It's time to pull the shaft on my CD-27 for a variety of reasons.
The coupling came apart OK but I can't get the flange off the shaft. I've been soaking it in WD-40, sprayed into the setscrew holes, keyway and the front, but so far it won't budge. Even tried heating the flange sleeve after a -10F spell, but so far no luck.
Any suggestions before I cut through the shaft and buy a new one?
yahrling@cybertours.com
removing the shaft coupling ?
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Jerry Le Cocq
Re: removing the shaft coupling ?
Chuckchuck yahrling wrote: It's time to pull the shaft on my CD-27 for a variety of reasons.
The coupling came apart OK but I can't get the flange off the shaft. I've been soaking it in WD-40, sprayed into the setscrew holes, keyway and the front, but so far it won't budge. Even tried heating the flange sleeve after a -10F spell, but so far no luck.
Any suggestions before I cut through the shaft and buy a new one?
I had the same problem on my 25D. Try a 3 or 4 jaw puller if you have the room. You may want to put a split ring or some other piece on the backside to spread out the jaw load so that you do not distort the flange. On my 25D I did not have the room for the puller without moving the engine. I got a blind flange of the same diameter and drilled and tapped a ¾ " hole in the center for a ¾" cap screw. Then I bolted the blind flange to the coupling and tightened the cap screw to push out the shaft. The coupling key may or may not go with the shaft. I put never-seez on the coupling and shaft when I reassembled the unit to make the next time easier.
Good luck.
Jerry
jlecocq@milehigh.net
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Matt Cawthorne
Re: removing the shaft coupling ?
Chuck,
Not all shaft couplings are the same, but on some you can put an appropriately sized spacer (a socket?) in between the two flanges of the coupling and then re-assemble it without the rubber doughnut. back out the bolts which hold the coupling to the shaft. Use the bolts normally used to connect the flanges to the rubber insert to draw the two halves of the coupling together. Be ever so careful to turn each bolt only a fraction of a turn and then go to the other bolts (this prevents warping the flanges) When the bolts are as tight as you care to make them apply heat to the coupling, tap and pray. Let us know if the built-in puller method works for you. I know people who have used this method successfully in the past.
The folks at Robinhood told me it was cheaper from a man-hour perspective to just cut the shaft, but I could not figure how to get a saw in that tiny space on my '36.
Matt
mcawthor@bellatlantic.net
Not all shaft couplings are the same, but on some you can put an appropriately sized spacer (a socket?) in between the two flanges of the coupling and then re-assemble it without the rubber doughnut. back out the bolts which hold the coupling to the shaft. Use the bolts normally used to connect the flanges to the rubber insert to draw the two halves of the coupling together. Be ever so careful to turn each bolt only a fraction of a turn and then go to the other bolts (this prevents warping the flanges) When the bolts are as tight as you care to make them apply heat to the coupling, tap and pray. Let us know if the built-in puller method works for you. I know people who have used this method successfully in the past.
The folks at Robinhood told me it was cheaper from a man-hour perspective to just cut the shaft, but I could not figure how to get a saw in that tiny space on my '36.
Matt
chuck yahrling wrote: It's time to pull the shaft on my CD-27 for a variety of reasons.
The coupling came apart OK but I can't get the flange off the shaft. I've been soaking it in WD-40, sprayed into the setscrew holes, keyway and the front, but so far it won't budge. Even tried heating the flange sleeve after a -10F spell, but so far no luck.
Any suggestions before I cut through the shaft and buy a new one?
mcawthor@bellatlantic.net
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sam
Re: removing the shaft coupling ?
Chuck, I been there and done that. It ain't fun. Matt's suggestion works. It takes for ever but will work. One turn and rotat the shaft, one turn etc. You'll need to see an orthopedic surgeon when you get done from all the contortions you have to go thru. When I put in a new shaft, I asked the shaft manufacturer how to pervent this in the future and learned there is not much you can do altho there are couplings that have a cut in them and you can loosen some nuts to let the coupling expand a bit. It wouldn't work on my 40 not enough room. I put lots of grease on the new shaft, which by the way is an 'acqumet #22'(vs cheaper 19, 21 etc) the 'top of the line' SS and supposedly rust free. If you're just replacing the cutlass, the experience will encourage you to keep that cutlass aligned. You might also, as I have, cursed Andy Vavolitis for not putting in a removable cutlass unit like many boats have.
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chuck yahrling
Re: removing the shaft coupling ?
