STRUTS: Alignment or just flat mounted

Author Message   Al Lombardo Advanced Member Username: knuckle47 Post Number: 162 Registered: 09-2007 Posted on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 - 10:07 pm:    I know this is a MARINE ENGINE forum but I have gotten thru an entire top end and cooling system rebuild with so many great suggestions so : In working on new shaft logs, cutlass bearings and strut backer boards I had to pull the struts to remove the cutlass bearings on a 50 ton hydraulic press ( they were VERY stuck ). When I removed the struts, they were mounted with GE silicone bathroom sealer and had very thin copper strips like the thickness of 2 sheets of paper (3/4" x 5" ) between the hull and strut base that seemed like shims. I may be wrong but they could not be used for any electrical component as they were not tied to anything and the boat is NOT bonded. They were all equal so they accomplished no more than dropping the struts about 1/16 of an inch IF THAT. IS there such a thing as shimming a strut for alignment purposes?   scott stephens Senior Member Username: scott_s Post Number: 1250 Registered: 05-2006 Posted on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 - 10:26 pm:    they are shimmed to align with shaft logs. you need a straight shot to prevent wearing the log, or cutlas bearing.   Al Lombardo Advanced Member Username: knuckle47 Post Number: 163 Registered: 09-2007 Posted on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 - 11:27 pm:    This I know, my concerns are HOW to get the alignment needed from point A to point B. I know about the measurements, methods and adjustment points. I am trying to get a standard from which I can start. How is this started at the factory? Are there any special tricks, laser alignment, or do I just get to the .003 at the flange and shut up about it ? As I mentioned, the shafts were too low so IF the shims were intended for any alignment purpose, they only served to make the shaft too low and rub the logs thru to a pontentially disasterous leak. Without those shims, the shaft, while still not centered would have cleared the thin wall of the shaft log and not have been such a problem. Either way, these are all new parts and I am just trying to get it right. Having NO previous experience with these parts but some minor skills I figure that I have a fair chance of success IF...IF I know what to do   Rick Sweeten Senior Member Username: linesix Post Number: 1183 Registered: 11-2002 Posted on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 - 09:21 pm:    Al, Strut alignment is a pain. Take the engine out of the equation. The shaft wants to be centered in the shaft log, then you align the engine to the shaft. The alignment is done visually. Fashion yourself a fixture to locate the shaft in the center of the log. Then jack the strut tight against the hull with a floor jack. With the strut held tight to the hull, look at the cutlass bearing all the say around the shaft, both front and back. You are looking at the contact points where the shaft and bearing touch. This contact area should be consistent in all areas. If it is not, shimming is then done to adjust the strut to get the desired fit. Lower the strut, install a shim, rejack and recheck, repeat as needed. Once you determine the proper shimming, go ahead and apply your sealant and bolt the strut in place. Be sure to recheck it after tightening the bolts, just in case. Once installed, you can go ahead and do the engine alignment. Keep in mind that your engine may have never been properly aligned to a correctly located shaft and you may need to do some "adjusting" to get it right. Have fun, Rick   scott stephens Senior Member Username: scott_s Post Number: 1253 Registered: 05-2006 Posted on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 - 09:33 pm:    I'd like to add an amen to that.   Al Lombardo Advanced Member Username: knuckle47 Post Number: 164 Registered: 09-2007 Posted on Thursday, April 24, 2008 - 11:05 pm:    Hey Guys, You gotta hear this. Went down today to put the struts back on. Set them in place having the shaft centered in the shaft log and all just was going to well. Of course you know the boat is 5 feet in the air, and we use a 6 foot ladder to get to the swim platform, then switch over to the ladder that goes up the transom. After going up and down and in and out of that engine compartment probably 25 times, I fell off the transom ladder pulled my shoulder out trying to grab on and then fell from the swim platform to the stones below.. Rick you are so right. THE MAY HAVE NEVER been properly aligned BUT here is my assumption. We had literally NO vibration in the drive system last year after propscan I have the struts on as they were set up previously as this was done several years ago with another cutlass change. It all went very well. After setting the shaft in the center of the log we are about 3/32 low on the shaft on the starbord side and 1/8 on port. I had ZERO strength left by the end of the day, my hands look like I had made TAR MEATBALLS ( and still do) as we used 4200 Black sealant for the struts and backer boards (no gloves). The shafts LOOK like they are set nicely in the new cutlass bearings. The rubber part is not collapsed or pressed in front or back but this will change slightly I guess as the motor is raised slightly. I MAY BE WRONG but I dont believe that small change will impact the cutlass bearings enough to re shim, do you? This REALLY is a BIG PAIN in the butt !!!! How the HECK do you do this with 2" or bigger shafts. THOSE 6' 1 1/4" shafts must weigh 50 lbs. Sliding them in and out of the bearing was hard enough.

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