Cutlass - a controversial method

[jwfrary]

Having dealt with lots of cutlass bearings usually without the shaft in the way I got to thinking of my own boat.

I’m going to do it over a tide lent on the wall, now prop off is easy I have heat and hydraulic puller as per usual plan.

now this is the controversial bit. I was thinking after removing the locking screws of just using the new bearing to knock the old one up the shaft with a bit of tube as an extension . - I could then cut the old one off the shaft withmy battery powered angle grinder. Jobs a goodun.

Main advantage being no risk I won’t have it water tight before the tide come back in.

won’t be banging the shaft at any point so no problem for the gearbox, so only the friction of the cutlass on the shaft itself to worry about.

Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[WoodyP]

Damage to the new cutless?

 

[jwfrary]

Damage to the new cutless?

I guess... mechanically sympathetic tapping.

I would probably start it off with the tube drift thinking about it.

 

[burgundyben]

How is the P bracket bonded in?

 

[jwfrary]

How is the P bracket bonded in?

pretty solid bolts a pad. If it’s requires more than a tap it will have to come out the standard way!

 

[jwfrary]

Thinking about it I might make the puller into a pusher!

 

[burgundyben]

pretty solid bolts a pad. If it’s requires more than a tap it will have to come out the standard way!

In which case I reckon your idea works. Just don't damage the shaft with the grinder.

 

[NorthUp]

How close is the rudder to the shaft- room to swing the hammer and land it square on?

 

[lynallbel]

Might need someone to hold a slegdhammer on the back of the p brkt to act as a damper, and to stop the thing bouncing and losing power.

 

[Plum]

Thinking about it I might make the puller into a pusher!

Not sure if I understand you, but I assume you mean to modify the cutlass puller so you can use it with the shaft still in place to both pull out the old and press in the new bearing like this DIY cutless bearing extractor - Practical Boat Owner

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[Alan S]

CUTLESS

 

[LadyInBed]

If it's on a P bracket then Plum's PBO link is the way to go.
Trying to hammer it up the shaft with the new bearing is IMO an absolute rubbish idea.
It's almost certain to damage the back edge of the new bearing so you almost certainly won't be able to use that method next time round!

 

[grumpy_o_g]

Just a thought but, given that you're drying on the low tide to do this, what's the likely worst-case scenario if it doesn't work and do you have anything that might mitigate it (such as an appropriately sized bung or something)?

 

[arcot]

Strong plastic bag and zip ties and or duct tape to seal bag
.
can be useful in shaft leak emergency

 

[superheat6k]

Does the housing have a register ?

 

[James_Calvert]

Have you replaced your own one previously?

If not, how do you know how easily it will come out?

Are you sure it's just the bearing that needs replacing and not the shaft as well?
They do wear inside the bearing and contribute to the play.

An enthusiast with a lump hammer helped me with my first one. Never again, the P bracket got a wobble and had to be cut out and glassed in again.

 

[Mudisox]

If it's on a P bracket then Plum's PBO link is the way to go.
Trying to hammer it up the shaft with the new bearing is IMO an absolute rubbish idea.
It's almost certain to damage the back edge of the new bearing so you almost certainly won't be able to use that method next time round!

I made up one similar using 12mm ply instead of the metal plates and an old socket cut in halve. No cost to me, and I have used it on 4 cutlass bearings, easy peasy. [ 2 engines on a cat]

 

[Norman_E]

If you have an old brass or bronze cutless bearing saw it in half lengthwise and use the two halves as the split tube to push the existing one out. You just need to make two end plates with holes for lengths of studding. One needs a hole big enough for the bearing to pass through, and the other with a hole sized for the shaft and slotted out to the edge so that it drops over the shaft. Its a pretty easy bit of kit to make. The new bearing can usually be put in without any hammering, and if its tight the puller can be used as a pusher if you have a big washer to put over the shaft.

EDIT: A pair of ratchet spanners on the nuts speed the removal a lot.

 

[Egbod]

The cutless bearing I helped to change last year had a small lip around the inner end so the old bearing would not have come out of the front end.
The old bearing was hammered out but a big lump hammer was held tightly behind the P bracket to reduce any movement / absorb the shocks.

 

[graham]

Strong plastic bag and zip ties and or duct tape to seal bag
.
can be useful in shaft leak emergency

Old bicycle innertube wrapped around then cable tied has been recommended to me by an experienced delivery skipper.You can't use the engine but at least you will be afloat!