Cutlass or pillow bearing??

[jwalka51]

I have a 26 webber cove lobster boat that I recently bought and am in the process of doing allot of work on. My engine is all the way up forward down below in the cabin so the shaft is just over 11' long. I have done away with the 1-3/8" shaft that came with the boat and have purchased a 1-1/2" shaft and all the hardware to go along with it. It currently has a pillow block just in front of the stuffing box. I want to get rid of the pillow block but I feel that the shaft needs some kind of support in the middle. So I am wondering if just adding a second cutlass at the inboard end of the shaft tube is the answer. Some people have told me that this is normally the way that it would be but I just want some more in put before I go ahead with it. I have purchased a two bolt, gland style stuffing box and have added a 1/4" hose barb to it that will be fed from my raw water before the heat exchanger, So I don't feel that lubrication/cooling of the second cutlass will be an issue. The only downside that I can see is that I will have a second cutlass to change when the time comes. Can you guys shed some light on this issue for me??? I'm just not sure if I am doing the right thing. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[F/V First Team]

A picture is worth a thousand words. Do you have any documentation of your set up that you can share with us?

 

[jwalka51]

What type of documentation do you need??

 

[F/V First Team]

Photographic

 

[jwalka51]

I can get some pics tomorrow. What exactly do you want pics of??? As of right now I have a drive saver on the back of my transmission witch is a 72 series b/w, from there I have about six feet of shaft before it enters the stuffing box at the inboard end of the tube and then another 4-1/2 feet inside the tube, I have a cutlass at the stern end of the tube. The pillow bearing was mounted just before the stuffing box. I will try to get you the best pics that I can but all the old gear is gone. Remember, I going from 1-3/8" shaft to 1-1/2" shaft, so I have taken the old shaft, pillow block, and stuffing box out. The only new thing that I have installed is the stern cutlass. So I am not sure of exactly what you want pics of. If you really need them, I will get them but What I'm asking is, Can I use an inner cutlass in place of the pillow block??? I read your response in another thread saying that this is common practice for a shaft tube to have a cutlass in both ends, so I want to know if it is ok in my situation.

 

[F/V First Team]

What is going to prevent the water in the tube from continuing into the boat? Packing gland? Lip seal? Something else? A pillow block bearing isn't going to prevent water ingress.

A photo from what you had at the onset of the project would have been swell, but if you don't have one that's ok too.

 

[jwalka51]

I have a two bolt gland style buck algonquin stuffing box , Brass with 3" rubber hose that goes over the shaft tube with a 1/4" hose barb tapped into the brass after the packing to introduce cooling water. The 1/4"hose is fed by the raw water before the heat exchanger. Its the same as the configuration that was there before. Except, I had a pillow block, and the old stuff was 1-3/8". I want to get rid of the pillow block and put a cutlass inside the tube to take the load that the pillow used to take. Thats the only part of the equation that I want to change. I want to put a cutlass in the inboard end of the tube, then slide the stuffing box hose over the tube , tighten the clamps, insert the shaft from the outside and be done with the pillow block forever.
The only info that I need from you guys is weather or not it is ok to put a cutlass in the tube right behind the stuffing box. I've got all the rest of it figured out. I am a very proficient mechanic, but I just want someone else's input on this.
So to sum it up. I guess my question would be.... If I have an inner stuffing box that seals my shaft tube and is fed with cooling water, can I put a cutlass right behind that to take up the whip effect that the pillow block just inboard of the stuffing box used to take??????

 

[F/V First Team]

Slap a cutlass into the end of your tube for support, your bronze piece connected with a short length of hose is a self aligning seal, which doesn't give you much support by itself, unless you tie it in with a bracket or something. Dual cutlasses will let you get rid of that pillow block and your self aligning stuffing box will be finest kind.

 

[jwalka51]

Thank you so much for the help. It really is appreciated. I will still get some pice of my hardware up to make sure we are on the same page

 

[F/V First Team]

I believe this handsome fellow is what you are putting in

 

[jwalka51]

Yup, that's the one. I'm drilling and tapping mine with a 1/4inch hose barb for cooling water. They had one with the barb already in it but it was like 100$$ more.
Anyways, is that one that I have a good one?? I know that buck Algonquin is top notch, but is that style of stuffing box a good choice??

 

[jwalka51]

Is that one a good choice?? I know that buck Algonquin makes good stuff, but is this style a good choice?? I am drilling and tapping a 1/4 inch hose barb into mine for cooling / lubricating water. They have one that already has the barb but it was like 100$$ more, so I said no way. Decided to do it myself

 

[captainlarry84]

For $100.00 you will get Bronze water feed attachment. Good luck finding one in other that brass. That is why it cost $100 extra their feed nipple is of the same material at the stuffing box. If you decide to move ahead and do it yourself try to fine a nylon nipple like the PSI dripless stuffing boxes have. I would not mix brass bronze at such a fraglie junction.

 

[traditions]

Is the tube machined on the inside to accept a cutlass bearing?

 

[jwalka51]

Im not sure if it is or not. I would imagine that it had one in it at one point in time. The pillow block assembly is obviously not original to the boat judging by the poor quality craftsmanship in witch it was installed. So I would have to guess yes.