Removing Steering Wheel
Any advice on this?
The steering wheel on my Southwind is about to give up the ghost. The wheel is cracking around the screws that secure the wheel to the hub. One spoke is effectively detached - two to go - so I had better get on and replace the wheel. Images of the wheel falling off out at sea are a bit spooky. I have to choose between replacing the wheel which is secured by six screws on the hub (and there seem to be a couple of wheels about which 'look' like they are attached the same way), or replace the wheel and hub. But it's getting a bit complicated.
Problem 1: The guy at Whitworths indicated that until about 10 years ago there were two versions of taper for the wheel. If I have got the 'other' taper then I've got buckleys of finding a wheel with hub to match and, just to top things off, if that's the case they also changed the thread on the steering cables so all the steering will have to be replaced. Ouch! The taper on my boat looks about 3/4" but most of the new wheels have two key slots along the taper seat and I dont thnk mine does, looking from the top. Anyone know anything about this?
Problem 2: Pulling the hub. So I am trying to pull the wheel off. It's pretty tight. Lots of tips on the internet about holding the wheel and knocking the spindle with hammers and blocks of 4x2. So far it won't budge. But i am a little tentative whacking the spindle with the hammer i must admit. I've got a 3" toledo puller so Ive cut a bit of 3mm steel to put behind the wheel hub to give it something to grab but the puller arms are about 1mm short! Looks like I'll have to buy a bigger puller and a bottle of penetrene!
Problem 3: If I could just get the wheel off the hub then i might be able to find a wheel with matching mounting holes. Trouble is those screws with tiny 3mm allen key heads just wont budge either (maybe an overnight dose of penetrene again). One option is to destroy the wheel and break it off so I can get some multi grips around the heads and get more leverage and hopefully not snap the screws.
One mate suggested a bit of heat to loosen things up, but with all the plastic about not sure I want to try that.
Any other suggestions would be welcome? Surely someone has had this pleasure before me!
Brad
Neander
Posts: 520
Date Joined: 23/10/07
Go out and buy a 3 prong
Go out and buy a 3 prong puller, saves smacking yourself in the face when it comes off. also saves breaking the wheel.
Plus once you have the puller it will be there for any other job that requires one in the yrs to come.
You can get pullers for about $25.
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18029
Date Joined: 11/03/08
i had the same prob with my
i had the same prob with my old boat (73 fraser)
ended attacking the wheel with an angle grinder, cutting carefully so not to damage the shaft but close enough so i could split the old hub which then came off after a bit of crc was administered, only last resort but
only need to cut one spot but
RUSS & SANDY
"A family that fishes together stays together"
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
NOHA
Posts: 914
Date Joined: 24/06/07
Try a a bit of spray, then
Try a a bit of spray, then whack the hair dryer on the wheel to expand the hub, then a bit more spray. Most hubs are alloy and the shaft steel so the hub will expand more than the shaft. If you got a paint stripping heat gun even better as they are hotter just dont burn your console behind the wheel. When its all nice and warm hit the back of the hub forward.
Replace both hub and wheel as you will struggle to get the two apart. When you get it off you will be able to see what taper you have.
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No Orange Hats Allowed
V8 twin turbo diesel....Ohh what a feeling!
Twin turbo..V8 diesel..Ohh what a feeling!!
No Orange Hats Allowed
boofo
Posts: 24
Date Joined: 18/08/08
What a nightmare!
Thanks for all the advice.
Soaked it in Balistol overnight. Got it pretty hot with a paint stripper. Got a 4" 3 leg puller onto it, could only get a grip on the shroud which bent as soon as any pressure applied. Used a 3mm plate of steel to back the shroud but that bent as well! Had to remove the wheel to remove the shroud to get at the back of the hub. No go on the nuts - they're stainless steel and stripped the alan key! Out with the angle grinder, cut up the wheel (it was useless anyway) to give me a chance to get some multigrips on the nuts. First four out, then two snapped. Then with the puller on the back of the hub and a LOT of force at last it's off.
I guess I'll find out tomorrow if it is the current spline. Looks like what I've seen in the shops but the keyway isn't all the way through on this hub. Crossed fingers.
Thanks again for all the advice - helps with the confidence to keep going when everything is going pear shaped, knowing others have been down a similar path before.
