Cutlass Bearing Help

kccollbran · #1 (**permalink**) 03-25-2008

I need to have the cutlass bearing replaced on my boat, she has a 1" prop shaft. The bearing cost is about $120. The problem is, I'm about 1,400 miles away and can't be there to supervise or comment on the work. The surveyor said everything is very clean and shouldn't be anything but routine. There are no other problems with the shaft or packing glands. So just a ballpark figure, what should I expect to pay without getting hosed? The work is being done in La Paz, Mexico.

IslandRaider · #2 (**permalink**) 03-25-2008

well that depends on what is involved in getting the old one out ane the new one in.

In my case I had to disconnect the motor and slide it into the cabin, pull the prop and remove the shaft from inside the boat ( not an easy job but its done), in order for someone to give you an idea you need to tell us what type of boat you have an model

PBzeer · #3 (**permalink**) 03-25-2008

Is the boat on the hard, or in the water? If in the water, then you'll have to pay to have it hauled. Most places will have an hydraulic tool that will push the bearing out of the strut, and off the shaft. Reverse, for putting in the new one. I watched them do a boat last summer, where they had to trim off part of the strut and then fabricate a die, to get the bearing out of the strut. So it's hard to give an easy answer.

kccollbran · #4 (**permalink**) 03-25-2008

The boat is on the hard. Only the prop has to be removed, and everything is very clean. Is it a matter of a couple of hours labor and the part?

PBzeer · #5 (**permalink**) 03-25-2008

It should be. Doesn't mean it will be though. As long as they have no problem getting it out of the strut, it should be a simple job.

petegingras · #6 (**permalink**) 03-25-2008

the cutlass bearing done by a surveyer, i agree it should be simple. The cutlass bearing done by me on the 1976 27' Catalina with the original bearing took me three hours to locate a mallet and hammer the right size to force it out. Then i realized that an inverted hacksaw blade, if done carefully would do the trick, that way it was just 20-30 minutes with the saw, hammer, and flat-head screwdriver.

factor in the seista.