Finally convinced to swap my cutter head bearings on a schedule, not just when they start growling.

I was out on the Mississippi River near Baton Rouge last month and a bearing seized up mid-shift. Cost me 6 hours of downtime and a $900 repair bill because I let it go too long. Has anyone else learned this lesson the hard way or am I the only one who used to wing it?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_max1mo ago

9.2 cubic inch Detroit diesel on my old 32 foot workboat, 2500 hours since I rebuilt the lower unit. I ran those bearings till they screamed like a banshee and still got another season out of them. She finally locked up right at the mouth of the Atchafalaya, had to get towed 12 miles back to the dock.

terryw671mo ago

Man, I don't know, is a bearing swap really that big of a deal? I’ve run equipment years past when it starts singing and never had a full seizure like that. Sounds like you got unlucky with that one on the river.

-1

anthony_campbell881mo ago

So how many hours we talking before "past years" becomes a problem? I've seen plenty of those "I run it till it quits" types end up with a tow bill and a lot of down time. It's not about getting unlucky, it's about pushing luck past the breaking point. A bearing swap is a afternoon job if you know what you're doing, but a full rebuild or a new unit costs way more than that. Call me cautious, but I'd rather spend a few hours on a weekend than miss out on a whole season.