Steering Wheel Removal

Repair or modification of Boston Whaler boats, their engines, trailers, and gear
Orchemo
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 12:55 pm

Steering Wheel Removal

Postby Orchemo » Sat Dec 12, 2015 1:02 pm

I am rebuilding the console on a Sakonnet. I need to remove the steering wheel and mechanism. I tried soaking with WD-40, heating, and using a wheel puller, but I cannot get the wheel off. I took apart the rear. The shaft moves but will not come out. What am I missing?


http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff24 ... jdxc3b.jpg

porthole
Posts: 645
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2015 9:57 pm
Location: LSD Lower Slower Delaware

Re: Steering Wheel Removal

Postby porthole » Sat Dec 12, 2015 1:19 pm

Steering wheels are on a tapered shaft. If the nut was cranked down to hard it will be very difficult to remove.
Taking the helm apart will not help if your goal is to remove the wheel.

What kind of puller are you using? A puller with three-jaws will be best.

Set up the puller; put the nut back on till there is only about a 1/8" gap; tension up the puller, it will take a bit of effort. A longer breaker bar will make it much easier then trying to crank down with a short wrench or ratchet.

I have wheels come off that took enough effort the puller dinged the housing a bit. If it doesn't release you can try this, but it is a bit on the tricky side: make sure the nut is on the shaft sufficiently but not exposing the threads (make it flush); tension up the puller, tight; if you can, sit with your knees under the wheel, pushing away from the helm (towards you); hammer and large drift-punch to the center of the shaft; your knees are helping to keep from hammering the shaft into the steering housing. The hammer and punch is to shock the shaft to break the friction.
Thanks,
Duane
2016 World Cat 230DC
1999 Outrage 21, Yamaha SW Series II 200
1997 Outrage 18, Yamaha 125
1983 15 SS, Honda 50
1980 42 Post
1983 34 Luhrs 340 SF

Acseatsri
Posts: 190
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2015 8:46 am

Re: Sterring wheeler removal

Postby Acseatsri » Sat Dec 12, 2015 1:24 pm

You need to use the puller. Assuming your puller has three arms and a pointed center on the jackscrew: put it on; apply some pressure with the puller; then gently tap on the end of the jack screw of the puller, gradually tightening and tapping. The wheel should pop off in this manner. Also, sometimes letting it sit with pressure on it overnight will help.

jimh
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Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:25 pm
Location: Michigan, Lower Peninsula
Contact:

Re: Steering Wheel Removal

Postby jimh » Sat Dec 12, 2015 11:14 pm

Removal of a tapered-shaft steering wheel with a gear puller is described and illustrated in the REFERENCE, REPAIRS/MODIFICATION listing:

See: http://continuouswave.com/whaler/refere ... xSeal.html

Orchemo
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 12:55 pm

Re: Steering Wheel Removal

Postby Orchemo » Sun Dec 13, 2015 12:39 am

Thank you. Will try again tomorrow. Soaked with WD-40 tonight

porthole
Posts: 645
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2015 9:57 pm
Location: LSD Lower Slower Delaware

Re: Steering Wheel Removal

Postby porthole » Sun Dec 13, 2015 9:01 am

Orchemo wrote:Thank you. Will try again tomorrow. Soaked with WD-40 tonight


WD-40 or any penetrating oils are not going to help, it is an interference fit and there is zero clearance.

You can use a 2 jaw puller as shown in the link Jim posted or a 3 jaw version. If you do not have a 2 or 3 jaw puller, as much as I hate to recommend anything from harbor freight, that store will be your cheapest option, and the tool will suffice for what you need to do.

You can use a puller that has a point on the end (your steering shaft may also have a dimple for that point) or a puller that has a button on the end that allows the threaded puller shaft to spin without walking off the end of the steering shaft.

You may have to force the jaw under the wheel hub. Some wheels have very little clearance between the hub and steering box.

If your wheel is as tight as you are inferring, whatever you do, I still suggest leaving the nut on the shaft and using a breaker bar for leverage.
It is much easier to hold the wheel and puller assembly and using a longer bar then trying with a short bar.

And leaving the nut on may save you from an unpleasant surprise.
Thanks,
Duane
2016 World Cat 230DC
1999 Outrage 21, Yamaha SW Series II 200
1997 Outrage 18, Yamaha 125
1983 15 SS, Honda 50
1980 42 Post
1983 34 Luhrs 340 SF

Hoosier
Posts: 149
Joined: Sat Oct 10, 2015 8:04 pm
Location: Indiana and Eastern UP

Re: Steering Wheel Removal

Postby Hoosier » Mon Dec 14, 2015 9:23 am

The wheel is held in place on the tapered shaft by a Woodruff key, the wheel itself isn't threaded. When I had to remove my wheel to change out my steering system I used the "smack and pull" technique: loosen the shaft nut far enough that all the shaft threads are covered, hold the wheel with upward pressure, take a hammer and sharply whack the nut. That should break the friction bond between the wheel and shaft and it'll then come right off. It's worked for me every time.
1978 Outrage V20 with 2004 Suzuki DF-115. 1992 23 Walkaround with two 2010 Yamaha F-150s.

jimh
Posts: 11673
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Location: Michigan, Lower Peninsula
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Re: Steering Wheel Removal

Postby jimh » Mon Dec 14, 2015 9:46 am

Apply some heat with an old hair dryer.

