strut slightly bent

Status
Not open for further replies.
Aug 23, 2011
1
hunter 316 palmetto
With tons of info here, i gotta ask. i just replaced my cutless bearing and removed the shaft with a degree of angle rub against rudder. it came out ok and replaced the bearing easy enough but yard guy says i bent the strut slightly. and as you look at it you can see a small bananna bend to it. he says to put a large pipe wrench at the meat part of the strut and try to pull it back. I do not want to do another hual out later so i'm caught in a crap shoot. the yard man could have told me a better way to pull the shaft. i also replaced the packing material and hose to stern coupler. i'm new to large maintenance andmay have bitten off more than i have knowledge for. but being a past seabee i always try to carry a can do spirit, but this may have bit me. shaft turns ok but what happens when we get in the water, alignment then? thanx for any info
 
Jan 4, 2007
406
Hunter 30 Centerport
A long time ago I had a line wrap on my prop. Stalled the motor and almost pulled the strut out. It was the last october sail and the dive in my underwear to remove the wrap was COOOOOLD. Made it to the marina and they pulled the boat. The strut was bent but not to bad. I straightened the strut in a bench vise with a big pipe wrench. Re installed it in the boat with new backing plates and screws and then tuned the strut with 2 pipe wrenches. Worked fine. So I think the yard man is on target
 
Jun 9, 2004
963
Hunter 40.5 Bayfield, WI
I too had a bent strut on my 1985 Hunter 34. Same thing as Nelson, caught a line in the prop and it bent the strut. The yard recommended straightening the strut and I went with it. The next time out I was motoring in light winds and rolly seas. The strut let go just as I got to the dock so was able to save the shaft. I ended up replacing the strut and it left me wishing I had done that in the first place.

Just my two cents is all...
 
Status
Not open for further replies.