superheat6k
Well-Known Member
It's all going too easy so far - shhhhh !!!
Changing cutlass bearings stbd shaft
- Thread starter superheat6k
- Start date
sharpness
Well-Known Member
Fingers crossed it stays that way for you Trevor, I remember you posting that the port one was a swine. I'm assuming your doing both bearings on the STBD side, if so, how do you remove the one from the sterntube, do you press it out somehow or do you have to cut it long ways to remove it. Are the bearings in the sterntube held in place with grubscrews like the ones in the P-bracket ?
rosssavage
Well-Known Member
Doing mine next March. Not looking forward to it, last time I had to draw the shafts, remove p brackets and have the bearings pressed out / in on a hydraulic press. Daft, daft Princess design has a lip on the inboard end that prevents you cutting them out.
Bandit
Well-Known Member
Sounds very unusual, normally we remove cutless bearings 99.99% of the time with the "p" bracket in place.
Refitting a p bracket and aligning is a pita.
superheat6k
Well-Known Member
Fairline thought long and hard about this one, inasmuch as making changing it the mother of all maintenance tasks !
The upper cutlass bearing is a half bearing retained in a housing mounted from the inside at the hull shaft hole with three bolts, one of which on my port is set to the bottom, so it is almost inaccessible (today I found that the Fairline masters had been lacking on my stbd as all three are visible).
To get the bearing out the housing has to be removed. They use two grub screws, only one of which is accessible from the outside where the cutlass holder protudes through the hole. The housing has a register at the outer edge, so the bearing can only be removed inwards.
How do I know all this ? this was all part of the venture of discovery doing the port shaft.
The procedure is ...
1 Remove prop and clean down shaft above outer cutlass.
2 Remove floor section of aft heads to access upper cutlass and clamps for shaft seal (PSS type).
3 Remove exhaust from turbo to downpipe to provide working access behind the gearbox.
4 Undo PSS rotator grub screws - NB two in each hole and an Imperial allen key sze, so remove the first entirely part turn at a time then undo the inner.
NB Measure the distance from the shaft 1/2 coupling to the rotator and write down.
5 Drift the PSS rotator forward towards the shaft 1/2 coupling.
6 Undo the shaft half coupling from one side of the flexi.
7 Draw back the shaft.
8 Undo the gearbox half coupling and remove the flexi.
9 Lock the shaft and undo the shaft coupling retaining nut (1 7/8" AF)
10 Remove the shaft half coupling using a heavy steel puller plate, a suitable socket to act as press bearer and the strength of Thor and patience of Mother Teresa. I reckon the port required about 10 ton of pressure before it would release.
11 Remove the seal rotator and withdraw the shaft.
12 Undo the PSS retaining jubillee clips and remove the seal stator.
13 Undo the three bolts holding the upper cutlass holder.
14 Break the sealant and remove the cutlass holder into the boat.
15 With the upper cutlass holder in a vice remove the grub screws and if necessary split the cutlass with a hacksaw along its length.
16 Remove the outer cutlass by releasing its grub screws - moves sternwards due to another register.
Stop for a tea then re-assemble
volvopaul
Well-Known Member
Most p brackets have the lip at the front end its a stop for the bearing to push up against.
I have various tools to knock out the bearings with just removal of the prop and grub screws if your lucky, the last 385 I did took 3 mins to knock out after prop removal.
rosssavage
Well-Known Member
Don't suppose you could stop off in Windsor on your way past some time next March then Paul?
I can get the props off and grub screws out - I don't have the right bits to knock the bearings out / in though.
Big John
Well-Known Member
Take a look at this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZQHLvUUyuE and replacing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSsAO5yE1Kw.
Here is a better description. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOwr3l6bkGA If you have access to a machine shop one of these could be made.
Here is a better description. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOwr3l6bkGA If you have access to a machine shop one of these could be made.
rosssavage
Well-Known Member
The machine shop is the issue - I have a third share in a workshop, but we've just been given notice to move so they can kinock it down to build houses. Unlikely we'll get another one (various parties taking the opportunity to move on..) so I'll probably get someone in for the hard bit...
I've had mixed experience with engineering firms on the Thames, so I'm hoping Volvopaul can do it on one of his jaunts South!
I've had mixed experience with engineering firms on the Thames, so I'm hoping Volvopaul can do it on one of his jaunts South!
Big John
Well-Known Member
You could try MT Perry in Maidenhead. http://www.perryfabs.co.uk/
I have known Mike for many a year and he has done SS fuel tanks for my boat and a friend. A very professional job and he has his own boat down on the coast so he understands the requirements of boat owners.
I have known Mike for many a year and he has done SS fuel tanks for my boat and a friend. A very professional job and he has his own boat down on the coast so he understands the requirements of boat owners.
Neil_Y
Well-Known Member
We make ours for as a clearance fit in carriers (unless customers insist on press fit) Just slide in by hand using epoxy as bedding/holding. Removal, bearing either cracks away from the carrier/epoxy layer or if you can heat the carrier the epoxy softens.
superheat6k
Well-Known Member
Update - Shaft out yesterday - cutlass bearings out today, although the upper was as is required for Fairline somewhat tight and not so easy to shift (not quite the language emanating from the bowels of OB this afternoon !).
Still I have achieved in about 5 hours what took me nearly two full weekends for the port shaft.
If anyone requires the special tools (pusher plate and drift) I made to remove the half coupling and upper cutlass or the technique to remove the lower cutlass without a hammer please PM me.
Be aware that if you do replace the lower cutlas bearing without drawing the shaft there will be no way to remove the build up of calcified deposit which would likely wear a new cutlass out within a season.
Still I have achieved in about 5 hours what took me nearly two full weekends for the port shaft.
If anyone requires the special tools (pusher plate and drift) I made to remove the half coupling and upper cutlass or the technique to remove the lower cutlass without a hammer please PM me.
Be aware that if you do replace the lower cutlas bearing without drawing the shaft there will be no way to remove the build up of calcified deposit which would likely wear a new cutlass out within a season.
volvopaul
Well-Known Member
To clean the shaft when the bearing is out spray with either brick cleaner or the expensive spray from the chandlers, it also cleans the inside of the p bracket, then wash off with a hose or jet wash if possible, leave to dry and check everything before inserting the new bearing.
superheat6k
Well-Known Member
Must admit I didn't consider a chemical cleaner, but getting it everywhere needed would be a challenge.
However, if the outer is worn then the inner will likely be in similar condition. My inner was certainly worse than the outer. This woud be not possible to remove with the shaft in situ.
Neil_Y
Well-Known Member
To clean up the inside of the carrier some emery cloth in a slot on a long steel bar attached to a battery drill is a useful tool.
