| Author | Message | ||
     glen (Glen) Rating: |
Jeff, Sorry not to get back to you much sooner, my automatic notification of posts seems to have stopped when my ISP changed my domain name. I removed my cutlass bearing by stripping out the plastic and then slowly hacksawing and chiseling out the the bronze tube. This was a slow and painful process since I was trying to be careful to not cut or nick the inside of the strut. Once you get enough of the tube peeled up I was able to remove it with pliers. I had to drill out one of the setscews and I retapped the threads to clean them up. I installed the new cutlass despite initial concern that it was too loose. I had PYI recheck the shaft and cutlass fit to make sure we did not mate up the wrong parts. They were good to work with and they pointed out that according to the numbers, it is NOT an interference fit i.e. it should have some play. I threw the new cutlass into the freezer and chilled it overnight and banged it in quickly the next day. It went about 2/3rds in and then stopped hard (warmed up) so I made a press using a large c-clamp and some wood scraps and pressed it in the rest of the way. I did lubicate it before pressing it in with Lewmar winch grease. (I had that on hand.) It is possible using threaded rod and the right size tubes and washers to make a tool to push out and push in cutlass bearings. I found a drawing of one while searching the web. I was concerned that the cutlass was too loose but I'm happy to report that it runs beautifully - much smoother that before. I've come to the conculsion that most cutlasses are tighter due to misalignment of the shaft and strut. The shaft flange mated back to the engine side flange very well - I could not have slipped in my smallest shim. Now I've got some work to do on my Yanmar. I'm pretty sure the exhaust elbow needs to be replaced. Anyone have any advice on that job? |
