replaced the cutlass bearing, the shaft, the motor mounts the engine/shaft flange and the stuffing box, and my checking account. It was easier to just pull the engine so everything came out forward and there was plenty of room to work in the engine compartment. There was a posting in the archives some time ago from someone who pulled his shaft on a Hunter 30 without removing the skeg. A word of caution. If you start messing with the cutlass bearing and motor mounts, etc. you will probably have to loosen and realign the prop strut as well.
I just replaced just about everything on my 1980 Hunter 30. It was a case of the "well, as long as I'm replacing the bearing, I might as well....." In the long run I replaced the cutlass bearing, the shaft, the motor mounts the engine/shaft flange and the stuffing box, and my checking account. It was easier to just pull the engine so everything came out forward and there was plenty of room to work in the engine compartment. There was a posting in the archives some time ago from someone who pulled his shaft on a Hunter 30 without removing the skeg. A word of caution. If you start messing with the cutlass bearing and motor mounts, etc. you will probably have to loosen and realign the prop strut as well.
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