Removing boat steering wheel

[Jack Spratt]

Morning all,

My bakelite steering wheel on my 4.7 metre Sea Breeze has fractured after earlier having a spoke break away from the wheel.  In attempting to remove it, the wheel pretty much came apart in my hands. I am now wanting to replace the wheel but with the virus, all marine repairers are closed. The nut holding the wheel is a 15/16th inch which I have been able to easily remove. The wheel surround is proving more difficult to remove. My request is what size "Gear Puller" should I use to separate the housing from the steering column. (Apologies if my terminology is out of whack. I'm the world's worst handyman.) The circumference at the base of the steering wheel is 11 inches or 28 centimetres. Two Gear Pullers (see photo) that are available to buy come in 75mm and 150mm sizes. Is anyone able to advise what size Puller would be most suitable to separate the housing from the steering column please?

[Angry51]

You would need the 150mm puller.

Just wondering if the ends are sharp enough angle to fit the gap on bottom of 

wheel housing. Looks like about 100mm diameter so the 150mm will be plenty.The end

of your puller will go in that gap where it says morse. Just get it firmly set up and the tighten and tap puller bolt with hammer lightly while you tighten bolt at the same time.

It should be stainless shaft but you never know.

Just be careful if the boss is plastic, you'll have to get the puller hooks under something solid

for it to work. Good luck and take it steady. Don't stuff anything.

And welcome to the forum.

[Ed.]

If a puller fails to remove it, as a last resort I suppose that since it is bakelite or some sort of plastic, it may be possible to drill a series of close shallow inline holes and then use a cold chisel to fracture it to pieces to remove the bulk and leave just the boss on the shaft. I have never done this so don't know it would be successful or not, but judging by the way it has easily fractured it might be possible, having said that, the wheels' boss (if it has one) might be a bit of an issue to remove it if it is made from stainless steel or alloy, as that is what is probably stopping the remains of the wheel from coming off. Probably a bit of corrosion between it and the shaft. If the boss does not come off easily, then you might have to use a grinder cut off wheel carefully and then pry the remains of the boss off or cold chisel it off.

 

[Jack Spratt]

Many thanks to the two parties who responded immediately. I'm grateful for your suggestions and will take them into consideration.

Kind regards

[rayke1938]

First off liberal dose of crc. 

Unwind nut so that shaft is not damaged when you wack the nut. 

Get heat gun ( AKA as wifes hair dryer) 

Heat the centre of the wheel. Feet on dashboard and while pulling the remanent of the wheel keep tapping the nut and hopefully the centre will come off the taper.

Hopefully person hitting the nut does not hit your hands by mistake.

Get someone to take video of process so that everyone can laugh if the wheel comes off the taper quickly and you do a big backflip. Also try not to saturate the hair dryer with crc as wife may get upset next time she uses it.

[Drop Bear]

If it cant be fixed with a hammer it cant be fixed... 

[Angry51]

How did it go, get it sorted?

[Jack Spratt]

Afternoon all,

 

I'm still working on it.

As mentioned I'm not the world's best handyman but have now stripped the surrounds down to the shaft with a circular housing remaining by drilling holes in the bakelite surround. Once I "joined" the holes drilled, I was able to dismantle the housing. The gap between the base of the surround and the "dashboard" is 10mm or 1 cm thick. My immediate problem now is that neither a 75mm nor 100 mm gear puller arms will fit so as to allow me to pull the remaining housing away from the "whole."  As a layman it seems to me that the larger the dimensions of the puller the less likely the "grippers" will fit between the bottom of the housing and the "dashboard. Apologies for the strangled language but that's the best I can do. It seems to me that I need to exchange my recently purchased 100mm puller for a 50mm puller and if my man doesn't sell 50mm pullers I may have to look at cutting the surround off.  An alternative already suggested is that I use a grinder and remove it that way.

 By the way, I've applied WD40 liberally to no effect

Ultimate question is ...am I on the right track or right out of whack?

[Angry51]

Sounds like you're on the right track, but could you post pics of where your at at the moment.

Would bring us all to the same picture so to speak.

[Jack Spratt]

Morning all,

 

I'm still working on it.

