LCM 6 Info wanted, Landing Craft

I am working on a 56ft LCM landing craft. The upper rudder bearing is dry and shot. I have removed steering linkage, tiller arm, lock nut, upper bearing plate and cover. Now I can see what looks like a collar or the bearing inner race. And it is quite corroded to the rudder post. Does anyone know if this is the race or a collar? Im going to use a mongo hydraulic puller on it tomorrow or the torch. I didnt have a camera so no, I have no pics of it right now. Maby Ill get some tomorrow. Oh, where do military boat posts belong?

And I did get a pic of the critter with my deuce, so now you can't use the 'no pictures' smily against me! MUHAHAHAH!!!

Andrew

Was this by chance ever on Mackinaw Island? I remember seeing
one( at least it was some kind of landing craft) there in the mid 90's. At any rate what a treasure!

I do not know if it has been to the land of Horses and Fudge. This one is operated out of Petoskey.

Andrew

OK, I am just familiar with the rudders on PT boats, but so far as you describe they seem to be the same. I believe that at this point (with the nut removed), the rudder is ready to drop out of the hull. The upper bearing will remain for you to remove later. Try striking the upper end of the rudder after soaking everything in penetrant oil. The rudder shaft may have a taper at the top where the bearing is, otherwise it is just a long shaft. Put something under the hull so the rudder will not be damaged if it falls suddenly.

Yeah I think Thats tomorrows project. I have to change ol and winterize everything. The boat is hanging right now and I'll dissassemble from the bottom up. This one has kort nozzles and the rudder post is split into two parts, above the nozzle and below the nozzle. I was hoping to lift the bearing up and off of the shaft before I drop the shaft out of the boat. I dont think it really matters that I do it in this order. Just that was the first plan. Andrew

Heat and beat. No results yet. Added penetrating oil. I have some pics to upload tonight. Aggravating........ Mondo puller time!

I have a converted LCM-3 and would appreciate any resource info on the Landing Crafts that you could share. Thanks, Jim

The "Mike" boats with the steering nozzles are different from the regular LCM-6 rudder systems. The bearings have to be heavier and mounted differently to handle the weight. There are several things different about them including blowers on the engines. We have a couple that we got with our LCM-8's that are not for our boats. Google the LCM Mark number and some of the manuals should come up with the diagram for that set-up. IF that doesn't work, let me know, we've an old retired "Mike" boat engineer I could probably put you in contact with who will know how to handle it. Be very careful with the "don't force it, get a bigger hammer" type equipment.

Just how "converted" is your LCM-3? Those boats are rare, and some nit-wit from here on Lake Erie had one 'unconverted' and didn't want it for his business anymore and he sent it to a scrap yard, they cut it in sections before we found out about it, ****ed shame really. There is a member of our club that has a wooden LCVP he's working on restoring, just had the 6-71 diesel gone through and he is thinking of selling it, even knows which amphib transport it came off of.
We were thinking about getting it and starting a complete collection of amphibious boats since they don't use them anymore. The movie folks will need one or two every now and again besides the preservation of a serious piece of history.

Upper bearings are usually bronze and often are flanged so as to provide a "carrier bearing" area to support the rudder assembly's weight. If you have a "shoe" bearing structure (aft of the kort nozzle for the lower bearing), this structure may have to be flame-cut off to allow the rudder to drop. Once the carrier nut is removed (like NDT said), the rudder should drop out--that is unless the shoe bearing is still in place. Joy dish detergent might work if you don't have a bunch of rust to deal with.

We did overhauls on several LCM-8s a fews years back & will also look for some documentation.

Kevin

This site is amazing! Anything that comes up someone can help. By the way I spent some time on these things, a long time ago.

I spent ALOT of time on them a long time ago too, and then allowed myself to be talked into taking three "Mike" 8's the Navy was getting rid of to use to train youngsters ages 10 to 18. It was a 'culture shock' to try to get back into being a "Gator Sailor" again. (even more so to deal with kids these days) But its interesting, especially the first trips we made getting them out of Buffalo, NY. Some of our FMVG members had never been underway before on flat bottoms, our old ex-WWII tug (which rides like an 'old Lady' should) didn't bother them, she draws six feet easy. Those "Mike's" treated them badly. We've got quite a few manuals and other info on most of the landing boats built since WWII. At least the US built ones. They are fun, expensive, but fun.

Man, boating has been in my blood all my life...just recently caught the green fever and now the two may be joining forces to eliminate my pocketbook altogether. When I was a kid we basically lived at the marina all summer and a group of guys had what I believed now be a DUKW(memory isn't 100%, will ask the old man for his recollection) I always thought it was the stuff.

It`s good to see you guys keeping this stuff running. To much stuff is just lost over time.

Well I guess I should let you all know, I did get my bearings apart. A few years ago...... Just a lot of rust and corrosion. It has a compound tapered roller bearing... Fancy wording for the inner race is one piece shared by the upper and lower bearing. That inner race had long ago seized to the rudder shaft having never seen grease after military service. All removed, new bearings installed, and reassembled. had to re-bed the new bearing carrier assembly so that it is now centered over the rudder shaft packing. Installed a line to allow the greasing the bearing from the lazarette hatch without having to crawl down in there.

I am in the Military history club of the Carolinas in upcountry SC. Our club has just been given an LCM6 that was used on local lakes to carry rock and dock parts….
They replaced the front ramp and the pilot house alone with all controls in pilot house…
Looking for a good reference for restoring it to Navy look…

It has a hatch at deck level to access engine compartment…. Can’t find any pictures that have one??
It has two deck hatches to access the rear compartment to get to rudder control parts…. All pictures show on one hatch?
And a few other small differences

Is there any parts out there to restore the boat….. we can build a lot but small parts to make it look right would be a great help
Is there any support from the navy for parts and paint?


thanks for help or advice Gerry

Neat!

Gerry,
I will be back aboard the LCM that I take care of and I can get some pictures of this one. I do not know exactly what has been modified and what is original. Some things are obvious and some are less so. Ours has two hatches into the lazarette area, one large bolt down deck section with a smaller access hatch to the engine room and two engine room doors into the cargo bay. The owner has installed a fiberglass pilothouse and changed to a hydraulic drive for the door winch. It has a more "solid" door than what I see on yours. I think this one is original. It is currently powered by twin Detroit diesel 8V71(TI), twin disk transmissions and kort nozzles. Let me know what you would like pictures of and Ill see what I can do. As far as parts, we have had to source everything or fabricate it. We do not have the military manuals. I have manuals from the Detroit diesel distributor in Grand Rapids for engine work. -Andrew

Attempt pictures

Here are some pics of the door and in the cargo bay looking aft towards the engine room hatches. These are from a few years ago when we had the pilothouse off to pull the engines.

Not much to add, other than I helped move a few of those around Little Creek in the early 90s. The repair dive teams liked them. Pull up, open the bow and go swimming. Moved a few LCM 8s as well with our "Goose" marine travel lift. (I was just a spotter/extra body). I do believe the first 2 numbers of the hull number are the year it was made.