cutlass bearing replacement

[Tom Glennon]

Gentlemen:

I am looking for a referral here... I have an '87 with a 1" shaft and want to replace my cutlass bearing WITHOUT having to remove my shaft.  I am located in Onset, Massachusetts, and wonder if any of the New England sailors know where I could rent the tool required to press out the old bearing.  I have already removed the two set-screws located P&S on the strut, as well as removed the prop.   The yard, when asked how much it would cost me, went into a song and dance about 4-6 hours, if the set screws come out, etc. etc.  Thanks in advance.

[Mike Smith]

Tom -

Here's a tool:

http://www.strutpro.com/  Call around - someone may have one at a tool rental operation.

Here's a couple of techniques:

http://www.c34ia.org/faq-pages/faq-1-cutless-bearing.html

Mike

[Jeff Kaplan]

when i bought my 1986 c34 #219 last aug. the surveyor told me i needed to replace the cutlass brg. i contacted the mech. i used to work on my old c27 to do the job. as it turned out, i also needed to replace the shaft. on an '87 you should check it, coming to end of its life. won't be able to check unless you remove the shaft. i sail out of salem harbor...jeff kaplan

[Ron Hill]

Tom : You need to call around your area and find a Marina/Yard with that tool.
As Jeff mentioned, I'd first back out the two dimple nuts that hold the drive shaft in place and slide the drive shaft back a "struts" length and see what shape the drive shaft section is that's inside the cuttless.
 
As I wrote up in the Mainsheet a few years back - you might be surprised and just go ahead and replace the shaft.!!