Well, fortunately I have a big hole in my cockpit right now, in preparation for glassing in a new sole this Spring. But tell me a few things more: 1) Roughly how much did pay for your new shaft?sam wrote: Chuck, I been there and done that. It ain't fun. Matt's suggestion works. It takes for ever but will work. One turn and rotat the shaft, one turn etc. You'll need to see an orthopedic surgeon when you get done from all the contortions you have to go thru. When I put in a new shaft, I asked the shaft manufacturer how to pervent this in the future and learned there is not much you can do altho there are couplings that have a cut in them and you can loosen some nuts to let the coupling expand a bit. It wouldn't work on my 40 not enough room. I put lots of grease on the new shaft, which by the way is an 'acqumet #22'(vs cheaper 19, 21 etc) the 'top of the line' SS and supposedly rust free. If you're just replacing the cutlass, the experience will encourage you to keep that cutlass aligned. You might also, as I have, cursed Andy Vavolitis for not putting in a removable cutlass unit like many boats have.
2) When you say "keep that cutlass aligned" do you mean being diligent about engine alignment so it lasts longer? 3)I thought the cutless(es) on all our CDs were removable (after some serious chiseling) or is the chiseling part what you referred to? ;^)
I didn't have any doughnut to start with but I intend to shorten the shaft for a Drive-Saver. Maybe cutting it off is the best way to go, as the old shaft will need to be shortened and a new keyway milled-in. In the end I might need a new shaft anyway.
I think Matt's idea will definately work, even if I need to get longer bolts to do it. Thanks Matt! I'll keep you guys informed. Also, I expect to have some pictures of my gee-whiz cockpit sole/hatch mod in a few weeks. Did you ever call Hamilton?
yahrling@cybertours.com
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sam
Re: removing the shaft coupling ?
Yes Matt's idea will work- and I forgot to add, I did not need a torch or any heating but about 4 hours literally of turn and rotate, turn and rotate. I think the new shaft was about $200. I got a new coupling too. It is supposed to be a light press fit (thats why it is so hard to remove and even if yo keep your old coupling, you should have it'faced' so it is exactly perpendicular to the shaft. YOu should call the prop shaft place and talk to them- can't find my bill but I think it was General Prop in Bradenton Fl. A note: at first I went with a local place. I wanted the Acquamet 22 so rust would never be a problem. When thier shaft came I put a magnet to it and it was magnetic. Western Branch Metals(?) the company that makes the propshafts said it had to be #17 and was not recommended. I then went to General and as I said before am happy. Salesman was knowledgeable and helpful.
Alignment is critical to the life of the cutlass which is a rubber bushing. That's why the book says to align it every spring. When I first got the boat, the yard aligned the engine and forgot to retighten the motor mounts. 2 months later the cutlass was worn out and the shaft vibrated like crazy-- this as i was taking the boat south 'forever'. The cutlass is glassed into the hull. to remove it you have to remove the shaft, loosen a couple of set screws and then try to get it out. It is pressed into a tube that is in the hull. My Westsail 32 had the cutlass in a metal fitting that could be unscrewed and slid off the shaft. Also before you undo the prop shaft remember to remove the prop or the shaft won't fit past the rudder.
My coupling has no rubber just 2 metal faces. I started with a short socket and when it ran out went to a longer one then so on. With the Hurth transmission there is not a lot of room between the coupling and the transmission so longer bolts would not work.
I don't know about cutting off the shaft. If you have the old brass shaft maybe but it won't be easy and if you have a ss one- i thinknearly impossible. plus there is not much room down there to 'swing' a hacksaw. If you use a torch the cut will not be smooth and likely the shaft will not slide out the back of the boat.Good luck and keep us posted.
A philosophy I have developed over the years, all boat builders and designers should have to spend a year living on and repairing their boats. I bet the designs would improve immensely!
Alignment is critical to the life of the cutlass which is a rubber bushing. That's why the book says to align it every spring. When I first got the boat, the yard aligned the engine and forgot to retighten the motor mounts. 2 months later the cutlass was worn out and the shaft vibrated like crazy-- this as i was taking the boat south 'forever'. The cutlass is glassed into the hull. to remove it you have to remove the shaft, loosen a couple of set screws and then try to get it out. It is pressed into a tube that is in the hull. My Westsail 32 had the cutlass in a metal fitting that could be unscrewed and slid off the shaft. Also before you undo the prop shaft remember to remove the prop or the shaft won't fit past the rudder.
My coupling has no rubber just 2 metal faces. I started with a short socket and when it ran out went to a longer one then so on. With the Hurth transmission there is not a lot of room between the coupling and the transmission so longer bolts would not work.
I don't know about cutting off the shaft. If you have the old brass shaft maybe but it won't be easy and if you have a ss one- i thinknearly impossible. plus there is not much room down there to 'swing' a hacksaw. If you use a torch the cut will not be smooth and likely the shaft will not slide out the back of the boat.Good luck and keep us posted.
A philosophy I have developed over the years, all boat builders and designers should have to spend a year living on and repairing their boats. I bet the designs would improve immensely!