New/Old Topic Removal/Replacement of Propeller Shaft

[sojourney]

Hello,
I'm in the process of installing a new s/s prop shaft. I've read on the board here that you can do it without dropping the rudder or removing the engine. I just tried removing mind today and when I tried to work it around the rudder it looked like I was putting a huge amount of load on the strut let alone the shaft. The old one isn't an issue but I'm concerned about the getting the new one in place without bending something (IE new shaft or strut).
It was stated that you have more room if you install the shaft before the new cutlass bearing. The one I have is pressed into the strut so I'm wondering how you do this when the shaft is in place.
Any insight to this is greatly appreciated. I'm current out of the water and want to get the boat back in as quickly as possible.

Thanks again in advance for your help.

So Journey #959

[David Sanner]

A fancy tool to press out the cutlass should do it. Or a crude one.
Then swap out the shaft and press in a new cutlass.

[Stephen Butler]

Did this early last year.  The old shaft was "red."   Based on our experience and the dozens of threads on this topic, you must remove the bearing...then it is an easy job to slide the shaft into the boat without bending the shaft or the strut.  Good luck.

[Ron Hill]

So : If you look in your Nov 05 issue of the Mainsheet, you'll find a great article in the C36 section on replacing the cutless bearing.

Yes, the old shaft can be removed by passing the rudder (but the cutlesss bearing MUST be well worn).  Easier if you remove the old bearing before changing the shaft.  Then you MUST remove the old cutless (my Mainsheet article which is also in Projects).  Then you insert the new stainless shaft (get it from Catalina - the cheapest) and attach it to the transmission shaft.  Then lastly press in the new cutless bearing with a home made tool, buy the tool ($395) or have the yard press it in.  Fleet 12 just purchased a tool for the fleet members to use.

Great info in the Mainsheet tech notes and on our web site.  

[Kirk Garner]

I don't want to beat a dead horse and I know this topic has been addressed numerous times but I succesfully removed my prop shaft this afternoon without dropping the rudder. I used the same procedure addressed by Ron's article in Mainsheet, with an additional trick that made it alot easier. When I first tried pushing the heavily lubricated shaft past the rudder it just would not budge and was beginning to scrape the paint off the rudder. I went to the local hardware store and purchased a 5" X 20" piece of THIN sheet metal (found in the isle with all the fireplace ducting stuff). I then duct taped it to the rudder along the same path the shaft would cross, sprayed both the sheet metal and the shaft liberally with WD40 (which was all I had in the car). Less than 2 minutes later I had the shaft in the back of my truck. It slid fairly easily along the smoothe sheet metal surface.  Now I just need to figure out how to remove the old cutlass which seems to be welded to the strut.......

[Michael Algase]

Cut it lengthwise with a hack saw (run the blade through the old cutlass, then mount it to the saw frame).  Once that cut is down the length, some gentle taps with a small chisel or screwdriver should allow it to collapse and break free.  Look for set screws too, and if they are there, back them out.  I just don't recall what years had the set screws.

Michael

[mainesail]

I don't want to beat a dead horse and I know this topic has been addressed numerous times but I succesfully removed my prop shaft this afternoon without dropping the rudder. I used the same procedure addressed by Ron's article in Mainsheet, with an additional trick that made it alot easier. When I first tried pushing the heavily lubricated shaft past the rudder it just would not budge and was beginning to scrape the paint off the rudder. I went to the local hardware store and purchased a 5" X 20" piece of THIN sheet metal (found in the isle with all the fireplace ducting stuff). I then duct taped it to the rudder along the same path the shaft would cross, sprayed both the sheet metal and the shaft liberally with WD40 (which was all I had in the car). Less than 2 minutes later I had the shaft in the back of my truck. It slid fairly easily along the smoothe sheet metal surface.  Now I just need to figure out how to remove the old cutlass which seems to be welded to the strut.......

Kirk,

Now that you've done that you'll want to have your shaft checked for true by a competent shafting or machine shop. It takes very little to bend a 50"+/- shaft enough to cause some serious vibration problems. Checking for true is cheap but if you bent it the straightening can run you $300.00+..

Having replaced both a C-34 & 36 shaft before I can say with some certainty that with the cutlass bearing still in the strut that the shaft won't come out unless you forced it. If you forced it to go around the rudder there is a very high likely hood it could be out of true now. These 1"shafts are designed and built for max out of true tolerance of .005" when supported at 42" intervals. Most competent shaft shops, like New England Propeller, true to .003" or better before a shaft leaves the shop. Get much above .005" out of true and shaft whip starts to rear its ugly head especially when compounded with other alignment issues.

Dropping the rudder on a C-36 or 34 is easy work, if you can dig a hole or support the boat high enough, and will give you a good look at your radial drive, pulleys and cables..

Removing your cutlass with the shaft out is easy: http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/replacing_a_cutlass

[Dale Stone]

Hello,
I'm looking for the Mainsheet 2005, that describes removing the prop shaft without dropping the rudder.

Thanks

[Dave Spencer]

Hi Dale,
Mainsheet technical notes including archives are available on this site to "members" of the C34 International Association.  See the difference between "members" and "registrants" in the sticky topics in bold above.  Membership is inexpensive and I would recommend it.  But, the note that you are looking for was posted in the Catalina 36 section of Mainsheet.  I checked the C34 Nov 2005 notes and I can confirm that there is nothing on prop shaft removal in that archive. 
You might want to check out the C36 forum.  https://www.catalina36.org  Or keep searching here.

[Noah]

I removed mine fine while rudder was in place. Just remove the cutlass bearing first to give you enough wiggle room. Slides right past my standard 1990 rudder. Maybe a different story with the Mk II elliptical rudders?

[Ron Hill]

Guys : The story will be the same for thee MKII. The shaft will slide past the rudder with the cutless bearing removed or a well worn cutless.

A thought

[Dale Stone]

Thank you for the replies. I joined last year but I should check my membership status because it could have run out. With the old shaft out and in 2 pieces, the alignment from aside the rudder and looking into the strut with the bearing removed looks favorable for installing the new shaft without dropping the rudder. I was hoping to read the article mentioned by Ron.

Thanks again

[Dale Stone]

Just checked my membership, I joined in late 2016 so my membership has run out. I will attend to that soon.