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how do you change the cutlass bearing?

Remove propeller
Remove shaft
Back-off any inset screws that may be on the outside of the strut
Take a hack-saw, remove blade, place blade through the cutlass bearing, and reconnect to saw
Carefully saw through the rubber and bearing, ensuring you do not cut strut.
(cutting the bearing allows it to "shrink/collapse" in the struct and makes it easy to get it out)
Use a "come-along" to slowly pull the bearing out.

Replace bearing with new one by using the 'come-along' in the opposite direction and pull the bearing into the strut....(a little lube helps get it in).

I'm sure more prolific writers will add the details.... :) :)


At least that is how I did it, took about two hours.
 
There are pullers and pushers and the way Don did it does work. It DID NOT work for us. Ultimately we had to remove the struts and brought them to a 100 ton hydraulic press where they did come out although not as easily as I would have thought with all that push behind it. New ones went in with the same press after spending the night in the freezer.

Since they were off, we replaced the backing plates used in their original installation as they wood was getting "punky". Good feeling once its done, but getting there was a chore.
 
Come along?
I would rather use a very large bolt nut washers and pull it back into the bore.
Also some boat the bearing is secured with a set screw

I used vesconite as my bearing. It is a hard long wearing slippery bearing. And it was VERY CHEAP. I paid around $20 or less for 2 bearings custom made.
http://www.vesconite.com/

I had my struts off the boat and heated them with a torch to drive out the old bushes.
Then put the new ones in the freezer
Cleaned up the bores
Pressed in the new ones
 
if you're searching around, the correct spelling is "cutless" although it's spelled wrong all the time. Not trying to be a pain but giving you another search option.

There are tools that will replace/install w/o shaft removal. Strut Pro??
 
if you're searching around, the correct spelling is "cutless" although it's spelled wrong all the time. Not trying to be a pain but giving you another search option.

There are tools that will replace/install w/o shaft removal. Strut Pro??

You are correct re the spelling but it doesn't seem to matter how you spell it, the Google search engine pulls up lots of "chatter" :)

I did not take photos when I did mine and I couldn't think of the correct name for the tools I used.....(home made) and 'come-along" is the best I could come up with :eek:

I looked on the INet and here is what I scooped off of other forums and this is exactly what I used...........call it what you want.

To get the bearing out after collapsing the bearing I used a tool exactly built like this..

cut out.jpg
(The tube butts agains the strut and the bearing is pulled into it)

To put it back in this is the tool I made and used as well...Both made the job very easy.

cutin.jpg

(This is a new bearing going in.....simply put a rachet on the rt side, hold the left side from turning with another wrench and "ratchet away".)

By the way, I did read on a few forums that a few of those that used the Strut Pro, had a difficult time and resorted to this method but I would assume it depends on space available to work. If the boat is in the 'hard' and the prop is close to the ground then removing the shaft may be a bit of a bind if on ashphalt or concrete.

Anyhow...good luck, take your time and as far as a lube goes...I just used dish soap.
 
Here is my 2 cents. If the new bearing is so tight that you are contemplating hot and cold assembly methods, i'd think differently. My last installer took off 5 thou of brass, using a lathe. it fit with "minor" hammering and then held with a set screw. THis is not an engine cylinder sleeve, I really don't think a serious interference fit is a good idea. THese have been in for 10 years now. Taking off the entire strut to replace the bearings can be pretty horrific; deck coming out, spacers, caulk, etc. The cheezy yards that are taking out a stuck bearing will use a sawsall. THe good yards will use a press. I would not remove the strut unless there are existing mounting or alignment issues.
 
Having used the "hydraulic tool", it is the preferred approach in my book. Nothing more than a regular "port-a-power" with some 'custom' pushing and pulling fittings.

If you need anything more, something was 'enhanced' during its life (or corrosion has reduced the ID). the normal remedy is a trip to the lathe. the bearing shell should go into the strut's bore fairly easily and shouldn't require 10s of tons of pressure. The set screw is the designed method for securing the bearing shell in the strut-many times it is omitted, especially if the fit is very snug.
 
thanks guys i think i will try the bolt and washer method. i am getting the props and shafts checked so they will already be removed. much appreciated i will let you know how it works out.
 
