How do I replace the cutless bearing on a Hallberg-Rassy Rasmus 35?

You can replace the cutless bearing on a Rasmus 35 with the propeller shaft in place if the housing allows the bearing to be drawn out aft. Identify the housing and retaining screws first; with an older threaded bronze housing, the fallback is to remove the complete housing and extract the bearing on the bench.

Identify the bearing housing

Clean antifouling and deposits from the aft end of the stern tube. Decades of repairs, engine changes and shaft replacements mean Rasmus 35 installations differ, so establish what is fitted before buying a bearing or applying force.

Look for a bronze bearing housing, small radial grub screws retaining the bearing sleeve, and a flange against the hull. Paint and filler may conceal the flange bolts. The older Hallberg-Rassy bronze-housing procedure specifies an M10 bolt or bolts, but check the fittings on your boat.

Do not assume the instructions for HR40, HR43 and HR48 stern tubes built from 2007 apply. Those describe a composite-sleeved bearing that rotates and pulls out after loosening two Allen screws.

• Measure the shaft diameter accurately with callipers.
• Confirm the bearing's outside diameter and overall length from the removed part or reliable installation records.
• Check whether the housing has an internal shoulder that determines the extraction direction.

Check shaft movement at the bearing before dismantling, then inspect the exposed shaft for scoring. A worn shaft journal can leave excessive clearance even with a new bearing.

Extract with the shaft fitted

Have the boat securely supported ashore and isolate the engine starting circuit. Support the propeller shaft independently so its weight cannot load the gearbox output shaft.

1. Remove the propeller with a suitable puller and retain the key, nut and locking hardware.
2. Expose and release every bearing-retaining grub screw. Remove them completely if necessary to ensure their tips clear the sleeve.
3. Where the bearing's water grooves provide access, pass a slim wire hook between the shaft and bearing and catch the bearing's inner end.
4. Draw the bearing aft with controlled, even pressure while keeping the shaft supported.

Hallberg-Rassy's older bronze-housing guidance describes this hook method, but success depends on access and how tightly the bearing is held. Do not wedge a screwdriver against the shaft or pull hard enough to tear the rubber away from a seized sleeve. If modest pressure will not move it, remove the housing.