Pulling steering wheel

[seagull369]

Any tips on getting the wheel off? My super smart idea of hammering the spindle (once the nut was removed) of course only served to mushroom the threaded rod on the leading edge there.

I rented a puller from Autozone (along with a gear puller), but after looking at 'em both I'm not feelin too confident they'll work.

Oh, the boat's a bayliner, wheel is a Teleflex moving a 125hp outboard and it's looking pretty corroded in there.

Out of curiousity, is there a puller that would do both the wheel and prop?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Pulling steering wheel

they way i remove all of mine is: loosen the nut to the end of the bolt, leave the nut on to protect the bolt threads. now get in a postion with your knees behind the steering wheel applying pressure for it to come off. now smack the nut, the usually take 1 to 3 smacks. you have already ruined the helm. so get you knees behind the wheel and smack the bolt. order new helm.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Pulling steering wheel

Use the one that looks like a Y, you just put in the 3 bolts and tighten the center bolt and it comes right off.

As for the mushroomed shaft you may be able to get a die to clean it up but if it is corroded inside I would just relace it, steering isn't something to save money on.

 

[seagull369]

Re: Pulling steering wheel

Thanks for the replies!

I tried the pushing from behind already (actually pushed and hammered the back side), while hammering the shaft in front (with the nut off, of course). Probably shoulda mentioned that. It's just too seized in there for that idea to work unfortunately.

The puller I picked up isnt the Y kind, but since I have in hand I'll give it a try. If it doesnt, I'll definitely look for the other kind.

Fortunately the threaded part isnt mushroomed too far down on the shaft and it only looks rusted where the wheel hub actually seats itself further down in there, so I think it's salvageble. I was gonna cut off the maybe the 1st 1/2" or so, use a die to chase the remaining threads, then threadlock the nut when I put 'er back on.

I'll keep ya'll posted, if anyone's curious.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Pulling steering wheel

not the back side of the helm, you want one knee on one side of the wheel the other on the other side, put pressure on the steering wheel toward you, between the wheel and the console. the rap hell out of the bolt.

 

[seagull369]

Re: Pulling steering wheel

Well guys, no luck luck so far. You'd think the thing was welded in or sumthing.

I tried the knees behind the wheel (plus wd-40) idea, but it just would not budge. I also tried those wheel & gear pullers I rented (tho the latter wasnt the "Y" kind) and had next to no luck with 'em. Was thinking even if I had the "Y" with the wheel puller, I dont see where I could thread the anchor bolts in the wheel really. Only thing there are threads where small socket head screws secure the wheel to the hub.

I think I might try a bigger gear puller next. If the arms on the one I used spanned a little futher out, I think I woulda had a fighting chance with it. If no luck with that, I'll remove the wheel via those socket head screws, tap the hub, then use the wheel puller again.

It's tempting to heat the hub up with some mapp to work it out of there, but I dont wanna risk melting the dash along with it, if you know what I mean .

Thanks again for all the help! I'll keep ya posted.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Pulling steering wheel

try a puller that you can use screw into the hole that held the wheel, that is going to be the easiest way, get the 3 screws all the way in, then tighten the center puller bolt. the smack the heck out of the center bolt, tighten, smack tighten, sooner of later it will pop. if it does not. get a sawsall with a metal cutting blade and cut the shaft. mapp gas is a good way to set your boat on fire. when fiberglass start burning it is hard to stop.

 

[mtduckhunter]

Re: Pulling steering wheel

i had the same problem this weekend on my brothers boat. i tried TD's method over and over with no luck. so my brother went and barrowed a bering puller and it popped right off!