Stern tube & cutless bearing replacement part sources

I have a significant leak somewhere between my stern tube and the aft end of my stuffing box. My yard is trying to locate the source: cracked or rotted stuffing box hose, cracked or eroded stern tube, cracked or degraded fiberglass or stern tube bedding, etc.

1. In the meantime, I'm preparing for the worst and trying to source replacement parts. The factory does not stock my stern tube and recommends having a local machine shop duplicate it. Is that the experience of IP Home Porters who've replaced stern tubes?

2. The factory says that the required 1" I.D. cutless bearing is available from FJ Prop in Miami, but I suspect it's available elsewhere as well. Again, I'd appreciate any suggestions you may have.

3. Finally, does anyone know if the drive shaft on an IP27 can be removed without dropping the rudder or lifting the engine?

Thanks as always.

Mluskin-
I just hauled out at Hinckley in Stuart FL. My stern tube was not leaking but I had to have the stern tube removed because I had the aging 1st generation drip less shaft replaced with an old school stuffing box along with a bunch of other work...Long story but My stern tube was a little corroded and I looked into replacing it. I too called IP and they told me the same thing. Hinckley was able to fabricate a new one but we decided mine was structurally sound so the bottom line is a good yard can get any fabricating work done. I do have pictures of the whole assembly removed if you are interested in what it all looks like. They ended up dropping my rudder which was a blessing in disguise as I had an issue in the steering assembly that could have been catastrophic. My advice is find a good yard . You get what you pay for.
Terri Ivins

Thanks for the quick replies.

The yard pulled the boat right after launching her and discovering the leak.

Stern tube is off and looks fine. The leak appears to be due to degraded bedding. I suspect that the elbow grease I applied while unfreezing the stuffing box nuts a few weeks ago cracked the 30-year old stern tube bedding.

I'll now replace the cutless bearing and rebed the stern tube. I'll use longer bolts and will install them from the inside out, and will notch the ends for a large flat-bladed screwdriver.

Will try to get some photos and post them.

I've got to do the same project sometime soon. I just got my IP-35 less than a year ago and the first thing I noticed was the stern tube bonding wire was disconnected. on top, it looks pretty corroded but solid. On the bottom side of it, I feel what feels like a lot more corrosion so I hope it is still sound on the bottom. I have been wondering if the original stern tubes were made by the factory or outsourced from a local machine shop down in South Florida. I was hoping someone may know the original supplier of stern tubes and maybe they can make replacements if needed.

1. Bonding wire. I had a seriously corroded bolt on my stern tube a couple of years ago. I attribute it to a broken (non-existent) bonding wire. I replaced the bolt and bonding wire. See my photo essay on IP Photos.

2. Stern tube. Removed the stern tube and found some erosion but nothing serious. The cutless bearing is shot and I'll replace it. The stern tube bedding was degraded and the likely source of the leak. I will rebed and launch. We'll see!

3. Stern tube replacement. The IPY factory does not supply them. They recommend having them fabricated locally. My yard says it's a pretty simple part, but simple doesn't mean cheap. Check your current tube before making a new one.

I plan to re-bed my stern tube on a '89 IP27. What is the bolt size on the stern tube, looks like either 3/8" or 5/16"? I would like to prefab a backing plate similar to one in previous posts and I want to make sure I have the right parts.

Thanks,

Al

The bolts are 3/8" x 1-1/4".

See my photo essay on this site from three years ago. I think you will have a difficult time fashioning and installing a backing plate, and I'm not sure it's worth the effort. Take some photos and see if there's enough room for you to take proper measurements, if the surface is smooth enough to bed the backing plate without using a ton of 5200, etc. I think bolts and washers work fine, and as my photos show, there is room for the proper tools (but not for your hands). Do mount the bolts from the inside out; makes for easier removal if you ever need to. (Though it's still a two-man job.) And don't forget to run a bonding wire from the stern tube to a good ground. Check your bonding wire diagram in the owner's manual and check the wires to the chainplate and rudder stock while you're doing this.

Hey IP community....I pulled Galatea and need to do the cutless bearing and stern tube.
There appears to a wealth of information but I can't seem to get the links to work for the photo essays on this subject. I get link errors...404. Are these links still active? Am I doing something wrong on my end?
Any help getting this information would be great. Thanks

They moved all the photos. I checked to make sure and you can click on photos and do a "google search our photos" and try "stern tube" and you will find lots of photos.

No need to make any of this hard or to use any special plates or welding.
Stern tube bolt removal: The bolt removal “problem” isn’t. Five minute job. – Use a saws-all, cut them off, push them in with a punch and a light tap with a hammer. Remove the stern tube and fix the bearing or whatever you need to do.

Use new bolts for the reinstall as below quick and easy, the bolts are cheap.
Replace the stern tube bolts with longer ones – push them thru from the inside of the boat, i.e.put the heads inside the boat and nuts outside. After you get tube in and the nuts on with washers etc. Then hold the longer end with a “Big Pair” of vice grips, tighten down the nuts from the outside with an open end wrench. The nuts can’t turn because you are holding them with the Big Vise Grips. Finally, cut off the extra threaded part that was “bugger-up” by the vise grips (with the saws-all again) and dress the nut faces with a fine file. This is a twenty minute job. Your hands and tools will be covered with 5200 but you should have all your skin.

George
Delicia IP40