Cutlass bearing on E32 1970

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yasselin

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Hello,

I bought a E 32 1970 and I would like to change the cutlass bearing because there is some vibration. I cleaned the strut and found out that there are no set screws !!! It looks like there is no brass around that bearing (only rubber). Did anyone ever change a cutlass bearing on an old E 32.

Yves Asselin
 

Glyn Judson

Moderator
Moderator
Yves, Mine too is like yours with no set screw(s). My dive service has a hydraulic tool that will press the old one out and the new one in while the boat's in the water. It requires removal of the prop of course. Failing that and if you want to do it yourself, you'll need to do it on the hard bt first pulling the prop and shaft. Then pull the blade from a hack saw and reassemble it witht eh blade inside the bearing. Begin to tale long precise strokes evenly along the entire length of the bearing (there is bronze outside the diameter of the rubber). When you have broken through the bearing sleeve, remove the blade and begin to use a small slot screwdriver adjacent to the cut at one end of the braring. The idea is to pry the bearing loose from the strut. Graduate to a larger screwdriver and curl the bronze inward to the point where it gives evidence of loosening or if there's enough surface area at the end to begin to pound it out with a hammer and a drift of some sort. Installation of the new one can be done with a 3/8" or 5/16" bolt more than twice the length of the strut or a length of all-thread of similar length, two fender washers and one or two nuts. Hand press (just start) the end of the new bearing into the strut and assemble the threaded hardware through it and the strut. Hand tighten the nut(s) snugly and slowly begin to tighten one of the nuts. The bearing will slowly begin to press itself into the strut until it's flush and fully installed. You could use some sort of light lubricant on the bearing to make it all go together smoothly too. Note: Be sure that the bearing starts into the strut cleanly so it doesn't get out of alignment and bind up at initial installation, etc. Go for it, Glyn Judson
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Hi Yves,
AFAIK these simple bearings have not changed much over the decades. I have watched other sailors remove them and noted that some struts incorportated a set screw and some did not. The removal process requires swear words and specialized tools.
The ones I observed all had a metal shell with the grooved rubber inside looking like it was cast in place.
They were a (tough...) press fit. Perhaps the brass cylinder is very thin and is just very difficult to see, in your situation?
Or, maybe there is indeed a version with only the rubber bearing that is pressed in (and eventually, out) and is firmly held by friction. There is a brass(?) shell around the rubber bearing on the one on our boat, FWIW.

Best,

Loren in PDX
 
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