Steering wheel not coming off?

NorwegianBoater · 08-06-2008, 11:26 PM

bought a new steering wheel to my boat without taking the old one off first! Mistake; it is stuck! The old wheel has been in the boat for 4 years, and suspecting that the old owner did not put grease in the hub before fitting it. The steering is a Ultraflex hydraulic, max 300hp. Tried alot to get it loose, but afraid Im going to wreck the pump! Any good ideas out there that has worked in the past? Cheers

Frenchbruno · 09-06-2008, 02:02 AM

When its difficult to remove the wheel, this kind of puller used normaly to remove certains bearings types, is a good tool for this work.
Choose the size in relation with the wheel hub. You can borrow one or buy one from shacktool.com or similar in Norway.

Burty · 09-06-2008, 08:53 AM

Use the Tony Davis method!!
Sit on the dash with your legs between the dash and the back of the steering wheel, undo the nut and tap with hammer whilst pushing out with your legs, works everytime!!

NorwegianBoater · 09-06-2008, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frenchbruno

When its difficult to remove the wheel, this kind of puller used normaly to remove certains bearings types, is a good tool for this work.
Choose the size in relation with the wheel hub. You can borrow one or buy one from shacktool.com or similar in Norway.

Thanks, that I have not tried, will try to find one

NorwegianBoater · 09-06-2008, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burty

Use the Tony Davis method!!
Sit on the dash with your legs between the dash and the back of the steering wheel, undo the nut and tap with hammer whilst pushing out with your legs, works everytime!!

Thanks Burty, but i does not work every time! Ive tried it, did not move a bit

simon · 09-06-2008, 07:28 PM

The steering hub is on a tapered shaft so it will be very tight to get off regardless of how long it has been on there.
If you can get the helm pump off it is sometimes easier. If it has a bolt through the center of the hub, loosen the bolt a few turns. Either pull steering wheel squarely towards you and strike the bolt in the centre with a hammer (could be useful to have an assistant) or if you can remove the helm pump it is good to support the steering wheel with the pump hanging below and then give the centre bolt a good strike.
If it has a nut instead of a bolt loosen the nut up enough to protect the threads then strike it in the centre with a hammer. It needs to be a solid hammer not a soft faced hammer because it is the shock that will part the tapper. The taper is similar to that on a steering ball joint on a car.

Good luck,
Simon

NorwegianBoater · 09-06-2008, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simon

The steering hub is on a tapered shaft so it will be very tight to get off regardless of how long it has been on there.
If you can get the helm pump off it is sometimes easier. If it has a bolt through the center of the hub, loosen the bolt a few turns. Either pull steering wheel squarely towards you and strike the bolt in the centre with a hammer (could be useful to have an assistant) or if you can remove the helm pump it is good to support the steering wheel with the pump hanging below and then give the centre bolt a good strike.
If it has a nut instead of a bolt loosen the nut up enough to protect the threads then strike it in the centre with a hammer. It needs to be a solid hammer not a soft faced hammer because it is the shock that will part the tapper. The taper is similar to that on a steering ball joint on a car.

Good luck,
Simon

Thanks Simon! It is not a bolt, but a nut and Ive tried as you say to loosen the nut and hit it with a hammer, but will try it again since I only had a small hammer at hand!

BluFin · 09-06-2008, 11:41 PM

Dont forget you can apply heat to the hub to break the "seal" but dont transfer to the shaft / Helm unit

daren · 10-06-2008, 07:39 AM

Mine was the same, thought there was no way it was coming off.

Stand on the seat or just in front of it looking to the back of the boat, legs either side of the steering wheel putting pressure on it by bending your knees then give the loosened hub nut a quick whack with a hammer, easy.

I also loosened the helm unit a bit to avoid damaging it.

NorwegianBoater · 10-06-2008, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BluFin

Dont forget you can apply heat to the hub to break the "seal" but dont transfer to the shaft / Helm unit

Yeah thought heat would help too so useds mums creme brulee burner, but still stuck

Maybe a combination with heat, raw muscles and whacking it with a hammer will work! Going out to the boat in the afternoon to see if I can get it of! Forgot the hammer today...

NorwegianBoater · 10-06-2008, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daren

Mine was the same, thought there was no way it was coming off.

Stand on the seat or just in front of it looking to the back of the boat, legs either side of the steering wheel putting pressure on it by bending your knees then give the loosened hub nut a quick whack with a hammer, easy.

I also loosened the helm unit a bit to avoid damaging it.

Thanks Daren, will try that with a combination of heat aswell! Will post results here later

Damon2100S · 11-06-2008, 07:33 AM

I removed a wheel with this problem once, the first time and ended up with a broken nose.
I bet you can all guess how!
Ouch!

NorwegianBoater · 11-06-2008, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damon2100S

I removed a wheel with this problem once, the first time and ended up with a broken nose.
I bet you can all guess how!
Ouch!

Yeah will try to avoid that Damon

Thanks for the tip

Seems I do not get out there today... To bad I can not return the new wheel otherwise I would not bother trying to get the old one off

TheOrs · 11-06-2008, 10:27 PM

I have just had exactly the same problem. Wheel had been on about 14 years.

To get round it I removed the wheel from it's centre hub, attached a puller to the hub & tightened it until it felt like it was 'straining'; then applied heat to the hub with a blow-lamp.

After about 30 seconds there was a 'pop' & the hub shot off onto the floor.

Worked well because the shaft is steel & the hub was aluminium.

NorwegianBoater · 11-06-2008, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheOrs

I have just had exactly the same problem. Wheel had been on about 14 years.

To get round it I removed the wheel from it's centre hub, attached a puller to the hub & tightened it until it felt like it was 'straining'; then applied heat to the hub with a blow-lamp.

After about 30 seconds there was a 'pop' & the hub shot off onto the floor.

Worked well because the shaft is steel & the hub was aluminium.

Thanks for the tip TheOrs

Think I will write a book: " A 1001 one ways to get that fe**in steering wheel off"