Not a fish but I'm pretty pleased to have it in my hand at last:
Brad
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18029
Date Joined: 11/03/08
you certainly tried all the
you certainly tried all the options
at least you got the old one off
RUSS & SANDY
"A family that fishes together stays together"
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
NOHA
Posts: 914
Date Joined: 24/06/07
Just remember to polish up
Just remember to polish up the shaft with some very fine wet and dry and just a smear of grease before putting the new one on.
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No Orange Hats Allowed
V8 twin turbo diesel....Ohh what a feeling!
Twin turbo..V8 diesel..Ohh what a feeling!!
No Orange Hats Allowed
kane
Posts: 1752
Date Joined: 07/12/08
never sieze is better than grease, next time itll slide off easy
Goooooone Fishin!
Gooooone Fishin!
NOHA
Posts: 914
Date Joined: 24/06/07
Except neversieze is nickol
Except neversieze is nickol based and the hub is aluminium. The resulting electrolysis can stick the hub on there again.
I have even tried Alminox paste which is supposed to be the ducks nuts when trying to stop corrosion with stainless fixings in aluminium. In the end just plain old marine grease worked the best.
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No Orange Hats Allowed
V8 twin turbo diesel....Ohh what a feeling!
Twin turbo..V8 diesel..Ohh what a feeling!!
No Orange Hats Allowed
PilbaraBrad
Posts: 3628
Date Joined: 16/05/07
you can get a few different
you can get a few different types of neverseize, i dont think there is an ally compund however
NOHA
Posts: 914
Date Joined: 24/06/07
There may well be now
There may well be now something much better, its been a few years since i left the marine game. But cast alloy anchor winches secured to aluminum boats with stainless bolts where the bane of my life.
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No Orange Hats Allowed
V8 twin turbo diesel....Ohh what a feeling!
Twin turbo..V8 diesel..Ohh what a feeling!!
No Orange Hats Allowed
Daisy
Posts: 789
Date Joined: 24/01/08
Duralac would be the go as
Duralac would be the go as long as there's no movement between the parts.
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The view expressed in this post is that of a self opinionated bullshitter and does not reflect that of the website owner, it's operators or anyone else for that matter.
The view expressed in this post is that of a self opinionated bullshitter and does not reflect that of this website, it's owners, mediators, other members or anyone else for that matter :-P
kane
Posts: 1752
Date Joined: 07/12/08
Theres plenty more than just nickel based anti sieze dude.
http://www.newmantools.com/felpro.htm#extlink
http://www.newmantools.com/felpro/c100.htm
http://www.yoyodyneti.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=Anti-Sieze
Theres soo many links of different products, thats just the first couple of hundreds.
Got plenty of options for ally to all types of disimilar metals.
Hey but what would I know, Im just a Chief Mechanic on an offshore oil rig, paid to travel from Perth to Brazil, Thailand, Norway, Africa, UK, etc because of my mechanical knowledge and methods.
Im not saying a bit of ep2 wont do the job, but this shit will last a lifetime. If it can withstand being on the seabed in high pressure applications for the oil and gas industry, its got the shit for your steering wheel mate.
Hmm sorry must have got outta the wrong side of the bed today, must be the combination of a hangover and the flu coming on. Use whatever you like, but I know what I use.
Theres also some cool shit I occasionally get from the rig, its worth alot but its used on the internals on the Subsea equipment, bloody fantastic for marine wheel bearings, Ill head out to the shed later and try to find a tube if people are interested, it comes from the states, NASA invented type shit but its the bomb! Never worry about your wheel bearings again.
Goooooone Fishin!
Gooooone Fishin!
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18029
Date Joined: 11/03/08
if that greese is as good as
if that greese is as good as you say i would like to give it a go
sick of the wheel bearing greese i use at the moment , it doesnt last too long
that wrong side of bed stuff , i know how you feel
RUSS & SANDY
"A family that fishes together stays together"
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
kane
Posts: 1752
Date Joined: 07/12/08
Yep found some out in the shed.
Have a look if you like, its what I use, pretty sure you have to order it from the states.
http://www.bennex.com/?page=1518&show=1563
http://www.thebuyingnetwork.com/40235/Aqua-Shield-Grease.html
Goooooone Fishin!
Gooooone Fishin!
boofo
Posts: 24
Date Joined: 18/08/08
Does anyone else want a tube - split the freight
Well I've used ordinary marine grease for the moment cause it is what was at hand, but if you reckon tht's the bees knees I'm going to order a tube. Anyone else want some? The site says USD11.21 but I'm guessing the freight will be more than that.
Brad