Cutlass Bearing Change

[ChrisS]

I'm hauling soon, and would like to change out the class bearing. It's a 3/4" shaft with a pressed in bearing. Any tips on what tool to use or make, or insight on what to do or not do?

 

[Afrakes]

Strut-Pro

Find someone who will rent you a Strut-Pro and the job will take about a half hour. Twenty minutes to pull the prop, read the instructions and set up the tool. Ten minutes to push the old bearing out and the new one in. Worth every penny. If you're mechanically challenged give yourself an hour. This is assuming you're not wearing scuba gear while trying to do this.

 

[ChrisS]

Thanks for the reply. I saw that on a web search, and I am tempted to buy for $350, and resell; tried the usual local sources for a rental, but have come up empty handed.

 

[Alan Gomes]

I'm hauling soon, and would like to change out the class bearing. It's a 3/4" shaft with a pressed in bearing. Any tips on what tool to use or make, or insight on what to do or not do?

One tip is to put the new bearing on ice or dry ice in order to cool it down before installation.

 

[tenders]

This question comes up often enough, and removing the shaft from the flange is difficult enough, that I've decided that the next time I need to change out my cutless bearing I'm buying that tool, using it, and then renting it out for $50 for two weeks at a time.

Quite confident that that the proceeds from this venture will fully endow my Beer Fund through retirement.

My bearing is only about four years old right now and I don't anticipate replacing it for a long time. So, if anyone would like to beat me to this business model, I would gladly pay that individual the $50 rental fee for two weeks when the time comes and pay for my own beer.

 

[Afrakes]

Rental

Make that a C-note and there might be a guy on this forum who will consider it. I won't mention his name but maybe he'll chime in.

 

[Tom Metzger]

Here is a little cheaper tool for the job:

http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?3253-Cutless-bearing-removal

 

[Christian Williams]

Here's Maine Sail on Cutlass bearing remove and replace:

http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/replacing_a_cutlass