Sometimes the answers are more overwhelming than the questions with such diversity of solution. The freezer on our part was only based on the attempts at removal. They did go in easily. I am sure the next removal will be less intense ...for the next owner !
 
you can use moly grease to put them back in.
If you do, perhaps a set screw to lock them in is a good idea.
They are an interference fit. They are not supposed to slide in by hand.

Do you know that the plain shaft spinning in the water creates a fair amount of drag on the engine?
And if the shaft is enclosed in a sleeve till the prop it is actually more efficient
 
I know a guy who has national award winning Lymans and he uses the heat/freeze method to install the new Cutless. Put the new bearing in the freezer overnight . Before installing heat up the strut,grab the bearing from the ice box and slide it into the strut. I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it . Worked slick...without removing the strut.
 
I did mine last year the same way Don explained and made up the same tools from all thread ,washers and nuts and a piece of pipe. The toughest part was removing the old bearings, must be very careful to not cut into the strut when splitting the old bearing. The re-installation was much easier to do, no heat necessary on the strut at all , but I did freeze the bearings overnight and used the set screws to lock them into place.....Lee
 
when i did get them in last season i had a monster size stainless allthread and it snapped in half. we finally got hold of a portable hydraulic press my friend uses on repairing school buses and we got em out and back in about a half hour, it really made the job a snap.
 
Sheesh! Some of you guys must love complication!

I did mine and it was a snap:

1. Remove all set screws.

2. Using a Sawzall, I cut the bearing along its length from both endsto split it. And don't sweat it you cut into the strut a bit--won't hurt a thing. (Obviously, you don't want to see any 1/8 " deep saw cuts!)

3. Fold the bearing in on itself and the saw cut with a punch until it gets loose, then knock it out with a drift. Piece of cake.

4. IMPORTANT! Before trying to pres the new one in, use a flap wheel or drum sander to clean up the inside of the strut. (Trying to ram the new one in will be disastrous without this vital step.)

5. Trial fit the new bearing by tapping it in with a hammer and block of wood. It should slide in fairly easy at first, then tighten up. Now, if it gets really tight--stop! Knock it back out and go at the strut with the sanding set up again. And do this from BOTH ends.

6. You don't have to do this, but I epoxied mine in after making damn sure it would go. I used two, 1/4 inch thick steel plates and a 1/2 " piece of all thread as my installation tool.

Jeff

PS: Forgot to add this; being an anal engineer, I made up a GO-NO GO gage to make sure the strut was cleaned up enough. Nothing like being certain the bearing would go right in!
 
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Maybe someone like Marinemax or others like them, but it's pretty hard to have old time mechanics change their ways, especially when the tool cost close to a $1000 bucks. I figured for that price I would just do it the all thread way and spend the day doing it....came out hard but once it was cleaned up the new ones went in without much force...Lee
 
..."... the tool cost close to a $1000 bucks. "

A battery powered saw from Harbor Freight cost under a hundred bucks!

Jeff
 
I agree that tool is not something the average DIYer would have in their toolbox. But it is a way to replace the cutless bearing without needing to remove the shaft, and maybe something that can be made up by an advanced DIYer, or by a machinist.
 
I've used the strutpro a few times, and some times found it easier to just remove the shafts. I use the bearing puller noted in the pic above also, pretty easy if the bearing isn't really stuborn. When it's bad, I cut as noted above. The only thing I have to add to the cutting method mentioned by Jeff is that I place my cut just below the set screw holes. After the cut is made, insert a bolt of the same thread into the set screw hole and tighten. This will push on the bearing and distort it enough to tap it out relatively easy. If no set screws exist, I drill a hole of the correct size, use a punch to fold the bearing a bit, pull it out, then tap the hole and install a set screw for the new bearing.
 
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Wish I can say it was my idea but I can't take credit for that. Did a job with an old-timer and "eureka"! Had a few of those moments with this guy...priceless.
 
Woodie - great idea on the set screw 'crusher'. FWIW, I saw a DIY hydraulic press for the bearings. Guy said he modified a porta-power from harbor freight (or northern - he couldn't remember) and made up the sleeves by splitting some aluminum tubing he got from a friend. wasn't pretty but it worked. Said he had a couple evenings and less than $100 in it. only 'catch' was to find the porta-power with enough stroke.
 
That method would scare the heck out of me! I can see the housing mushrooming when the bearing doesn't want to move.

Jeff

PS: I have a Marinette, with aluminum struts, so this is more of an issue.
 
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