New cutless fitment issue?

[cal40john]

What do you do if the bearing is in the fiberglass keel? I'd worry about getting the glass too hot before the heat transfers to the epoxy.

John

Originally Posted by 4HMainer

Just to add a bearing supplier perspective to the discussion and clear up some worries.

Maritex bearings are always fitted as a clearance fit in the carrier unless the customers insists on an interference fit.

The recommended fit process is to have them a close clearance fit and then bedded on a thin film of epoxy. As someone mentioned removal being an issue, as long as you use the recomended epoxy (low temperature) a little heat softens the epoxy and wllows the bearing to be slid out. There are never any corrossion issue which is a particular benefit on Al struts/tubes. We even use an epoxy bedding in GRP tubes and the epoxy splits and seperates easily (epoxy less than 1.00mm thick in thin film doesn't strictly bond)

This method is approved by Lloyds for class vessels and is used on hundreds of leisure/commercial vessels with shafts from 1" to over 20"

Maritex bearings are finished to whatever size carrier and shaft is there, so sizes metric or imperial are not an issue, you just order based on shaft OD and carrier ID. Or you can finish the OD locally using our calculator.
http://www.h4marine.com/Downloads/Ma...2020100519.xls

[bruce smith]

The machinist is the way to fly.
Gob west with404 on the outside of the bearing, after it hardens, have it turned on a lathe to the thickness you want.
Shims or a "coating" may put it out of center.
And of course , remember that the engine is aligned from the bearing, not the other way around.
2 inch bearing, something is not kosher there.

[4HMainer]

In answer to cal40, No you don't use heat in a grp tube.

The bearing can be coated in release agent (it helps a little) and then you don't use heat you use a sharp chisel to split the bearing and it easily seperates, th ethink film of epoxy normally peels off easily as it doesn't bond at these thicknesses.

[Saltyhog]

OP here. Where would I find the "correct" low temperature epoxy? I've got plenty of West Systems, but I suspect this may not be what you mean. My plan at this point is to coat the inside of the tail piece and the outside of the 2" long cutless bearing with release wax. Then coat the bearing with epoxy when I install it. As far as only being 2" long, that's the way the Bayfields are. The Bayfield owners group on Yahoo is full of stories of folks cutting a 4" bearing in half, one for now and one for a spare. I don't know of any issues with it. FWIW, the shaft is only about 2 ft long.

[4HMainer]

You want around 0.20mm of clearance so a very thin epoxy film.

The one we recomend is a huntsman adhesives 2011, it is also known as Araldite precision 2011. It is a slow setting epoxy softening at around 70C 100C and it is easy for bearings to be removed.

https://www.huntsmanservice.com/Prod...Id=9&PCId=3346