porthole
Posts: 645
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2015 9:57 pm
Location: LSD Lower Slower Delaware

Re: Steering Wheel Removal

Postby porthole » Mon Dec 14, 2015 9:48 am

"Smack and pull" is a way I have done many many times in my former career. But, I would not use that method on either a cable or hydraulic helm.
Even the much heavier automotive steering columns can easily be damaged with that method.
Thanks,
Duane
2016 World Cat 230DC
1999 Outrage 21, Yamaha SW Series II 200
1997 Outrage 18, Yamaha 125
1983 15 SS, Honda 50
1980 42 Post
1983 34 Luhrs 340 SF

goldstem
Posts: 64
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2015 12:57 pm

Re: Steering Wheel Removal

Postby goldstem » Mon Dec 14, 2015 12:08 pm

[Removal of a steering wheel from a tapered shaft with keyway] can be extremely difficult. For a wheel puller to grip the wheel or hub reliably can be tough. Just this past winter I had to remove the whole assembly, support the wheel (mostly at the rim) and use a combination of heat and hitting the center shaft itself to pop the center shaft down (rather than pulling the wheel up)--it finally worked.

In the past I have had to sacrifice wheels and or steering boxes, but thankfully both are affordable.

jimh
Posts: 11673
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:25 pm
Location: Michigan, Lower Peninsula
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Re: Steering Wheel Removal

Postby jimh » Fri Dec 18, 2015 5:01 pm

The problem of removing an older steering wheel frozen onto a tapered shaft and key of a boat helm reminds me of an old joke:

Q: How many therapists does it take to change a lightbulb?

A: It only takes one, but the lightbulb has to really want to change.

The analogy for me is that an old steering wheel on a helm with tapered shaft and key can be changed, but the person trying to do it has to really want to change that steering wheel. As several respondents mention above, it can be more difficult than expected.

Orchemo
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 12:55 pm

Re: Steering Wheel Removal

Postby Orchemo » Sun Dec 27, 2015 10:33 am

It is turning out to be more difficult. Tried a two jaw puller, tried pounding on center bolt,
Tried heating steering wheel all to no avail.

Will get a three jaw puller and try again

porthole
Posts: 645
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2015 9:57 pm
Location: LSD Lower Slower Delaware

Re: Steering Wheel Removal

Postby porthole » Sun Dec 27, 2015 10:23 pm

Orchemo wrote:It is turning out to be more difficult. Tried a two jaw puller, tried pounding on center bolt,
Tried heating steering wheel all to no avail.

Will get a three jaw puller and try again


I have never used heat to remove a steering wheel on any type of vehicle.

Don't "pound" on the shaft.
Get your 3 jaw puller, the cheap version at harbor freight will work. Put the nut on the shaft. That will accomplish two things, one prevent the wheel from flying off in your face and may help keep the puller's screw from slipping off the shaft.
Put tension on the puller, a breaker bar or long ratchet works better then a short one. With a lot of tension on the puller, hit the puller's hex head with your maul. Again, a "bigger tool" works better then a smaller one.
This is where it can help if you can get your knees, thighs under the wheel pushing up towards you (and the reason for keeping the nut on the steering shaft). Doing this helps to minimize the damage to the steering gear.

If you decide to use heat, a hair dryer will not work. Using heat your goal is to heat up the steering wheel hub at a rate faster then the steering shaft.
Thanks,
Duane
2016 World Cat 230DC
1999 Outrage 21, Yamaha SW Series II 200
1997 Outrage 18, Yamaha 125
1983 15 SS, Honda 50
1980 42 Post
1983 34 Luhrs 340 SF

jason78
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2015 8:56 pm

Re: Steering Wheel Removal

Postby jason78 » Mon Mar 21, 2016 3:33 pm

Better late than never with this response I guess but I ended up having to buy a long, high strength sawzall blade and cut my steering wheel off from the back side. This required replacement of the Teleflex tilt helm (which I was doing anyway) but the shaft stub never would come out, Could not even beat it out of the when once it was cut off the boat. Ended up buying a new OEM replacement steering wheel. I tried (and destroyed) 2 pullers and tried a whole can of PT Blaster, WD40 and torch. That was not coming off any other way.
1997 20 Outrage
1998 Merc 200XL Offshore Carb'd 2 Stroke

kwik_wurk
Posts: 110
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2015 3:23 pm

Re: Steering Wheel Removal

Postby kwik_wurk » Wed Apr 27, 2016 4:39 pm

I am starting down the same path...pull and whack is not getting very far...

kwik_wurk
Posts: 110
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2015 3:23 pm

Re: Steering Wheel Removal

Postby kwik_wurk » Thu Apr 28, 2016 9:12 pm

Since I am replacing the steering mechanism, simply cut the shaft between the steering gear cover and the wheel hub. It is rather soft aluminum and cut through in 5-10 min even though there was only 1/4" clearance for the hacksaw blade. This left a 2"-3" section of keyed shaft in the hub that was easy to press out. (It did require 3 arm bearing puller, protective shims, liquid wrench, and a few good whacks.)

teaguecustom
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Jul 23, 2016 12:09 pm

Re: Steering Wheel Removal

Postby teaguecustom » Sat Jul 23, 2016 12:12 pm

Remove the steering wheel horn pad by pulling firmly on the pad. It'll be tough but, don't worry about breaking it.