Strut bearing

79nautique wrote: it will not be aligned unless you are extremely lucky which you won't be.

boy is that the truth. They make some special tools for this task, but I don't think they're necessary ski dimsells this puller. I like 79's method the best because it doesn't require a bunch of pounding on your strut. M3, yes you have to drop the shaft. I know guys who have used a socket to pound out the old bushing. I save the old one to pound out the next one.

Also, I think I read on here a couple years ago that putting the new bushing in the freezer for a while will help it slide right into the strut when replacing.

if you remove the strut, just be sure to re-align the shaft after you are done, because it will not be aligned unless you are extremely lucky which you won't be.

I removed the strut on mine. I have left it on before on a previous boat. Removing the strut was easier in my opinion.

Backfoot,

That's been my method, if the prop turns by hand without any wobble I figure it's good to go.

Chuck

I'm not sure if I would shorten it 3/4". I shortened mine 1/2" from the orginal length. I would measure the distance between the back of the hub on the prop to the front of the strut and leave about 1/4"-3/8". I thought on the newwer models you didn't need to shorten the shaft on the older models you do, but it should already be about where it need's to be.

The strut bushing are not that hard to change just need to remove the set screws first and then use a hacksaw blade and cut it in to two pieces and it comes right out. You can drive it out but takes a little more effort to get the job done. Some leave it mounted others remove the strut to remove the bushings.