Thordon Bearings Need Water

Port Side Worn Beyond Spec

Completely shot Thordon – as ugly as it gets

You never know what you will find when you take a boat apart.  This boat had Thordon bearings just behind the Duramax seals.  There was some suspicion that the bearing went without water cooling a few years ago.  The stainless shaft was hot blue in the bearing area.  Sure enough the bearing is completely shot.  This is all that is left on the “dry” side.  The other side is worn beyond spec and needs to be replaced but still has its basic shape – quite a difference.  Thordon’s are highly reliable and long-lived, but they need water cooling and a good alignment to do their job.