Remove / rebed the strut????

[NYSail]

Hello all....

I just removed my waterlift/muffler due to small leaks in the aluminum (23 years old) and am getting a new fiberglass one to install. Now that its out, the strut backing plate is visible. All seems to be fine with the strut, however I was wondering if taking the time to remove it then rebed is worth it at this point just because it is 23 years old. I have this addiction with things to remove, clean then put back together. I have never removed a strut before, but it looks straight forward...Remove shaft, unbolt strut and take off backing plate, then work the strut off the hull. I take it that the bolts are afixed to the strut.

My shaft and coupling will come apart very easily so that will not be an issue and I figure the job will take less than a full day to do.

Thanks!
Greg

 

[kloudie1]

I dunno, Greg.. If that thing is not leaking, best leave it alone.. The problem is the re-alignment after the strut is replaced.. Typically, they are bedded in and when you remove it, you probably will remove the bedding .. and when you replace the bedding and strut, it will not be in exactly the same place and will require that the engine be aligned to the new strut location.. That is not one to mess witth unless you have reason to believe it needs to be re-aligned or it is leaking..

 

[cptskip]

you will probably half to realign the motor after er bedding.

 

[cptskip]

sorry i should read all before engaging mouth and hit spell check????

 

[Steve Dion]

Skip:

That is okay. We just thought it was your Virginia accent!

 

[Ed Schenck]

Another option because we know that you think that you have to do something: just replace the bolts and nuts(stainless with fiber locknuts), one at a time. I have never seen a strut with bolts attached(unless someone used 5200). Fill the holes with caulk and the underside of the backing plate. In other words do not move the strut.

Personally, aligning the engine is no big deal if your shaft coupler is that easy to remove or already removed. Stick one of these things in there(picture). And do the cutless bearing while you are at it.

 

[RAD]

Greg,
Don't do it! :naughty:
if it ain't broke don't fix it, I had to remove mine a couple of years ago cause I thought it would be easier than removing the rudder to get my shaft out well after getting the strut down I noticed washers that were used for spacers falling out and than realized that this alignment is very critical so if you screw it up ya won't know till after its back in the water trying to align the engine or wearing out the cutlass bearing.
And if you feel like ya need to take something apart give me a call ,I got lots of things you can take apart and put back togerther

 

[Maine Sail]

leave it

I concur with all the other comments. Replacing or removing and rebedding a strut is a very difficult task on many boats that requires much patience and some special tools. Many yards now use a laser that takes the place of the cutlass bearing to shoot up through the stern tube. The strut must be in perfect alignment with the stern tube and the engine. Most all struts I have seen removed and replaced are held in place by silicon bronze bolts and then the heads are sometimes glassed over one the inside and a thickened fiberglass filler is used to hide the strut attachment point and to fair the hull.

Bronze, unlike stainless, does not suffer from crevice corrosion the way stainless does and so long as the strut has not sustained damage it should be fine for a long long time or until the installation leaks.

Even a millimeter or two of misalignment in a strut can make a big mess so it's best to leave well enough alone unless the alignment is already out. A guy with my old sistership, a Catalina 310, had his strut come from the factory mis-aligned. After many alignments and inspections it was determined the strut had been installed incorrectly at the factory and the yard repaired it.

It's best to leave well enough alone in this situation as the alignment is quite critical..