Cutlass Bearing and Shaft Coupling installation.

[Newf]

A question for you mechanical guys. I will be replacing the cutlass bearing on my boating in the next few weeks which means I have to pull the shaft. My question is when reinstalling the cutlass bearing into the shaft log and reinstalling the coupling on the shaft would you recommend using a coat of lubricant or never-seize or just reassemble dry? Bearing and shaft log would be both brass,,,,the coupling would be brass on a 1"stainless shaft.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[casper5280]

We would use dish soap. Lemon Joy for some reason, my dad called it the only soap you can lather up with salt water. Not sure it's true but never question him on it. Would clean up the housing with a rat tail file and hone it out with a brake wheel cylinder. Freeze the cutlass bearing over night and lube up the housing with soap and drive it home.

 

[ship happens]

If the cutlass seems worn more on one side it's usually because of engine alignment. Depending on what style shaft coupler you have, if you pull the shaft better have a boat yard with a big shaft slide hammer. You can make a press tool so that you dont have to pull the shaft. This can cut time in half especially when you need to align the engine. Have fun

 

[Newf]

We would use dish soap. Lemon Joy for some reason, my dad called it the only soap you can lather up with salt water. Not sure it's true but never question him on it. Would clean up the housing with a rat tail file and hone it out with a brake wheel cylinder. Freeze the cutlass bearing over night and lube up the housing with soap and drive it home.

Thanks, My Dad was old school but his preferred brand would have been "Sunlight Soap". LOL.. If the bearing comes out OK a quick cleanup and an overnight freeze will probably help. I would not expect it to have much of an interference fit. Thanks for the tips.

 

[Newf]

If the cutlass seems worn more on one side it's usually because of engine alignment. Depending on what style shaft coupler you have, if you pull the shaft better have a boat yard with a big shaft slide hammer. You can make a press tool so that you dont have to pull the shaft. This can cut time in half especially when you need to align the engine. Have fun

There is some movement but not "excessive" play in the bearing at this point and I could probably get another 1-200hr hours out of it. I will be changing out the engine mounts at the same time so decided to do it all at one time. Almost 2400 hrs on the engine so will change the stuffing box packing and hose and hopefully good for a long time after that. I have seen a jig to push the cutlass bearing out of a strut but not out of a shaft log but I'm sure there's a tool for everything. I have a simple jig made to pull the bearing out once I have the shaft out. Hopefully it's not seized in there too bad. Worse case scenario I will cut the bearing in two pieces. I've seen a couple of videos that shows this on badly seized bearings.
With respect to the shaft coupling there's very limited room to work with pullers of any size. My plan is to make up plate with a centre hole and nut welded on. Bolt plate to coupling and use threaded rod to push the shaft out of the coupling. I don't know if it's a tapered shaft on that end but I don't think so, which will make it harder to come of. It may be a b*t*h to come off but more concerned about putting it back on depending on what the fit tolerance is. I read where one guy drilled and tapped a hole in the centre of the shaft to assist in pulling it back on. I'm hoping to just heat it up a bit and it will slid into place which is why I wondered if a bit of lubricant might help.

 

[ship happens]

I just use long strand grease, I steer away from never seize personally. I always make sure it's a snug fit without being too tight. The set screws will make it tight tight. The grease will help but will dissolve over long period. Just my 2c