cutlass bearing replacement C-30

[jones2ar]

I just had my boat hauled and am concerned about the cutlass bearing. Has anyone replaced there's and if so can you tell me what tools i may need pull the shaft and replace the bearing ? Is this a job a shade tree mechanic can handle or should i have the yard do the work?
Jones2ar 86 C30 tr

[Faster]

This is a job that you should be able to do.

You'll need a hacksaw (maybe), some drifts and punches, a drill and you'll have to pull the shaft, obviously.

There will (should) be some set screws holding the bearing in place, at the 3 and 9 oclock positions on the strut tube (they may be faired in or painted over and may be at either/both ends) Find them and back them off/remove them. If the bearing is stuck and won't slide/tap out for you, you may have to pass the hacksaw blade through the middle, re-assemble the saw with the blade "upside down" and cut through the bearing lengthwise, in two places if it's real stubborn. This should allow you to break the old one out.

Once done, clean out the tube, remove the set screw (check their condition) Slide the bearing in place and mark through the set screw holes. Remove the new bearing and DIMPLE the outer tube where the set screws go.(Don't drill through, just give the set screw somewhere to grab into)

Then reinstall the bearing and set screws with a little loktite and you're good to go.

Having the cutlass bearing work loose underway is not fun... don't ask me how I know....... (do you have mask and snorkel aboard???)

[jones2ar]

The bearing hasn't worked loose but it does have some play. Did you have any trouble pulling the collar off the transmission end of the shaft and was it a problem lineing it back up ?? are there any tech notes that i should see before tearing it apart

[Faster]

Getting the coupling off can be a problem, may need some heat to help it along which is always interesting in a boat....

Again, there should be some set screws, hopefully wired in place that need to be removed. Disassemble the coupling bolts and slide the shaft aft to make enough room to remove the coupling.

If the coupling proves stubborn, get some longer bolts the same size and put them in place. Place a spacer (a socket or a piece of roundstock) that fits inside the coupling (ie just a little smaller than the shaft) between the shaft end and the engine coupling. Using the longer bolts, tighten them in a regular pattern once the spacer is trapped. You should be able to pull the coupling half off the shaft that way. The spacer should be long enough to allow sliding the coupling half off. Apply some penetrating oil to try to help things along.

As far as alignment goes, you should be OK if you don't have to move the engine/gear to make room for this operation.

Good Luck.

[jones2ar]

Thanks again,
I think I understand how to go about it now, just one more thing where did you purchase the replacement part, locally or from catalina.
Andy

[mxmunger]

The earlier C30 did not have setscrews in the cutlass bearing. They are friction fit. Remove the paint etc from the sides of the strut housing to check.
Parts can be had from catalina, they know which ones.
Take a look at catalina30 . com tech notes for somes tools to change cutlass bearings!

[Faster]

Thanks for that input, MX.

Jones, I should perhaps have said that my comments were general in nature, not specific to a C30, we don't own a Catalina.

The cutlass bearing will be a standard size and should be available at any marine/engine parts supplier.

[trodzen]

hmm, not so fast.. I don't know about the C30 but with a 2001 vintage C320 you can't get the shaft out past the rudder. You may have to do it with the shaft in place which makes things much more difficult. A good yard with a proper puller can do it faster. (vs going through the hassle of pulling the shaft, and maybe even dropping the rudder, which leads to raising the boat. ie - travel lift expense or digging a big hole under the rudder.)

BTW, I did just as Faster recommends. it's not that bad with the shaft out of the way. But I was also changing the shaft.

To take off the coupler, if you want to save your sockets from damage have some big nuts available to use as the spacer. You can use tape to help hold them in place as you line things up.

[alaska67]

chill the cutlass in ice before you re install it and it will slide in easier

[merrifik]

I own a 78 Cat 27 IB and changed out my cutlass bearing and I agree that you should check with the Cat 30 owners website for the design of a tool to do it. I made a split puller/pusher to remove and install the cutlass bearing without having the remove the prop shaft or rudder, just the prop. It took a bit of work to fine tune the tool but it worked a charm and the whole job took about 2 hours with the final version of the tool. I was surprised to see virtually the same tool design on the Cat 30 web site later on. It sure is nice to not have to drop the shaft, or rudder and just remove the prop, push the old bearing out and then reinstall the new one. Note: It goes without saying that it is very important to lubricate the cutlass bearing before starting and running the engine with the boat out of the water if there is any chance of the shaft moving (which there is). Ken