Removing A Cutlass Bearing & Prop

[Maine Sail]

My prop came off easily with a bit of PB Blaster and a few taps with a hammer and a block of hardwood.

D'oh!!!!! Please make sure it never comes off that easily again.. A properly fit prop should take a LOT of strength with a prop puller and even then may ome require heat to expand it and give the final pop.. If the prop comes off with PB and a block of wood count your lucky stars....

 

[Rich Stidger]

i have major concerns about hammering or banging on a prop that is mounted on the shaft and coupled to the transmission...one could cause some very expensive damage to the gearbox doing that

I agree Woody, but the "tapping" is with a 16 oz hammer and a block of wood. And it is done on the side of the prop, not in-line with the shaft. The taps are light and rotating around the prop on all sides. The key is to PB Blast it and let it soak for several hours or overnight. Put the puller on it and torque it up to put strain on the prop in an off-ward direction. THEN tap or whack harder with a chunk of metal on the opposite side of the prop. This has never failed to work for me. Of course if the prop has not been attached for a million years, much less effort is required.

 

[weekendrken]

Here...

ken

 

[Tally Ho]

I made (or had someone make) a simple tool for removing both the prop and the strut bearing. Similar to the strut pro, but much cheaper.

Greg

 

[wufibugs]

Greg, what did the machinist charge you to make the tool?

 

[Tally Ho]

My brother-in-law....so, no charge.

You could reach out to him and see if he would make one, and what it would cost. They key measurements he would need are:
Diameter of the shaft, od of the strut hole, and length of the strut.

Www.timberedgemachine.com

The guy I helped at the marina had access to some metal working tools I think. His was not quite as well-constructed as mine, and basically had 2 square plates, one with the notch to fit over the shaft, and one with a hole to allow the bearing to push out. Each plate had a bolt hole on each corner to run the all-thread though to squeeze the plates together. Not sure how me had the collets...I think he found a piece of pipe with same ID as the shaft OD and cut it down the middle. His plates were a bit thin, and bent some. Mine are overly thick. Could probably get by with something half way in between.