Cutlass bearing

[rescuesailor]

I am trying to remove the cutlass bearing from my propr shaft. The rubber part is four inches long and seems to be stuck in the bronze casing. The entire unit has been removed from the boat during my rebuild. There is holes for set screws on both sides of the casing but they do not seem to be in there. I been considering heat to try to free it up but not sure what that might do to the bronze. Anyone have any suggestions?

[Tim]

One option, since you have the assembly out of the boat, is to take it somewhere with a small hydraulic press and press the bearing out.

Depending on your other options, you can often cut just through the bearing (the long way) with a saw blade or reciprocating saw, then pry the edges in at the cut, thereby eventually breaking the whole thing loose.

[Figment]

I'm confused. The bearing is stuck in what now?

The rubber part doesn't come out of the brass sleeve. They are one unit, they ARE the cutless bearing.

It's a ten dollar part. Don't go nuts trying to save it.

[Tim]

I was assuming you were talking about having removed from the boat the strut or a bronze stern tube housing, into which the bearing itself is installed.

But yeah: if you're just talking about the bearing itself, the rubber and naval brass are part of a single unit; don't try to disassemble that any more because it won't happen.

As usual, illustrative photos would be helpful to see the whole situation.

[rescuesailor]

Sorry, I should have been more specific on what was out of the boat. The entire shaft log is sitting on my workbench. It consists of the packing gland and nut, a short peice of stainless pipe, and the outer hub that holds the cutless bearing. I was aware that the rubber bushing had a brass backing. That entire assembly or the cutless bearing is frozen in the outer piece of shaft log or hub as I call it. I'm not exactly sure what that is called. I was relunctant to cut in fear of damaging this piece, however that method does seem to have merit. I was just afraid of cutting into the soft metal.

[Ancient Race]

David -

It would probably be very helpful if you could get some pictures.

[Tim]

I was relunctant to cut in fear of damaging this piece, however that method does seem to have merit. I was just afraid of cutting into the soft metal.

Just be careful. You probably don't even have to cut all the way through to be able to bend the bearing inwards.

[Quetzalsailor]

Make yourself comfortable. Take a new hacksaw blade mounted in one of those the little cheepie handles. Saw two cuts 1/4" apart or so, longitudinal with the bearing shell, and take care to not cut into the surrounding metal. This means in practice that you leave, say, 1/32" or more of the shell. Take a small cold chisel or equivalent, like a centerpunch, and ball pein hammer and peel the 1/4" strip of shell inward. The uncut metal will tear. You may naturally or purposefully not saw as deep in the portion of the shell that you cannot see; if you cannot peel more, you can saw a bit more.

This is obviously much easier if you have a strut rather than a fitting embedded into the trailing edge of your keel since you can see your progress and even back up your hammer blows with a chunk of steel (I hate to beat on the boat!). I took the strut off the Morgan 27 and devoured the thing at home.

You can take some time and cobble together a puller, too. This is the largest piece of threaded rod, preferably hardened and fine threaded, that you can put in hand and stick through the bearing, at least 1/2" dia. Cast about your shop and come up with nuts and washers no bigger than the shell for the 'pulled' end, and pipe or tubing or similar, larger than the shell, plus larger dia washers and another nut for the 'pulling' end. The sloppy mess will tighten up when loaded. Take care that the washers at the pulled end are centered and the tube is annular to the shell. Once in alignment, crank away!

[Figment]

Saw two cuts 1/4" apart or so, longitudinal with the bearing shell

That's the key.

[Ceasar Choppy]

BTW: I've had great luck with bearing shells made of fiberglass. Much easier to destroy when it comes time to change.

[rescuesailor]

Okay, the first problem is solved. Now I need to find the set screws that fir the bronze hub. Any suggestions.

[Zach]

Okay, the first problem is solved. Now I need to find the set screws that fir the bronze hub. Any suggestions.

Dial Caliper and thread pitch gauge.

[Tim]

Link: Set Screws at McMaster-Carr

[rescuesailor]

Tim,
Which metal would you recomend? The hub is of course bronze.

[Tim]

316SS is the typical choice.