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Cutlass Bearing Removal – Bearing Seized into Strut

larossa

Member II
Hi All,
I suspect the cutlass in boat is pretty close to original. I notice some play a year ago and now there is considerably more. The problem is the bearing is seized up in the strut. I have tried to remove with ¾ inch drill rod and nuts and to no avail. There is no set screw on the strut so I can’t force it using the set screw. I have resorted to trying to use a hack saw blade and cut into the metal of the bearing hoping I could peel away and lift out by this method. Having two other boats I have always been able to remove them. This is my first salt water boat. The problem now is that when I try to pry away the bearing from the strut the bearing breaks off in small pieces. I am unable to get under the bearing to pry it out. Would the next method to try, be to drill out or maybe put some heat to it or both. I’m all ears for any suggestions.

Thanks,

Brian
E31C
 

bayhoss

Member III
I would try putting the heat to it. I strongly recommend that you keep a careful eye on how hot you let the strut get. The materials conduct heat readily. There is a product on the market used by plumbers and HVAC techs to keep heat from conducting when hard soldering pipe. If you like I can find the product name.

Best always,
Frank
 

Maine Sail

Member III
Hi All,
I suspect the cutlass in boat is pretty close to original. I notice some play a year ago and now there is considerably more. The problem is the bearing is seized up in the strut. I have tried to remove with ¾ inch drill rod and nuts and to no avail. There is no set screw on the strut so I can’t force it using the set screw. I have resorted to trying to use a hack saw blade and cut into the metal of the bearing hoping I could peel away and lift out by this method. Having two other boats I have always been able to remove them. This is my first salt water boat. The problem now is that when I try to pry away the bearing from the strut the bearing breaks off in small pieces. I am unable to get under the bearing to pry it out. Would the next method to try, be to drill out or maybe put some heat to it or both. I’m all ears for any suggestions.

Thanks,

Brian
E31C

Brian,

Cutlass bearings are a "bearing press fit" or at least they are supposed to be. Older Ericson & Catalina's used no set screws because once the bearing was "pressed in" it was not going any where.

You need to make two cuts and the the bearing will come out. The bearing are literally over sized for the shaft log and when pressed in are actually made smaller, hence the tight fit.

Anything short of the proper tool, with a properly fit cutlass, is like walking up hill on ice in the winter. Even the proper tool sometimes fails to press them out and they need to be cut out..

Any cutlass bearing that came out with a few washers and some threaded rod is not a fit I'd want on my own boat...:)

Two cuts is time consuming and tedious but they will come out easily once the pressure is off.
 

rwthomas1

Sustaining Partner
Insert hacksaw blade through cutlass bearing. Reassemble hacksaw with blade "captive" through the bearing. Make two careful cuts 180* apart through the metal sleeve part of the bearing. It will pop right out. If you are brave and have steady hand you could use a Sawzall but its very easy to go to far with that tool.... RT
 

C Masone

Perfect Storm
I just did this this winter, like others said just cut it with a hacksaw blade into two semicircles and then I just used a very small cold chisel to get under it and deform it till it just fell out. Pressed in the new one with 3/4 threaded rod and dishwash soap as a lubricant and it is done, easy(ish)

2012-01-07_10-44-57_969.jpg
 
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