I replaced mine, when it would make a noticable jump (not quite a "thunk")
when I wiggled it side by side). I would guess it was at least 1/32" of
play. It did smooth out the prop vibration a bit. Different boats respond
differently to cutless bearing play it seems.

David

wrote in message
oups.com...
Posting about shaft packing got me thinkin about cutless bearings and
when it is time to replace them. My shaft wiggles just a little bit
(almost no play) in the bearing and it is 24 yrs old. Last time I was
in a boat yard, I went around wiggling shafts in cutless bearings and
found a huge variation in bearing "play". Some were tighter than mine
but most were looser. One was so loose it would THUNK from side to
side. What is normal and what is bad?