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Cutlass Bearing Replacements

Discussion in 'Cabo Yacht' started by CSkipR, Feb 27, 2015.

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  1. CSkipR

    CSkipR Member

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    I'm replacing my cutlass bearings again almost 3 yrs this time, 2 yrs last time and 2 years the time before. First ones were Bond and second and third set were Orkot. Any new recommendations on cutlass bearings?
    Skip
  2. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Unless you're doing an awful lot of hours I'd be checking my shaft alignment.
  3. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Are they going bad or our you just replacing them?
  4. CSkipR

    CSkipR Member

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    Only 250 hrs annually. I would say there is not a lot of play but there is some. Haven't measured so cant give specifics at this time until I pull boat. Info from diver. The shafts were aligned 2/3 years ago. Props were balanced and I don't have a lot of vibration. Do have more in reverse. I'm wondering if water flow could be an issue. I have always had zincs on my shafts and recently found out that Cabo does not recommend putting zincs on the shafts with their grounding system.
    I am pretty **** about the running gear & engines.
  5. Beau

    Beau Senior Member

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    Skip

    Those are very short replacement intervals. What makes you think the bearings are bad? Both bad at the same time? What did the past two change outs look like?
  6. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Water flow can definately be an issue. So can running or maneuvering in shallow water that's silty or sandy.... Like if you dock and kick up a lot of sand or silt in your slip everytime, that sand and stuff gets into the bearings and can prematurely wear them. I've used mostly Johnson, or the other brand that has been making them forever (the name escapes me at the moment). I've never used the brands you have.

    Cabo's usually have a lot of prop chatter in reverse, it's pretty common on all of them. A little less with the Vheem props compared to the Michigans.

    You are correct, Cabo shafts never had zincs from the factory. They utilize a shaft wiper in the engine room which is connected to the transom zinc.
  7. CSkipR

    CSkipR Member

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    When the boat is out of the water I've got some very slight play in the shaft. Not much but some. I have always replaced both at same time but not sure if both needed it. Unfortunately I don't remember the details. Will check it closer this time.
  8. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Measure it with feeler gauges, you do need a slight amount of room in there. But there are acceptable tolerances for each size cutlass bearing and they're a bit liberal.....I think somewhere around 15 or 20 thousandths.