Replace cutlass bearing

[landonshaw]

Has anyone heard of people changing the cutlass bearing while still in the water?

Was it changed leaving the shaft on?

Was the shaft removed then the bearing taken out and replaced with a new one?


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[stevec195]

No good reason or way to perform this in the water. The shaft must come out.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[delmarrey]

No! The shaft doesn't have to come out but the prop does have to come off.
I'm not sure you could find a diver willing to swap a bearing under water.

An around-a-shaft puller has several pieces that could get dropped but for the right price I'm sure someone would try. I suppose if they hung a basket under the works it could be managed.

I made my own custom puller to fit my drive system.


.

[jkangas]

As was said, can be done in water. Shaft doesn't need to be removed. Google strut pro. Cool tool.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[landonshaw]

Nice puller. It does not look like the pieces were hard to find. In the end, how much did you have invested it it?

[GILow]

I did ours just a few months ago, on dry land.

In theory, now I could probably change it under water as I have freed up the thread so it will unscrew quite easily. BUT, and this is a big but, the moment I unscrewed it from the stern tube, water would start flooding the boat as the stern tube falls slightly short of the point where the cutless penetrates the back of the keel. (3/4 keel boat). The cutless housing forms part of the water tight seal.

So, on balance, I don't think I'll try it.

Matt

[jkangas]

I didn't end up buying one. I found it when I wanted to replace my cutlass bearing and was poking around. I was hauling her out anyway to do the bottom paint and had a guy at the yard do the bearing for $100.00 labor. Ended up being cheaper than buying the tool. From what I remember the bearing tool would have been 300ish.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by landonshaw

Nice puller. It does not look like the pieces were hard to find. In the end, how much did you have invested it it?

The pieces were not bought. Being a Machinist it only cost me the raw materials and my time, probably around $50.
Some yards or marine suppliers do have rentals, if they fit. Mine is custom made to fit my boat and I keep it with the support tooling.

It's always best to haul a boat when doing this kind of work. You never know what kind of trouble one runs into trying to change a bearing. Do you even know what size of bearing it takes?

[landonshaw]

I agree with hauling when doing anything this involved. I have a friend that is considering this project and staying in the water. I was looking to see how many people actually do it in the water vs hauling.

I had professionals replace a new transducer while staying in the water. Everything went fine and very little water got into the boat. If it always went this well, I could do the job. The problem is when it doesn't and your not experienced. I would replace the transducer again in the water, but again I would let the professional do it, not me.

[neilsty]

How long should it take a mechanic to change out a cutlass bearing. i am in the process of having it done and want to make sure that i am not going to be ripped off. The guy doing it probably had to make a puller to get the old bearing off. Also i have a feathering Maxprop if that makes any difference.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by neilsty

How long should it take a mechanic to change out a cutlass bearing. i am in the process of having it done and want to make sure that i am not going to be ripped off. The guy doing it probably had to make a puller to get the old bearing off. Also i have a feathering Maxprop if that makes any difference.

I would think a bit depends on the cutless setup.


Our cutless is screwed into the stern tube on the back of the keel, and took me about two hours to remove the prop (conventional three blade bronze type), undo the lock bolts in the back of the keel then unscrew the fitting. Putting it all back together took about two hours as I epoxied a new threaded socket for one of the retaining bolts first. Doing it again tomorrow would probably take an hour of my time at most (plus time/$$$ to press in the new cutless by the engineer with a press), mainly to gather the tools for the job. But again, I was lucky, and although the fitting was stiff, it came out pretty easily. If it had been siezed up it might have been DAYS of work. I could easily imagine having to cut out the old stern tube, I certainly had to cut the prop shaft to remove it.

But those pictured above are on struts, so if your setup is like that, I have no idea.

Matt

[Dsanduril]

+1, a couple of hours if easy, a day or more if difficult.

Easy = pull prop, leave shaft in place, press out old bearing, press in new bearing, replace prop, install zincs all around (might as well, you're there anyway).

Hard = Prop finally comes off, but bearing will not budge. Waste a couple of hours/days with heat/penetrating lube. Finally decide to pull shaft, reach in with reciprocating saw, cut bearing out of sleeve to remove in pieces. Clean up all the stuff you hurt doing that. Replace bearing. Re-install shaft. Check alignment. Re-install prop. Zincs again.

Done it both ways, all depends on how "welded" the bearing it to the sleeve.

[neilsty]

thanks - it is on a strut with an aqua drive on the shaft, and a slight offset on the shaft to clear the skeg mounted rudder. Shaft is aft of the keel.

[Boatyarddog]

Don't forget there's usually a set screw or two threaded into the strut, get those out or you'll never get it in or out.
Their usually under a couple of layers or bottom paint, but you may see a divit in the strut.


Sent from my iPad SV Cloud Duster

[Boatyarddog]

I've replaced may of these, few come out easily.
They are pressed in.
They are not meant to be easily removed.
Best to haul the boat.



Sent from my iPad SV Cloud Duster