Replace strut bearing w/o removing shaft or strut?

[David Underwood]

I am needing to replace the strut bearing (cutless bearing) and I hope to try to do this without having to pull the prop shaft or remove the strut. Has anyone been successful with this? If so, how did you do it? Please tell me if I'm wanting to do something thats impossible. Thanks to everyone, she is still sitting on the hard while I sand and polish. Hope to replace all thur hull fittings also.DavidS/V Freebird

 

[Steve Dion]

Don't you have a mechanic in the yard!

David:Don't you have a yard mechanic (monkey) around? I think that they have a tool to press the bearing out of the strut. I know that this is not very expensive to have done and not worth trying to make anything being you only need to do it once every 10 or so years (assuming something does screw up).You just want to be sure that you do NOT pound on the thing.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Two ways.

There is Steve's way, probably the easiest. Borrow, rent, or make the tool to press out the bearing(after you release the set screws). You will find instructions for making the tool somewhere in the archives. Basically you remove the rubber from an old bearing and cut it in half lengthwise.A second way is if you have never rebedded the strut. You can remove the strut from the hull and slide the whole thing off the shaft. Have someone press in a new bearing and slide it back on. Now you can reinstall the strut with new caulk and better backing if it was original. My original was just a couple of washers behind the nuts inside. I now have a backing plate there and doubled the nuts with fiber lock nuts.

 

[David Underwood]

Ok, I am ready to remove the shaft or strut...

I have another question, if I remove the strut, will the strut go back into the same location / alignment without great effort or will that be another headache? I have never removed it before, (20yrs old), would they have used 5200 or something less aggressive. I don't want to tear things up trying to get it off. Also, is there anything I need to do the the shaft log where the shaft exits the hull? Thanks guys, this is alot of help at time of need. NOT TOO MANY YARD monkeys in the self do yard, the ones there seem to not want to share too many ideas, they don't seem to like do it yourselfers.

 

[John Nantz]

Same Location

Don't know what boat you have but the strut bedding area on a Hunter is not really large, maybe 3 x 6 inches or so. Even so, and even with a "non agressive" sealant, it can be somewhat hard to remove. Try to find some flexible steel to cut the sealant bond around the edges. This should help in removal by reducing the cross-secional area. Maybe a small stainless wire like a piano wire could be pulled between the strut and the hull.Removal and installation is a two-person show. One to hold the screwdriver on the outside and another to turn the bolts on the inside.Replacement: Should be no big deal. The strut should return to very close to the same vertical alignment as the original, certainly within 1/8th inch or so. The shaft log should allow for any slight misalignment.When tightning the nuts suggest not tightning them full-tight initially. Wait a while until the sealant has set then tighten fully but do not allow them to turn or the bond and seal will be broken. This will prevent all the sealant from being squished out and leave a bit of sealant between the strut and the hull.Before reassembly, recommend removing the sealant in the bolt holes and coating the inside of the holes with some epoxy to seal the fiberglass. This may be wasted effort on an old boat as if there is water in the fiberglass it is probably too late. I just like to ensure all holes through the fiberglass are epoxy sealed. This is a personal feeling.Shaft log exit: Nothing extra needs to be done there. On the inside, though, this is a good time to install a dripless shaft seal if you don't already have one.

 

[Pat mccartin]

Cuttlass bearing replacement/Strut rebed

David,I did this on mine 2 years ago. The strut was held in with 3-1/4" screws with washers and nuts. The strut was backed in the hull with 1/2" plywood. The sealant didn't appear to be 5200, it came apart easily.This can be accomplished with 1 person, put a pair of vice-grips on the nut in the bilge and go out and turn the screw. Repeat 6 times. Slide the strut off the shaft. To remove the cuttlas bearing, loosen the set screws, then take a hack saw and make a longitudnal cu thru the bearing shell. You can now "peel" the old bearing out. To install the new bearing, go find a LARGE vice and 2 pieces of wood. Squeeze the new bearing in with the wood as insulation from the metal vice.When I rebed my strut I made backing plates out of Delrin(you could use any other UHMW plastic).Then bed them with 5200. I put a screw in the hole, then went into the boat and started the nut and washer. Hloding the nut with vice-grips I went back out and tightened the screw (repeat 6 times). To this day my poor bilge pump is looking for a new line of work.Call me If you need some help. 404-456-9246Pat McCartin1979 H30 "Therapy"Lake Lanier, Ga

 

[Howard]

Check out Good Old boat Magizine

Good Old Boat Magazine had a big article on cutlass bearing replacement in the Mar/April isue. Check it out. It give a lot of details.HN

 

[Terry Arnold]

H33 in place cutlass replacement

David, here is a link to a press designed specifically for the H33 to remove the cutlass without removing the strut. In replacing mine several years ago, I didn't have this link and so removed the strut and prop to get the bearing out. I had a set of bearing drivers and the bearing drove out easily enough.

 

[David]

Cutless

Terry, great tool for cutless extraction! Also, you can go to strutpro.com and purchase one.

 

[David Underwood]

wow, thanks everyone, I have removed the .....

transmission, the shaft coupler, the shaft and the rudder to get this little piece of tube out. Man, if they could have made it any harder... Terry, thanks so much, I'll have to get one of those tools together for future use. I used the cut method and the damn thing was still hanging in there as if the world depended on it. Now, I wonder, should i use some anti-seize compound on the new piece? or ... just put it in w/o anything added?Thanks everyone, and Pat, stop by and say hello, I'm in the work yard of Aqualand.