cutless bearing

[sailaway]

Have 1986 34. The shaft has maybe 1/8 play. would like to replace in fall. I assume catalina direct would be the place to buy a new one. what is the best way to change a cutless bearing. Charlie

[Ron Hill]

Charlie : The best place/price to get a new cutless bearing is from Defender (a Blackfish 1"ID x 4"long).  You might also look on the internet, but cost is about $60.  I'll guess that Catalina Direct will be the most expensive!!

There are numerous ways and posts written on how to change it!!
(WiKi /Projects/ Mainsheet tech notes/ many many posts)

Before you worry about how to change it let me recommend a couple of checks:
1. Determine if your cutless is pressed in or held in by set screws!!  Look on the side of the strut (usually the starboard side) for 2 set screws.  Catalina usually used the compression strut, but did sometimes use the set screw strut.

2. From the age of your boat (1st year C34 production) you need to check shaft condition inside the cutless.  Disconnect the shaft flange from the transmission and move the shaft aft so that wear place on the shaft is exposed.  If you have a lot of wear and or scoring (from grit) you might want to treat your C34 to a new stainless drive shaft.

To change the bearing if you decide on a new shaft - you can cut it in half and pull the 2 halves out. The cut the cutless from the inside, collapse/remove it, install the new shaft and then the bearing. This is all  written up.

Most boat yards have a special tool that will press out the bearing.  Go on line, look at cutless bearing tool web sites and they have videos on how their tool works.

No big deal on changing the cutless bearing as all of this information is readily available.  A few thoughts


 

[Indian Falls]

Charlie the cutless bearing our boats use has the part description "BACK" they are all over ebay for 40 bucks.

I made my own install / removal tool similar to a strut pro and it works just fine, as I just installed my 70$ bearing I got online from an internet Chandlery back in Dec.   In early winter ebay had no bearings available but now that it's boating season they are prolific.

I was going to post my install and use of the tool here but this came up before I got to it.  You're welcome to use my tool if you want.  The two pics attached show removal with the prop shaft in place and installation with the prop shaft in place.

If you have 1/8'' play why would you wait until the fall? Unless your boats already in the water, Id replace it now.

My tool pushes the bearing out toward the engine.  Once it's out, either use a grinder or dremel or tin snips to cut the bearing lengthwise so you can remove it from the shaft. The shaft must be there to support the bearing during removal and installation. 

[Ron Hill]

Charlie : Like I said changing the bearing is no big deal. 

BUT first make sure that you don't have a set screw rather than a compression inserted bearing!!

A very important thought!!

[Jim Hardesty]

Listen to Ron.  Check real close the set screws get hidden under coats of bottom paint.

[sailaway]

Thanks for the help just ordered a blackfish from defender. hope I can get it changed soon only have two weeks. I will look for set screws have a  press for the cutless  the bearing. Charlie

[Indian Falls]

Why did Catalina, apparently, go back and forth with the setscrew strut??
From what I can tell in the data on this forum you may or may not have a setscrew in your strut anywhere between 1986 and 1993.  Why would they do that?  If you DO have the setscrew then changing the cutless bearing might be "no problem" but if  you have to press in and press out... It kind of is a big deal if you don't have the right tool.  You cannot beat it in and out with a hammer.... not when the strut is glassed into your hull... but then it's your boat.  No set screw in mine... 1990

[cmainprize]

Most builders install whatever they have on the shelf at any given moment.  Even with the set screw style strut, you might be in for a fight.  I was unable to get mine out using two different presses a couple of years ago, ended up having to drop the rudder, and pull the shaft, cut, pry and chisel the bearing out in pieces.  Not sure how the PO had installed the thing, but it was a real pain.  Maybe just bad luck, but be prepared.  I have seem pictures of the shaft being pulled put without dropping the rudder, but I was not comfortable bending the shaft enough to get it to slide by.  The mark 1 boats may be easier to get the shaft by the rudder then the mark 2.  Dropping the rudder was a 15 minute job once the hole is dug, I would assume this is not an option if you are on pavement.

[Indian Falls]

My bronze shaft was no worse for wear bending it slightly to get it past the rudder.  I did not have the press pictured when I removed the bearing.  If my cutless bearing wasn't so worn I could not have gotten the shaft past the rudder.  Also on my mark 1.5, dropping the rudder is not an easy task, it was an hour just to get the plywood out of the way and then the aft water tank is right in the way of reaching anything.  That's why I chose to force the shaft past the rudder hoping I wouldn't bend it.  I checked my shaft and it's within +/-.0025''.  I also sent my prop to Pier Propeller works in Tonawanda NY.  He called me with the estimate and commented that "you had a bit of vibration with this didn't you?"  I also replaced the shaft log hose, made it an inch longer so the packing can ride in a new spot.  The hard part will be aligning the engine so the shaft is centered in the log....  If I don't make it, I'll get there, if I don't get there... I'll make it.

[Footloose]

I had my rudder out for repair when I replaced my cutlass bearing a couple of years ago.  The question I have is how does one get the shaft back in with a new bearing in place and there being no play?

[Jim Hardesty]

Dan,
Before you spend the time on shaft alignment, check the engine mounts.  May be time to change.  Expecialy if you were encountering vibration.  And, don't forget to check the alignment a couple of weeks after the boat is in the water.
Sorry to suggest more work when sailing season is so close.
Jim

[Indian Falls]

Thanks Jim,  I put vetus k75's all the way around 2 seasons ago.  It is no fun doing that alignment.
I can see that it is off a lot.  I suspected that my prop shaft was slapping my shaft log at certain RPMs.
Confirmed that when I found rub marks on the bronze where the log is.  I think I'm going to do a pre-align on the hard  and then re-align in the water.  Some folks here claim they can't see any misalignment from being in the cradle. 

I have an idea to use an ohm meter during the alignment to indicate when the prop shaft touches the stuffing box.  I can find the number of turns up/down from top contact to bottom contact and should be able to unscrew half and be center.  Left right is a bit more problematic but that is why I want to align before getting wet. 
I can't see port/starboard being affected much by water/ cradle load distribution.  Maybe Ron or Stu knows which direction the misalignment tends to go when in the cradle?

[stevewitt1]

Dan

Why is your shaft bronze?  I've never heard of a bronze shaft before.  Each day I marvel at how little I really know, LOL.

Steve

[Ron Hill]

Dan : On my engine with the boat on 6 jack stands - the rear of the engine needed to be moved to port (slightly) when I got back in the water.  
Then I was away from the shaft touching the wall of the shaft log.

Steve : All of the MKI C34s came with a bronze shaft. 

[Indian Falls]

Oddly the bronze shaft is CAST bronze.  It is only machined on the ends where the cutless, taper for the prop, stuffing box and the transmissions flange are.  The rest is an unmeasurable casting surface that may or may not appear perfectly straight.  I could only check for run-out on the ends to about 8'' in, everything in between was all over the place.
I might add that this shaft is tough, it is not easily bent, nor easily adjusted.  At some point a nice new SS shaft may be in my future, but all in all we'll just use this one for now.

I found that in my cradle the propshaft wants to lay on the bottom of the log.  This could be from being in the cradle and it could be from the poor alignment I achieved after changing the engine mounts.  When in the water You cannot tell if the shaft is centered in the log easily. Last week I used a piece of 1'' ID sanitary hose to center the shaft in the log just behind the stuffing box.  you do need to pull the hose off the log for this.  The engine is more than 1/8'' lower than the flange.   That's a lot.  I'd like to ask Catalina if their engine alignment was done in the water or in production.