Cutlass bearing

Is there any good reason why Cutless bearings are pushed in flush to the housing?
Having the bearing protruding by 10mm or so would make life so much easier to extract it.
No reason at all as long as there is enough space between the prop and bearing to allow a flow of water to lubricate the cutless after allowing for the prop to move forward as the engine mounts/coupling to compress. I drill a 6mm diameter hole side to side near the end then leave 15mm of the cutless protruding. I have made a tool to extract using those 6mm holes.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
Yes, it should ideally be fully supported over its whole length and housings are normally made exactly the same length as the standard bearing. However if the housing is shorter than the bearing (for example an ST housing is 3 5/8") and can be converted to a standard cutless which will leave 3/8" overhanging as it does give extra support for the shaft.
 
Is there any good reason why Cutless bearings are pushed in flush to the housing?
Having the bearing protruding by 10mm or so would make life so much easier to extract it.
Mine was threaded, then a collar screwed on which had two bolts into tapped holes in the edge of the housing lengthways
 
This is mine, the end unbolts.
PICT0439.jpg
 
Going back to the thread question - I guess the end cap would tend to screw in in the same direction as the shaft turns in forward gear, but can't quite see the prop in the old original pictures. Shame they're such a PITA.
 
Going back to the thread question - I guess the end cap would tend to screw in in the same direction as the shaft turns in forward gear, but can't quite see the prop in the old original pictures. Shame they're such a PITA.
Would it though? How would the stern tube manufacturer know what rotation prop is to be fitted?
 
My Snapdragon had this arrangement (lifted from Cox Engineering's website)
images

You remove the bolts and wonder why nothing will move, to discover eventually that it's a left hand thread into the stern tube. Then it's all pretty straightforward as you can take the fitting to a vice, undo the grub screw and press the old cutless bearing out.
 
Are you sure that the end can unscrew or is it one piece giving the illusion that the end unscrews ?
 
Pedant hat on. Cutless not cutlass.
Sorry.
Duramax own the brand Cutless and will stop other bearing suppliers using this to describe what is a marine shaft water lubricated bearing. So the Cutlass evolved as a generic name...we stick to calling it what it is a water cooled and lubricated marine shaft bearing.
 
Are you sure that the end can unscrew or is it one piece giving the illusion that the end unscrews ?
On the Snappy, it was one piece. The whole lot, including the flange unscrews, which simplified starting it - provided you go in the right direction!

My nuts came loose too (ooh-err Missus o_O). I drilled out the holes so I could get them back in straight, greased the bolts well, but not the nuts, which I cleaned carefully, and shoved a dose of thickened epoxy in the hole, then the bolts, with nuts attached, then more thickened epoxy. to fill everything up. That fixed the nuts in place so I could get it all back together. It was still fine a couple of years later when I last checked before selling the boat.
 
My Snapdragon had this arrangement (lifted from Cox Engineering's website)
images

You remove the bolts and wonder why nothing will move, to discover eventually that it's a left hand thread into the stern tube. Then it's all pretty straightforward as you can take the fitting to a vice, undo the grub screw and press the old cutless bearing out.
The similar one on my website is mine. Also screwed but right hand thread. Stern gear
 
Duramax own the brand Cutless and will stop other bearing suppliers using this to describe what is a marine shaft water lubricated bearing. So the Cutlass evolved as a generic name...we stick to calling it what it is a water cooled and lubricated marine shaft bearing.
Fair enough, I stand corrected.
Didn't intend to be sabre rattling!
Pedant hat off again.
I suppose
"water cooled and lubricated marine shaft bearing"
is a bit of a mouthful compared to cutlass.
 
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