My cutlass bearing top hat and about 25 mm of the cutlass Bearing rubber has moved down the shaft to the propeller.Looks like I will have to remove the prop shaft to get at the remaining cutlass bearing out To replace it.Has this happened to anyone else and if so do you have to drop the rudder to pull the shaft
Replacing the cutlass bearing on a 1996 Beneteau 351
- Thread starter keven
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- cutlass bearing
I'd be interested to know too. I'd assume you could remove the propeller and push the shaft into the boat to remove the bearing (once you disconnected the shaft inside the boat from the trans/engine).
Access to the drive train is via a removable panel under the quarter berth. Wrestling the mattresses can be quite a job, but once they’re out of the way, the stuffing box, couplers, and gear/transmission are readily accessible.
You remove the transmission coupling or transmission, and this gives you room to pull on the shaft. Unless you'd rather remove the rudder.
I'm making an educated guess here.
Here is a youtube video of some citizen taking apart a marine transmission on his truck.
And I'll make an even more educated guess :
As far as removing the transmission I'd rather pull the shaft and rudder any day rather than pull the Xmission. My Xmission looks pretty compact and it's doubtful it would give you room to pull the shaft far enough. As far as removing the rudder goes, maybe I'm lucky but IIRC, this took about 1/2 hour to pull and less time to install.
In brief then, pulling the rudder and then shaft should be a small fraction of the time to remove and replace the Xmission. Even if you did remove the Xmission, the shaft is still goingto be so close to the cutless bearing you're not going to be able to access the bearing from the forward end. And if you can't access it from the forward end, removing the Xmission accomplishes nothing.
Maybe that's why most people remove the shaft unless they're really smart like Greg Johnson of @Tally Ho and design and fabricate you're own cutless bearing puller. He has one of his A+++ instructional videoes posted on here somewhere.
Can't say as I'm not familiar with the underside of your boat.
I know mine required dropping the rudder to remove the shaft and dropping the rudder was quick and easy. Your rudder may differ. I was lucky to be on a gravel lot as I had to dig a small hole to lower the rudder an extra few inches. If your hard is ashphalt, that may not go over too well.
Trust me, you don't want to remove the transmission just to remove the shaft.
Very informative post. I stand corrected. You are really knowledgable as well as smart R. Johnstone.
tally ho tool or the strut pro tool. Could it still work with the bearing down the shaft?
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 24,827
Holy crap
! Jusy had a quick look at the the "strut pro tool". If I'm looking at the right tool, those things are bloody expensive. Cheaper to hire someone who owns the tool and get him to pull the bearingCan't say I'm crystal clear on kevin's description. Don't know why he won't post a pic. I'm just curious.
After seeing just what a cutlass bearing top hat is, I see it's what I've always referred to as a flanged cutless bearing:
If this wild guess is correct, I don't see why he can't hang a gear puller off of the end of the prop shaft and pull on the flange to remove the bearing moving aft. I always thought that was the purpose of the flange ............. to make the removal of the bearing easier.
Fortunately, I've never had to remove my bearing after some 2,000 hrs. of motoring. Still 0.000" of play. Just one shaft removal to replace the hose.
I'm with @jssailem in that "nobody should say nuttin" until we see a picture of the strut, shaft, and bearing.
@Kevin J (if that handle is correct), send a photo and we'll tell you exactly what you need to pull that bearing.
View attachment 240224
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Shaft alignment to the strut has never been quite the same, ever since.
I'll be bettin' that's the result of hitting that extre large rock at full speed last year
.Shaft alignment to the strut has never been quite the same, ever since.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 24,827
No, just an intelligent build on part of CAL.
Not all boat builders are the same. Some plan for the inevitable demands of active boating adventures. Some expect that their boats will provide a queen-like experience, safely tied to the dock.
Not all boat builders are the same. Some plan for the inevitable demands of active boating adventures. Some expect that their boats will provide a queen-like experience, safely tied to the dock.
Attached a photo of the top of the cutlass bearing, the rest im hoping to pull out after I’ve removed the shaft. Thanks in advance for your help
Attachments
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 24,827
Ok. You have one that is mounted in the keel. Same design as I have on my boat.
You should be able to pull the prop. Then slip the old bearing off the shaft and the new cutlass bearing onto the shaft and back into place, without pulling the shaft out of the boat unless you are replacing the shaft.
These bearings are not more than a snug fit around the shaft. Lube the shaft with water and soap or a water-soluble lube, and you can get lucky.
That set screw helps to hold the cutlass bearing in place. Sometimes there are two set screws on top of each other. When you remove the first check to see if there is a second deeper in the hole.
You should be able to pull the prop. Then slip the old bearing off the shaft and the new cutlass bearing onto the shaft and back into place, without pulling the shaft out of the boat unless you are replacing the shaft.
These bearings are not more than a snug fit around the shaft. Lube the shaft with water and soap or a water-soluble lube, and you can get lucky.
That set screw helps to hold the cutlass bearing in place. Sometimes there are two set screws on top of each other. When you remove the first check to see if there is a second deeper in the hole.