Boats For Sale:
Strut Bearing Replacement |
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b.miller 
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Joined: April-27-2016 Location: Kentucky Status: Offline Points: 21 |
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 Topic: Strut Bearing ReplacementPosted: April-28-2016 at 10:07am |
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I have a 1978 CC Mustang 17 with only 400 hours on the boat.Yes the hour meter does work and the hours are correct if your wanting to know.I am prepping the boat for the season and doing checks.When I was waxing the bottom of the boat I decided to grab the shaft to see if there was any play in the strut bearing.I do have just a slight bit of play.My question how much play is to much.With the research that I have done on the internet some sites say your allowed a little play,but that's the reason I am asking you all what you think.So how much play is to much?
BTW this says that this is my first post but I have actually been a member since 2006.I just don't post all that often.I just forgot my password and everytime I sent in to get my password changed the info was never sent to me.So I had to make a new profile. |
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8122pbrainard
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Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41045 |
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Posted: April-28-2016 at 10:18am |
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Brian,
It's hard to tell how much play is ok without clamping up a dial indicator and actually measuring but, by eye here's my opinion. You can typically feel some movement before you can physically see it move. If you can just feel it, then you're good to go for a couple seasons. If you can see it move, then do consider a new cutlass bearing. I'd also suggest checking the alignment if you haven't recently. A out of aligned prop shaft can mask the play in the cutlass. |
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Duane in Indy
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Joined: October-26-2015 Location: Indiana Status: Offline Points: 1578 |
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Posted: April-28-2016 at 10:57am |
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OK, I have a NEW culass bearing for my 1978 M17 and just measured the clearance as Pete suggested with a dial indicator. The indicator read .003 total indicator reading. Bear in mind that the figure shown was with zero weight load on it and the fact that the material is some sort of rubber like material (check was done with shaft out of the boat).,It is sure to sag a little with the weight of the shaft and prop.. Hope that this gives you some sort of idea what a new bearing would be.
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Keep it as original as YOU want it
1978 Mustang (modified) |
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SNobsessed
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Joined: October-21-2007 Location: IA Status: Offline Points: 7102 |
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Posted: April-28-2016 at 3:10pm |
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I had same outcome as Duane - new strut bearing had about .005 play. I wouldn't change it until it had .030 or so. It doesn't affect alignment much since it is out at the end of the shaft.
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“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”
Ben Franklin |
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b.miller
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Joined: April-27-2016 Location: Kentucky Status: Offline Points: 21 |
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Posted: April-28-2016 at 5:22pm |
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You can just barely see movement in the shaft when you try moving it.It really does not seem to be that bad of a job to do.Do you all recommend the new vesconite thermoplastic material (XPC strut bearing) that SKIDIM sells or do just recommend the old rubber strut bearing.
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baitkiller
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Joined: October-11-2011 Location: SW Florida Status: Offline Points: 1693 |
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Posted: April-28-2016 at 7:54pm |
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Im kinda happy the with the XPC bearing. I am not kind to running gear. I have about 250 hours on one and that has suffered through probably 5 bent props, strut bent 3 times and the shaft once. So far so good. You deep water guys should get a lifetime. I am running a tournament inboard through the ten thousand islands. This is flats boats with jack plates country.
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Jesus was a bare-footer.............
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b.miller
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Joined: April-27-2016 Location: Kentucky Status: Offline Points: 21 |
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Posted: April-28-2016 at 11:29pm |
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I did some more investigation about this strut bearing question that I have thrown at you guys.I have a feeler gauge that I am able to get in and measure the play in the shaft.It measures at .015 of play between the shaft and bearing.
So I am asking what is everyone's thought about that? |
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8122pbrainard
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Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41045 |
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Posted: April-29-2016 at 7:25am |
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Brian,
The .015 is total and not per side correct? If so, I feel you have some more time before you need to change the cutlass. Did you check the alignment? On the traditional rubber VS: the plastic, I'd stick with the rubber but that's my opinion. I've had lots of experience with plastic bushings in an industrial wet application . It involved testing of 10 different materials over a period of a year for the firm I was engineering director for. We ended up going back to rubber. The typical failure was grit getting embedded in the plastic and then wearing out the stainless shaft. Some here have used the XPC and like them but time will tell if the same issue comes up. Also, some have reported too tight or too loose tolerance problems from new. |
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b.miller
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Joined: April-27-2016 Location: Kentucky Status: Offline Points: 21 |
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Posted: April-29-2016 at 10:13am |
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Pete,
Yes you are correct with your assumption.The .015 is the total and not all the way around.Also I have checked the alignment of the shaft and it seems to be fine.Thank you all for your help. |
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Tim D
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Posted: April-29-2016 at 7:24pm |
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Are the stringers solid? Put your finger beside the transmission mount on the stringer and have someone throttle the boat (on the trailer at the ramp pushing the crash pads) in gear and see if you feel movement. That will cause quick wear on the strut bearing.
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Tim D
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SNobsessed
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Posted: April-29-2016 at 9:58pm |
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Good point but the strut bearing is 1% of the concern if stringers are bad!
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“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”
Ben Franklin |
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