How to unscrew old steering wheel

[zubol]

Hello,

My next problem is with steering wheel. I cannot unscrew it. I do not want to brake anything. I have tried use 80% of my force and nothing happened.
Is any trick which I can use ?

Thanks,
zubol

[neil.mccrirrick]

If you have got the nut off try some WD40 and let it soak in. Failing that, keep wiggling, (technical term there), it will come off eventually :-)

[Tim M]

If you have the nut, put it back on but so its not on properly (to protect the thread). Whack it with a rubber/wooden mattet a few times while someone else pulls on the wheel and it might come off. Or try heating the shaft bit with a blow torch. If not get the angle grinder out!

[Marinautic]

We always wind the nut almost off, then using a big hammer and a brass drift give the shaft a couple of hefty whacks, whilst doing this from a seated position on the dash, thighs behind the wheel pushing as hard as you can!

[bedajim]

Originally Posted by Tim M

If you have the nut, put it back on but so its not on properly (to protect the thread). Whack it with a rubber/wooden mattet a few times while someone else pulls on the wheel and it might come off. Or try heating the shaft bit with a blow torch. If not get the angle grinder out!

Won't heating the shaft make it bigger = tighter on the wheel boss

[Richard Selman]

....also keep the nut on a few threads when pulling to stop the wheel smacking your face if it finally shifts......

[Pete7]

If the boss is in that sort of state what is the steering cable like? they seem to last about 5 years then sieze up. Might just be worth biting the bullet and buying a new kit which comes in a box with everything including a new wheel for about £100. Then as Tim says angle grind it off.


Pete

[Grasshopper]

Originally Posted by bedajim

Won't heating the shaft make it bigger = tighter on the wheel boss

Yes it will but what you are trying to achieve is to break the bond between the wheel and the shaft then the WD40 or diesel oil (which has good penetrating properties) can do its job.

Is there room to get a three legged puller on and gently apply some pressure whilst the penetrating oil is working.

[bedajim]

Originally Posted by Grasshopper

Yes it will but what you are trying to achieve is to break the bond between the wheel and the shaft then the WD40 or diesel oil (which has good penetrating properties) can do its job.

Is there room to get a three legged puller on and gently apply some pressure whilst the penetrating oil is working.

So gentle heat on the hub (boiling water) and a freeze spray on the shaft

[C2 RIBS]

What ever method you use remember to keep the nut on by a few turns before managing to release the wheel from the column as it is slightly tapered and could easily knock you over. I have just replaced a 1 year old unit and the power of the wheel as it releases is huge and without the nut still in place will do you damage. All the best

[Jelly]

I had problems on releasing the steering wheel from the spindle on mine last year. In the end I unbolted it it and took it the garage gave it a good soak in WD40 or one of the other penetrating oils. I also backed off the locking nut so it still had some threads then attached a puller to the whole set up, a couple of days later after a few more squires and tightening up on the puller, each day I found it separated.
Hope that helps, its always amazes me how little corrosion it needed to make a taper fit lock solid.
Have fun
James

[Grasshopper]

Originally Posted by bedajim

So gentle heat on the hub (boiling water) and a freeze spray on the shaft

That may well work or at least break the bond, all the other advice sounds good as well. But patience is the thing you would be amazed how tight things can get with a bit of corrosion if you just keep pulling at it you are more likely to bend the steering wheel than get it off.

Once the penetrating oil has done its thing (I would leave it overnight) put the nut back on to protect the thread and to restrain the wheel when it eventually does give. Try and get hold of a soft metal drift and a hammer and give the shaft a good sharp thump if someone else can pull the wheel rearwards at the same time that will help, if you get no joy then spray some more oil on and leave it. When you reassemble it put copperslip on the shaft.
Best of luck.

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by Grasshopper

When you reassemble it put copperslip on the shaft.

Don't use coppaslip on a boat. Ever. It's rather good at promoting galvanic corrosion.

High zinc content grease or specific marine anti-seize grease is what you need.

[Grasshopper]

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Don't use coppaslip on a boat. Ever. It's rather good at promoting galvanic corrosion.

High zinc content grease or specific marine anti-seize grease is what you need.

Molyslip http://www.molyslip.co.uk/anti_sieze_compounds the manufacturer of Copaslip® specifically recommend their product in conditions such as high humidity and salinity, they even mention the marine inviroment in their write up. I have used it myself with no problems (yet ).

If you have a prejudice against copper then there are products such as Never-Seez [SIZE=3]http://www.bostik-us.com/TDS/TDSFiles/NSMarinersChoice.pdf that do not contain copper I have used this on aircraft engines but not on a boat, I may give it a try.

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by Grasshopper

Molyslip http://www.molyslip.co.uk/anti_sieze_compounds the manufacturer of Copaslip® specifically recommend their product in conditions such as high humidity and salinity, they even mention the marine inviroment in their write up. I have used it myself with no problems (yet ).

If you have a prejudice against copper then there are products such as Never-Seez [SIZE=3]http://www.bostik-us.com/TDS/TDSFiles/NSMarinersChoice.pdf that do not contain copper I have used this on aircraft engines but not on a boat, I may give it a try.

Hmmm... Copaslip itself may be ok then given what they say about insulating properties (but I still wouldn't use it) but the 'proprietary copper based anti-seize greases' I've used are often almost completely gone leaving just a thin film of copper behind. There's absolutely no way I'd put that in a high salinity environment.

[Grasshopper]

We can only give our best advice, just because a manufacture has said that a product is suitable doesn’t mean that our own experiences will back this up, not everything does what it says on the tin, especially when another company copies a product.

[Jono]

Mm... some good advice...but.. the guy said he had problems "unscrewing" and the photos show the nut still in place. PlusGas..NOT WD40.. all over..leave to soak and then someone holds the wheel and an air powered nut runner/ Impact wrench should do the trick.. if you ain't got one try towing it to your local tyre shop and bunging the tyre monkey a couple of quid to do it for you.... Then the next stage is removing the wheel from the shaft.. see above posts for different methods...

[Blizzard]

If you get the nut undone, i always use 2 shallow gradient wooden wedges either side of the main shaft. Ideally lined up over the screw holes that secure the plastic surround.
Once you have the wedges in place and with a gentle tap from a mallet to lock them in place.
Then a good blow with the mallet onto each should do the trick. If not, keep the wedges in place, and a swift blow with the brass drift mentioned above onto the nut / shaft.

When you come to reapply, "duralac" is the best solution to apply to prevent corrosion and bonding.

If it doesnt come off with this method, chances are that the internal workings of the helm could and most likely would on the water at the worst possible time.

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by Jono

Mm... some good advice...but.. the guy said he had problems "unscrewing" and the photos show the nut still in place. PlusGas..NOT WD40.. all over..leave to soak and then someone holds the wheel and an air powered nut runner/ Impact wrench should do the trick.. if you ain't got one try towing it to your local tyre shop and bunging the tyre monkey a couple of quid to do it for you.... Then the next stage is removing the wheel from the shaft.. see above posts for different methods...

Yep.Bang on now I've read the post properly-specially about not using WD40. It's worth putting a blowtorch onto the nut CAREFULLY and for a couple of seconds only just to dry the plusgas off the nut before you try to remove it too. One of the big drawbacks of penetrating fluids is that it makes the tools slip if the nuts aren't perfect.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Jono

Then the next stage is removing the wheel from the shaft.. see above posts for different methods...

Tis not a problem. As I said angle grinder and chuck the lot in a skip and start again, manky old steering wheel anyway.

Pete