Cutlas bearing on CD-27

[Jeff Parrish]

Anyone like to share their experiences and method for cutlass bearing replacement on a CD-27 (Westerbeke, if it makes a difference)?

Is it necessary to remove the shaft to extract the old bearing?

Thanks!

Jeff Parrish
CD-27 #276



jeffery_parrish@hotmail.com

[Scott Ritchey]

In my case (Yanmar YSM-8), I pulled out the shaft and the cutlass came with it. The Cutlass bearing was 1 in by 1.25 in by about 3.6 in long. The standard size is 4 in long, so I just cut it down a little with a hack saw and deburred the end. Mine had no set screws (that I could find) to hold the cutlass, so I used a little polysulphide to hold the new one in place. The shaft had some minor scoring and a lot of dirt film that made the diameter bigger than the worn cutlass bearing ... that's why the cutlass bearing came out when I pulled the shaft. The shaft is only 2 ft long, by the way. I had a local prop shop clean and polish the old shaft. They would have made me a new one for about $100, but they only has stainless, so I elected to keep my old bronze shaft.

By the way, the reason I pulled the shaft in the first place was to replace the shaft log hose, which was badly checked. Recommend you carefully check yours too, since a ruptured hose can be a BIG leak. If you change the hose (which is cheap) recommend you also opt for new, high-quality hose clamps. While I was at it, I repacked the stuffing box with the dripless stuff (green dog chew). Doesn't leak a drop now and it runs cool too. I recommend it.

Anyone like to share their experiences and method for cutlass bearing replacement on a CD-27 (Westerbeke, if it makes a difference)?

Is it necessary to remove the shaft to extract the old bearing?

Thanks!

Jeff Parrish
CD-27 #276

[Loren Lyndaker]

I replaced mine without removing the shaft. (If you plan to work on stuffing box the shaft needs to be removed) My bearing was loose so it came out easily - there are set screws through the fiberglass that need to be loosened if everything is tight.
Hope this helps.

Loren Lyndaker
CD 27 hull # 172
"Whippoorwill"



svwhprwl@pocketmail.com

[Chris Cram]

You know this is one of those jobs when I like to make "two martinis and call the yard". that is our little phrase in our family when we see a task that is beyond our abilities. Now mind you I don't like making that call --- giving the "yard" more of my hard earned cash is not a favorite past time.

Having said that this is the why: We replaced the cuttless bearing on a 25D and just this spring on our 30C and each time it required removing fiberglass to get at those darn sunken set screws that don't easily turn out. then removing the shaft because in order to get the bearing out we had to saw the bearing such that it could be collapsed in order to pull it out. Then replace, re screw, reglass etc.

Interestingly on the 30C the yard this year lengthened the hull prop shaft flange so that it comes right up under my tranny where we now have a PSY dripless seal where it can truly be got at for maintenance.

New bearing, dripless seal, lengthening the flange, new shaft (yes stainless---I know I know), pitched the prop, fiberglass work for about $1000 (B.O.A.T. Break Out Another Thousand).

Funny story on the Yard bill next to the labor price was a little note written by the technician that said "VERY DIFFICULT". It is a little tight in there.

Chris Cram



cccobx@prodigy.net