As mentioned I'm not the world's best handyman but have now stripped the surrounds down to the shaft with a circular housing remaining by drilling holes in the bakelite surround. Once I "joined" the holes drilled, I was able to dismantle the housing. Please refer to two attached photos. The gap between the base of the surround and the "dashboard" is 10mm or 1 cm thick. My immediate problem now is that neither a 75mm nor 100 mm gear puller arms will fit so as to allow me to pull the remaining housing away from the "whole."  As a layman it seems to me that the larger the dimensions of the puller the less likely the "grippers" will fit between the bottom of the housing and the "dashboard. Apologies for the strangled language but that's the best I can do. Ultimate question is ...am I on the right track or right out of whack? An alternative already suggested is that I use a grinder and remove it that way.

Angry51 suggests the 150mm would be suitable but  as I've indicated I am unable to fit the 75mm or the 100mm so I don't see how the 150mm would fit. By the way, I've applied WD40 liberally to no effect.

[Jack Spratt]

 

 

Hello again 

Trial and error have shown that the appropriate puller is 50mm or less and unfortunately they do not appear to be made in that size. It seems that I am left with two options. The first is that I wait until the Victorian Premier decides that small business including marine mechanics can again function as they should and no one knows when that will be or I try and cut the offending part away from the threaded shaft. It may be that someone has actually faced this predicament and may be able to offer more advice than has already been provided. That advice has assisted me to get to this point but now I’m stuck. The difficulty with attempting to cut though the remaining metal fixture is that I have very little room to move and I will need to avoid cutting into the thread or I am cactus!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Angry51]

Can see where your at now.

Wouldn't need to be a marine mechanic any mechanic would

have pullers to remove that, are your mobile mechanics shut down too.

[Jack Spratt]

Thank you. Early doors I called my usual motor mechanic and he advised that he didn't get involved in marine matters. I hadn't thought of others so will seek out a few tomorrow and see whether they can assist. Many thanks for your suggestion. If they too are closed then I think that I'm in a bind.

[Angry51]

I thing you'll find mobile mechanics are essential workers.

Can understand mechanics not getting involved with marine stuff but it is only a steering

wheel. Like you dont have to be a heavy vehicle mechanic to change a truck tyre.

Lets know what happens, it's always handy if some one else has the same problem.

[Jack Spratt]

Can do. I'll try my luck tomorrow by ringing around.

Regards

[Ed.]

Looking at your picture, a small puller should take about or less than 1 minute to undo the boss. I seriously doubt that the thread would go the full length of the shaft, from what I remember, the shaft should be a 3/4" Morse taper (most common) and it would most likely have a keyway with a metal key to stop it twisting  or alternatively have a small  spline on the stainless shaft for the alloy hub to be pressed on and bite into it by the nut to grip it, either way  the thread would probably just be finished just below the top off the boss.

If the puller didn't work and if the thread was the full length (which I seriously doubt), then I think that the only way to get the boss off would be to make a parallel cut on both side as close to the stainless shaft as possible using a Dremel tool with a small carbide burr and use oil to not clog the burr or a Multi tool + oil, and then try to spit it in two with a nut cracker or a cold chisel. Should be a simple and quick job to remove it.

Have a look at these images and it will give you an idea on what it should be like under the boss. I doubt it, but, but first check that there isn't an Allen key grub screw holding (the key) in the boss in place.

 

Cheers

Ed.

[rayke1938]

ed is on the way to go you could use an angle grinder  if you can see the end of the slot that contains the woodruff key grind above that as it would give some protection against hitting the shaft. the heat from grinding also may help to expand and loosen

[Jack Spratt]

Thanks again for the ongoing suggestions as to how best solve my problem. I'm consulting a local mechanic this afternoon to see if he can assist.

[Jack Spratt]

Success!

Thank you sincerely to everyone who contributed by offering constructive comments about my steering wheel problem.I am grateful for the efforts that members undertook to assist me including the taking and posting of photos.  I called at a local garage in Fairfield and the mechanic produced a Posilock Gear and Bearing Puller Model 104. Unlike the pullers that I had tried from Sydneytools and Bunnings this was a commercially produced puller specifically designed for multiple uses, one of which is solving my problem. Steve Beckwith of Remake Garage (94824022) did a superb job and had the housing off in two minutes flat. The cost? $20!

I've attached a photo of Steve so if any Melburnians need work done he'd be happy to assist you. He is an honest, competent mechanic and a good bloke to boot. I was so happy with his service that I've booked my boat in to have the bearings checked later this week.

Kind regards

 

[Angry51]

Good on him, still some good blokes around.

Now, put that new wheel on and get out on the water.

[rayke1938]

good outcome and thanks for feedback