Cutlass Bearing Replacement

[skipmac]

Depending on your boat and construction it might be cheaper/easier to buy a cutlass bearing slightly oversize and have a machine shop turn it down to fit.

[nonam]

use epoxy.I dont think its a problem.Maybe someone can recommend the best type of epoxy for the situation.

[skipmac]

Using epoxy on the cutlass could make the next replacement an even bigger pain than the previous.

I know epoxy is supposed to soften with heat and various other techniques but I wouldn't do it.

[TeddyDiver]

It's easy to avoid that. Just grease the new cutlass first (just slightly..) spread some epoxy over it and then push in..

[osirissail]

What is the propeller shaft size; the nominal O.D. and length of the old cutlass bearing; and the new I.D. of the shaft log? What is the material of the current shaft log?

[sdowney717]

I would think about pinning it using bolts and epoxying 5200 etc... it in there.
You can drill several holes and thread them, the run a bolt into the hole to hold the bearing. Drill slightly into the bearing so the bolt bottoms out in the bearing about 1/8 inch. put the bolts all on one side so the bearing wont cock.
Dont tighten so much as to distort it.
Bronze bolts would be best to use.

[sdowney717]

cutlass bearing slightly oversize and have a machine shop turn it down to fit.

but he may have mangled the hole badly and it is not a circular hole, could even be tapered. I could see that just jamming.

[4HMainer]

I work with bearings everyday, many are water lubricated shaft bearings.

We tend to work with phenolic composite bearings as these have performed better than rubber in many situations. But the fitting techniques apply to all. Bearings are built to close tolerances on the shaft and allow for a running clearnace as well as moisture and thermal expansion, if you have a press fit bearing the ID has to allow for the fact that it will be smaller when pushed in.

We use epoxy fit whenever possible, but the bearings are sized for this so the fit should be something that the bearing supplier tells you. We supply bearings with different ID and OD if the user wants to push fit (interference fit)

Epoxy fitting works well if the bearings are designed for it, it also helps removal. Just make sure to use an epoxy that has a low melting point, there are other techniques that our suppliers recomend for their bearing material when fitting in GRP tubes that can't be heated.

To be neutral commercially on the site your options in composite bearings include Orkot, Thordon, Railko, Maritex, ACM, CIP and a few others I can't recall. Or search for composite shaft bearings many are Lloyds approved for shipping but can still be supplied down to 1" shaft size.

[sdowney717]

vesconite, I used that for the prop shaft.
custom made for 1 3/8 inch for 2 was maybe $25 a few years ago.