cutlass bearings....

Lollipop · Mar 7, 2015

I have two cutlass supports and thus brgs. on each shaft. On the starboard shaft, the cutlass brgs. are marginal and I figure I need to replace them while the boat is on the hard to prevent problems down the road. The Port side are tight, very tight, and seem to be fine. I know, knock them all at and make it new again, but I am replacing perfectly good parts with perfectly good parts. Looking for other opinions...

I have checked the shaft, prop, alignment, and all looks good...Not sure why the Starboard side is worn more unless the port was replaced prior...They do look a little different. :banghead:

RT Firefly · Mar 7, 2015

Greetings,
Mr. L. IF one side seems serviceable I'd leaveit well enough alone. Replace the ones that need attention by all means. If it becomes necessary to eventually replace the "good" ones I think that can be done with a short haul.

O C Diver · Mar 7, 2015

I would say it depends on your cruising plans. Nothing more ambitious than a trip to the Bahamas, I'm with RT. Getting ready to do the loop, I'd send both props out to be checked and reconditioned if necessary. Would pull both shafts and have them spun to make sure their true. Then I would make my decision on whether or not to replace the other bearings. Course if the shaft is out, I'd be replacing them.

Ted

koliver · Mar 7, 2015

Cutless bearings. I just went through this on Retreat. I have had this boat since July 1994. When I was going through it before purchase, I found receipts from re-alignment of the shafts, which involved removing the shafts and inspection of the cutless bearings. Fast forward to Sept 2014, 4500 hrs engine use later. The shafts are both hard to turn when out of the water and always have been, but this time, it was out for the Port engine, so my mechanic, whose judgment I respect, said we should at least pull the shafts all the way out and inspect, as he didn't like what he saw with the port shaft part way back. A big outside strut just ahead of the prop, a small outside strut just aft of the exit from the shaft tube and the bearing at the stuffing box. All needed to be replaced, as they were all worn. As it turned out, to get rid of the tighness, the aft strut had to be moved too. Access was under the bed, so it and the water tanks had to move. As you should expect, this ended up a very spendy refit, but now, the props turn easily when out of the water and all 6 cutless should be good for the rest of the life of the boat.

Lolliop: After going through this, I would suggest pulling your shafts in order to inspect the bearings properly and also to check the alignment, as that seems to have been the problem on my boat, for a very long time.

capt jerry · Mar 7, 2015

koliver said:
Cutless bearings. I just went through this on Retreat. I have had this boat since July 1994. When I was going through it before purchase, I found receipts from re-alignment of the shafts, which involved removing the shafts and inspection of the cutless bearings. Fast forward to Sept 2014, 4500 hrs engine use later. The shafts are both hard to turn when out of the water and always have been, but this time, it was out for the Port engine, so my mechanic, whose judgment I respect, said we should at least pull the shafts all the way out and inspect, as he didn't like what he saw with the port shaft part way back. A big outside strut just ahead of the prop, a small outside strut just aft of the exit from the shaft tube and the bearing at the stuffing box. All needed to be replaced, as they were all worn. As it turned out, to get rid of the tighness, the aft strut had to be moved too. Access was under the bed, so it and the water tanks had to move. As you should expect, this ended up a very spendy refit, but now, the props turn easily when out of the water and all 6 cutless should be good for the rest of the life of the boat.

Lolliop: After going through this, I would suggest pulling your shafts in order to inspect the bearings properly and also to check the alignment, as that seems to have been the problem on my boat, for a very long time.

i always checked the alignment when it was in the water,doing it on land is not such a good idear the boat takes a different set when it is on blockes?

koliver · Mar 8, 2015

Capt J
of course many boats will change from on the blocks to in the water. Mine has a long, deep keel, so little chance of that occurring.

Lollipop · Mar 8, 2015

Thanks for all the help and advice...Shafts are out and alignment seems good, shafts are straight. Even the bed and water tank is out as the water tank had to be replaced. I plan to take both starboard cutlass out today and then I will make my mind up about the port. We are also preparing this boat for extended cruising including the Loop in 2017

O C Diver · Mar 8, 2015

Lollipop said:
Thanks for all the help and advice...Shafts are out and alignment seems good, shafts are straight. Even the bed and water tank is out as the water tank had to be replaced. I plan to take both starboard cutlass out today and then I will make my mind up about the port. We are also preparing this boat for extended cruising including the Loop in 2017

If you are all the way there, might as well go ahead and replace them.

May see you on the Loop. Either 2016 or 2017 will be my year.

Ted

CPseudonym · Mar 8, 2015

O C Diver said:
If you are all the way there, might as well go ahead and replace them.

My thoughts too. Parts are cheap to replace, especially when they're already removed.

FF · Mar 8, 2015

and all 6 cutless should be good for the rest of the life of the boat.

Cutlass bearings are like rubber sea water pump impellers , operate in silty water and they have a limited life.

When you see sand in the water so do the parts exposed to it.

Lollipop · Mar 10, 2015

All four cutlass brgs. are on the dirt, and new ones should be here today. It took a good part of the day to get them out, but they should be good for another 40 yrs. and by then I won't worry about them anymore. New ones will be put in the freezer as soon as they get here. I am making a puller to press them in. Thanks for all the advice and help.

cutlass bearings....

Lollipop

Veteran Member

RT Firefly

Enigma

O C Diver

Guru

koliver

Guru

capt jerry

Senior Member

koliver

Guru

Lollipop

Veteran Member

O C Diver

Guru

CPseudonym

Moderator Emeritus

FF

Guru

Lollipop

Veteran Member

Similar threads

Latest posts