Cutlas Bearing replacement

[jmcentyre]

I've owned my Morgan38-2 since '78.
Now the cutless bearing is beyond hope and needs to be
replaced.
Has anyone had experience with this task?
I think that the shaft will have to be removed and that
will require either removing the rudder or lifting the
engine out of the way.
If there is experience in this area please let me know the
best way to get the bearing replaced.

 

[captrob]

<div>Chris,I just finished replaceing the cuttlas bearing on "Oconee" she is hull No.4, 1977, 382. The job is not too difficult just time consumeing. I'll try and take you thourgh it by the numbers. 1. Remove the rudder. I dug a hole under the rudder deep enough to allow the rudder to drop our then stacked pieces of lumber under the rudder to keep it in the boat. Removed the quadrant and key. Then removed the lower hindge support that bolts the lower rudder to the skeg. Next I used a 2x4 to lever pieces of wood out from under the rudder lowering a little at a time and finally dropping it into the hole dug for it.2. Pull the prop. This is the perfect time to have it blanced and pitch checked.3. Next remove the coupling from the shaft. You can use 4 pieces of threaded rod with nut on each end to do this. Connect the 4 pieces of rod between the shaft coupling and the engine coupling. Place something like a deep well socket between the two coupling to use as a "puller" and tighten the threaded rods until the coupling comes off the shaft. Pull the shaft out of the boat.One note of caution: If you have a "drivesaver" between your couplings be sure and mark the orinetation in relation to the couplings. Drives savers will take a "set" and must go back in the way they were taken out or you will develope vibration. This from someone who learned the hard way.4. My boat had no set screws on the cuttlass bearing just some calk to stick it in place. If there are set screws you will need to find them and loosen them. (see cutlass bearing in archived postings). I would try pulling the cutlass bearing out first before doing any cutting. Take off the stuffing box attached to the log. Insert the shaft prop end (threaded end) back into the cuttlass bearing put the nut back on the shaft inside the boat and use the shaft as a puller to bump the cutlass bearing out. If this doesnot work you will have to cut it out. If you have access to a recipicating saw this will work great. Get a long blade 6 inchers will not be long enough and cut a section out of the cuttlass bearing. Use channel locks to collapse the bearing once the section is removed. 5. Install the new bearing. I used a little calk to secure the new bearing.If you want to talk about it give me a call my phone number is 252-946-8031.Good Luck,Vic
</div>

 

[cfnava]

You are probably going to have to cut it out with a sawzall (reciprocating saw) and I bet you are going to want a new ss propeller shaft as well. Drop the rudder.

 

[dgh462]

<div>I didn't have to remove my rudder to replace my cutlass bearing two years ago, I was able to disconnect the coupling just aft of the transmission, slide the shaft fwd just enough to allow the prop to slide off the end of the shaft. Although this a bit of a puzzle getting things lined up and positioned properly, time saved far surpassed all the efforts of dropping the rudder, which is not a fun thing to do. In the archive files are some further comments from those of us who have replaced the cutlass bearing.Fred

</div>

 

[jhudnut]

Both times my cutlass bearing was replaced the rudder was dropped. The last time I modified the boss on the hull where the cutlass bearing is located and installed a MAX PROP. I didn't believe this could be done before but it worked out well. Details are available if any one is interested.