Recommendations on changing cutlass bearing

[Mark48]

It is time to replace my cutlass bearing on my 1985 H 34 as it has slight movement (hard to define without caliper to measure). Being a bronze shaft there is potential for some shaft wear inside the bearing. So my questions are: 1. attempt replacing just the bearing myself without removing the prop shaft and replacing? 2. Yard is suggesting replacing bearing, shaft with stainless and new dripless seal all reasonable but pricy changes given a big if on current shaft being worn, is this worth the cost, likely $900 plus. 3. Just have the yard change the bearing and not worry about the shaft being worn? 4. sould I attempt to make an extractor over spending $350 for a strutpro tool? Thanks in advance.

 

[shemandr]

If the yard can replace the cutlass bearing, shaft and dripless seal for $900, it's the deal of the year - at least around here. This includes alignment of the cutlass bearing with the seal and engine? The cutlass bearing alone was quoted to me by a local yard for $2,000. They bring in a contractor who does the alignment, allegedly with a laser - somewhat suspect since I've never seen that in the yard. Anyway, you should take that bronze shaft to the scrap metal yard yourself.

 

[Tally Ho]

It was truly $900 complete (labor and materials), it sounds like a steal.

But I have a mid80's vintage boat, with a bronze shaft, but chose to replace just my cutlass bearing for now. Might upgrade to a SS shaft in the future, but will,wait until I decide to also upgrade to a folding prop.

Video of my strut bearing replacement....

Greg

 

[njlarry]

How long will you keep the boat, how old is the shaft, the bearing? Can you estimate the bearing ware by looking at the depth of the grooves? Do you need a new drippless?
900 is a bargain but depending on the above you may do alright just having the cutless replaced bythe yard vs the time and expense getting a prop puller and than a bearing tool.

 

[Allan12210]

If you scroll down this thread, you will find my homemade tool including dimensions that I have used multiple times to change my cutless bearing. Once made, you have it forever.

http://forums.sailboatowners.com/in...-bearing.175971/&highlight=allan12210 cutless

$900 would be just the incentive I need to try it myself first. After all, it isn't going to damage anything by trying. I installed my own dripless packing and a split coupling as well. The new packing materials that are available may eliminate the need for the dripless system, which would save you the need to realign (and more difficult, removing that half of the coupling from the shaft).

After 31 years of owning my H34 I can tell you there is no appreciable wear to my bronze shaft. A new bearing always fits nice and snug. Try it first yourself with a new cutless

and decide if the fit is good.

 

[njlarry]

Allen thanks for sharing your great design. ( no wonder you made the cover on Yachting, that one tool design alone rates it . ) What did you use to remove the prop? Not sure what collet and flange arrangement is used to install the new bearing. It looks like the non split collet would slide through the over sized hole on the puller flange?

 

[Allan12210]

Allen thanks for sharing your great design. ( no wonder you made the cover on Yachting, that one tool design alone rates it . ) What did you use to remove the prop? Not sure what collet and flange arrangement is used to install the new bearing. It looks like the non split collet would slide through the over sized hole on the puller flange?

All it took was $10.00 and a trip to Universal Studios to get on the cover of Yachting Magazine. They supplied the wheel to hold and the hat.

I used a steering wheel puller with my slotted pusher and some longer bolts. Your results may vary. One of my friend's prop was on too tight to get it free. Luckily the guy in the yard next to us had a proper prop puller that he loaned us to break it loose. But, mine has always come off after tightening it up a bit then just a light tap on the side of the prop with a piece of wood. You are right about the collet (either the split one or the whole one) slipping through the pull through flange. That's why I ended up with a spare flange with the smaller hole in it. It doesn't even have to have the slot because it just needs to go over the end of the prop shaft to drive the new cutless back in. My original trial piece works for that purpose, but I should make a new one based on a heavy duty pipe flange, like the others.

 

[Claude L.-Auger]

Same principle as Allan for cutlass bearing removal and installation tool, different design ! A shop could make it for you relatively cheap. Also, if boat is out of the water, no big deal to remove the strut instead of dropping the shaft. I did it and re-installed and aligned without any problems.