[biodon]

Where can you get new bushing for the prop shaft support strut and how do you get the old bushings out?

It looks like the bushing is metal with a rubber surface where it contacts the prop shaft. The rubber appears to have longitudinal grooves to facilitate water lubrication.

I'm going to weld in new pipes/logs where the shafts go through the hull. The originals are thin in spots. How much clearance should there be? Mine are so rotten, I can't determine the original inside diameter.

[Savasa]

Mr. Bio,
If you google cutlass bearings you should find what you want. For example: http://www.deepblueyachtsupply.com/c...sbearings.aspx
...and one way on how to do it...
http://www.diybob.com/diyCutlessBearing.htm
Peter

[9lives]

The cutlass bearing is not welded in place but rather pressed and then a set screw holds it. When I reshafted our Aluminum 41 Regal from 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 I cut the tubes off the struts and welded on new tubes. The new tubes were purchased from Mc Master Carr of all places. I used the old 1-1/2" shafts with a machined bronze bushing that matched the Id of the tube and the od of the old shafts, which was also the od of the new cutlass bearing. This held the tube as close as possible to the correct alignment during the welding phase. The intent was to not have to line bore the bearing after welding. After we were all done welding and ready for the new shafts to be installed we pushed them up into the correct position and found that even when supported by the end coupling on the engine end, and a centering bushing on the shaft log the strut bearing had been drawn out of positon by the heat of welding. Luckily it was still within the limits of the engine mounts, but it surprised me how the port side moved and the starboard had turned out perfectly! The good thing to know is that today I no longer worry about a shaft shearing because of the Cats' torque when in swells! There are more than enough things to be worrying about on a lengthy cruise without the ones we create by pushing equipment like shafts to their limits! As to shaft log clearance I believe I had 1/4" minuimum. This is also somewhat dictated by the packing glands available for the new shaft diameter. Best of luck with your project. Ps I also bought the johnson cutlass bearings from Deepwater.
Mark

[q240z]

On my aluminum Roamer, I used a hammer and chisel to remove the old cutlass bearings, then used a 1.5" SS flue brush on a drill and Alumaprep to clean out the bore. After coating the bore with Devoe 235 epoxy primer, I pressed the new bearings in using the hydraulic cylinder from my engine crane and blocks of wood. The epoxy will hopefully keep a watertight seal to avoid crevice corrosion between the strut tubes and bearings. There was so much aluminum oxide between the two when I found the boat that you couldn't turn the shafts--the cutlass bearings were squeezing down on the shafts.

[biodon]

I wondered if bushings could seize that way. I wanted to put bronze bushings in the rudder logs, but refrained for fear rust between the bushing and the hull could squeeze the bushings.

[Oneiros]

Hi
I`m going to turn new bushing made of plastics.have alredy mount so i can grease them.the stud should bee much higher so the water cant get in.