dsw
Well-Known Member
When I change my cutlass bearing do I have to remove the shaft? The cutlass is sticking out enough for me to grip it and yank it out so I can’t see any reason to remove the shaft or have I missed something?
CUTLASS BEARING
- Thread starter dsw
- Start date
brianhumber
Well-Known Member
Assuming you are talking of a P bracket mounting, as long as the prop is removed you get a section of right diameter pipe, cut it in two and carefully use that as a drift to tap the outer shell out of the p bracket.
Before doing so remove the grub screws that should be gripping the outer bearing shell. If you can 'yank' the bearing out something is wrong or you are looking at just the rubber bearing itself which has come away from its outer shell.
This happened to me off Dorset this May bank holiday when we capured a big plastic sheet around the shaft, it jammed inbetween the shaft and rubber bearing and screwed the rubber bearing out. New bearings are not expensive, I would advise to go for brass outer shell rather than cheaper and less robust pheonolic type.
If the shaft has significant linear wear down you can get Countrose to supply an undersize bearing.
After inserting the new bearing make a small notch by a suitable sized drill in the grub screw holes to enable secure location by the screws.
Brian
Before doing so remove the grub screws that should be gripping the outer bearing shell. If you can 'yank' the bearing out something is wrong or you are looking at just the rubber bearing itself which has come away from its outer shell.
This happened to me off Dorset this May bank holiday when we capured a big plastic sheet around the shaft, it jammed inbetween the shaft and rubber bearing and screwed the rubber bearing out. New bearings are not expensive, I would advise to go for brass outer shell rather than cheaper and less robust pheonolic type.
If the shaft has significant linear wear down you can get Countrose to supply an undersize bearing.
After inserting the new bearing make a small notch by a suitable sized drill in the grub screw holes to enable secure location by the screws.
Brian
dsw
Well-Known Member
sorry no not a "p" type its a bronze tube in a steel hull and the cutlass has worked its way out as the propeller is bent so i hope i can pull it out when i remove the propeller then fit the new cutlass with a new propeller and hopeing to do so without removing the shaft.
Tranona
Well-Known Member
Is the bronze housing screwed onto the tube and locked with bolts or set screws? In which case, you unscrew it and then press the bearing out. Normally no need to take the shaft out. If, however, the tube is part of the hull (in which case it wont be bronze) unlikely that you can pull the bearing out. You will need to romove the shaft to get an internal puller through the bearing.
Malish
Well-Known Member
can you post a picture? - many variations
cormorant
Active Member
For what it's worth I have just done my first one of these, (Bronze tube and phenolic cutless bearing). Had to remove the shaft or would never have got it out, then it was relatively easy to destroy the outer shell of the bearing using an old screwdriver and a hammer. It all came out in bits. Would not have been so easy with a brass shell bearing and I am told that these often have to be removed by cutting laboriously(and presumably carefully) along the length with a hacksaw blade, top and bottom. I am going for a Vesconite bearing now as I like the idea of something that can be drifted or pulled out relatively easily at the end of its life.
It might be worth you taking the shaft out anyway and checking it is true if you have had damage to the prop.
It might be worth you taking the shaft out anyway and checking it is true if you have had damage to the prop.
TigaWave
Well-Known Member
It's probably worth mentioning that an increasing number of boats are using composite bearings. We advise that ours are fitted as a clearance fit in the bearing carrier and bedded on epoxy. Removal involves heating the carrier and sliding the bearing out. Make sure you use a low temperature epoxy such as Araldite 2011 when fitting.
This method also lets you confirm shaft and carrier in alignment, as the bearing should spin on the shaft in the carrier before it is coated in epoxy.
This method also lets you confirm shaft and carrier in alignment, as the bearing should spin on the shaft in the carrier before it is coated in epoxy.
brianhumber
Well-Known Member
Ah sorry. It will be easier to remove the shaft then if its in the stern frame and then use a puller.
Mind you trying to be clever once and not to pull the shaft, on a steel hull I have melted the rubber out with careful heat by one of those small Ronson gas torches before now this then allowed access to the brass shell by a small saw. This was bloody fiddly and caused a lot of swearing. At the end of the day It would have been quicker not to try to be a clever dick, bite the bullet and have taken the shaft out. I have only changed a phenolic shell version once and the ease with which it broke up when I tried to gently drift it out has made me always use brass since.
Best of luck
Brian
Mind you trying to be clever once and not to pull the shaft, on a steel hull I have melted the rubber out with careful heat by one of those small Ronson gas torches before now this then allowed access to the brass shell by a small saw. This was bloody fiddly and caused a lot of swearing. At the end of the day It would have been quicker not to try to be a clever dick, bite the bullet and have taken the shaft out. I have only changed a phenolic shell version once and the ease with which it broke up when I tried to gently drift it out has made me always use brass since.
Best of luck
Brian