Ball park estimate...
Most any yard can quote for the lift, blocking for a day or two, and splash again.... Replacing the cutlass bearing can be a couple hours or all day, depending on how eager the old one is to leave the strut.
At about $70./hour for yard labor, this can add up.
The actual cost of a new bearing, IMO, will be the least of the billing.
I assume that you know that the shaft will probably be pulled, and if the coupler is rusted up will consume some more time and quality swear words. (Finally, a reason, measurable in raw $$ to keep the engine/trans/coupler clean and dry.)
Most of us, I would venture to guess, do this as part of a planned haul out for a bottom painting. Point is to combine jobs needing the expense of a haul out.
http://www.schoonercreek.com/service_yard/rates.htm
This is a current rate schedule for a local yard, which may or may not be helpful to you where your live...
Best,
Loren
Most any yard can quote for the lift, blocking for a day or two, and splash again.... Replacing the cutlass bearing can be a couple hours or all day, depending on how eager the old one is to leave the strut.
At about $70./hour for yard labor, this can add up.
The actual cost of a new bearing, IMO, will be the least of the billing.
I assume that you know that the shaft will probably be pulled, and if the coupler is rusted up will consume some more time and quality swear words. (Finally, a reason, measurable in raw $$ to keep the engine/trans/coupler clean and dry.)
Most of us, I would venture to guess, do this as part of a planned haul out for a bottom painting. Point is to combine jobs needing the expense of a haul out.
http://www.schoonercreek.com/service_yard/rates.htm
This is a current rate schedule for a local yard, which may or may not be helpful to you where your live...
Best,
Loren
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John Bouchard
Member II
Cutlass Bearing Replacement
Loren is right on with this type of "quick" project. You never know with these cutlass beasties. I've replace three in the past, and with older boats, such as mine, it invariably takes the longest route. While the boat is hauled for some reason (here in NE that means in the winter months!) is the only way you can do it. If you seldom haul, plan on doing everything at once when you do!
Once the shaft is out (again the long route - I had to lower/remove the rudder on my Pearson and the current E32), all three of my projects involved hooking up a hacksaw with the blade through the middle of the bearing and cutting three or four slices lengthwise through the bearing...Almost to the housing core surface. Then driving a chisel/punch into the bearing aft end to "curl" the bearing inward - this usually peels the bearing outer surface from the inner surface of the housing, and the bearing will eventually come free.
Don't forget first to find all threaded set screws - on my old Pearson there were actually two additional screws installed... If there's much bottom paint on the housing, you'll have to strip it all off down to the metal (again, making the route loonnggg!).
It's a bit tedious, but do it yourself and not pay for someone else's time!
The cost of the bearing is the least expensive part of this job. I found my last one on-line for 50% off and free shipping... pretty lucky, I'll admit. Installing the new one is easy - if need be you can use some extra thick washers and nuts on a threaded rod to pull the new bearing into the cutlass housing.
This may be confusing, and you may not even care! But if I can describe differently for clarification, just ask.
John B.
Loren is right on with this type of "quick" project. You never know with these cutlass beasties. I've replace three in the past, and with older boats, such as mine, it invariably takes the longest route. While the boat is hauled for some reason (here in NE that means in the winter months!) is the only way you can do it. If you seldom haul, plan on doing everything at once when you do!
Once the shaft is out (again the long route - I had to lower/remove the rudder on my Pearson and the current E32), all three of my projects involved hooking up a hacksaw with the blade through the middle of the bearing and cutting three or four slices lengthwise through the bearing...Almost to the housing core surface. Then driving a chisel/punch into the bearing aft end to "curl" the bearing inward - this usually peels the bearing outer surface from the inner surface of the housing, and the bearing will eventually come free.
Don't forget first to find all threaded set screws - on my old Pearson there were actually two additional screws installed... If there's much bottom paint on the housing, you'll have to strip it all off down to the metal (again, making the route loonnggg!).
It's a bit tedious, but do it yourself and not pay for someone else's time!
The cost of the bearing is the least expensive part of this job. I found my last one on-line for 50% off and free shipping... pretty lucky, I'll admit. Installing the new one is easy - if need be you can use some extra thick washers and nuts on a threaded rod to pull the new bearing into the cutlass housing.
This may be confusing, and you may not even care! But if I can describe differently for clarification, just ask.
John B.
exoduse35
Sustaining Member
r&r of the bearing is the easy part! It is really just a brass bushing that is pressed into the casting that supports the prop shaft. after the shaft is removed you can cut through the bushing easily with a hacksaw blade in a support handle (makes it look more like a file or knife than a saw) The bushing is less than 1/4 " thick. The tricky part is that you want to slice all the way through the bearing without cutting into the housing, this means that care is more important than speed! It will take about a half hour to cut...most of the way will go quickly then as you near the casting it is more a few deliberate strokes ,then examine, then a few more...Once completely through, the bushing will no longer be a press fit. the outside diameter of the bearing was only 4 or 5 thousandths larger than the hole in the casting, the cut will be about 50 thousandths wide. At this point it will usually push out with a punch and hammer after removing the set screws. Don't use too much force as you don't want to damage the sealing between the casting & hull. If it doesn't come, then get a few washers that are too big to fit through the bearing but smaller than the hole in the casting (you can use the new bearing t size up what will work) and a socket wrench socket that is larger than the outside of the bearing & deep enough that the bearing will go completely inside, and a bolt long enough to go through the washers bearing and socket. Place the washers on the bolt put the bolt through the old bearing and on the other end place the socket and a nut. as you tighten the nut the washers will pull the bearing into the socket. be careful at the start that the stacks aligned well or the washer will hang on the casting or the bearing on the socket. If it still wont come out, make a second cut and repeat. the new bearing will go in the same way, stacking then drawing in by tightening the nut. Also important is having the prop shop check the diameter and trueness of the shaft and balance and trueness of pitch of theprop... it will ruin the new bearing instantly if either is bad! and before you Even take the boat out of the water start working in freeing up the bolts at the inboard end of the prop shaft, WD40 works at the same speed but cheaper before you get to the yard. Finally, re-align the engine and shaft upon re-assembly. It is not that hard and if you watch the guy at the yard do it two things will happen: 1, you will think he is a n animal with no regard for your boat as he drags out the sawsall & sledge hammer and 2, you will saw "I could have done that" Good luck & have fun, Edd
ChrisS
Member III
My 32 is hauled right now, and I was pleased to hear that the yard found removing and replacing the bearing without removing the shaft "surprisingly easy"--but my boat has a 1/2" shaft and therefore a thick-walled bearing, so there was lots of material to press out (and then back in). They charged me one hour, which is pretty painless compared to removing a shaft and realligning the engine.
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Tom Plummer
Member III
I found that chilling the new bearing in liquid nitrogen prior to installation caused it to contract enough that it could be easily pushed in by hand. If you don’t have a source for liquid nitrogen the dry ice would work just fine.
Careful with the dry ice...
Hi all --- just yesterday I noticed the box that the Trellex Morse bearings come in had a sticker with a warning against the use of dry ice or nitrogen. My understanding is that the bond between the metal and the rubber can be compromised at extremely low temperatures. In addition the metal can become brittle. The label said something like no more that -20 degrees F if you want to "shrink fit" the bearing, so I guess a freezer is your best bet...
Hi all --- just yesterday I noticed the box that the Trellex Morse bearings come in had a sticker with a warning against the use of dry ice or nitrogen. My understanding is that the bond between the metal and the rubber can be compromised at extremely low temperatures. In addition the metal can become brittle. The label said something like no more that -20 degrees F if you want to "shrink fit" the bearing, so I guess a freezer is your best bet...