How to adjust free play in steering wheel?

[airshot]

Just guessing here, but it appears you will need a puller, a gear puller, probably pressed on, I see a key slot on the hub.

 

[AZGDOGG]

View attachment 118183
I’m trying to install new helm right now and I can’t get this off the helm shaft. The steering wheel came off easily, however I can’t figure this out. I can’t see anything like a woodruff key that would be keeping it from coming off. Every video I see never has this piece under the wheel. I sprayed it with WD40 and trying to pry it off but it won’t come. I don’t want to break it, so I’m asking for help.

Airshot is right, need a puller with strong but thin enough jaw tips to get between that hub and the helm housing and get in the habit of putting the nut back on the shaft but only flush with the threaded end of the shaft to press against. If you are going to reuse the threaded shaft of any parts that require pressing or pulling apart it aids in not damaging the threads or enlarging the end of the shaft. (mushrooming, damage can be just as bad as hitting with a hammer) And of course soaking the area between the shaft and hub with a quality rust penetrant cannot be overstated which it looks like you have done. Really stubborn items may also require heat to expand them, Harbor Freight has decent priced ones.

 

[CRB357]

 

[AZGDOGG]

View attachment 118185

Can you provide a side view?

 

[AZGDOGG]

Airshot is right, need a puller with strong but thin enough jaw tips to get between that hub and the helm housing and get in the habit of putting the nut back on the shaft but only flush with the threaded end of the shaft to press against. If you are going to reuse the threaded shaft of any parts that require pressing or pulling apart it aids in not damaging the threads or enlarging the end of the shaft. (mushrooming, damage can be just as bad as hitting with a hammer) And of course soaking the area between the shaft and hub with a quality rust penetrant cannot be overstated which it looks like you have done. Really stubborn items may also require heat to expand them, Harbor Freight has decent priced ones.

Sorry, Harbor Freight has pullers and heat guns.

 

[CRB357]

 

[CRB357]

 

[CRB357]

I have a heat gun. Worried about melting the plastic bezel though. I beat on it a little bit just to see if it just needed a knock or two. It's on there pretty **** good! Starting to wonder if that part that is still on the shaft was supposed to stay on steering wheel? Every video I watch about doing this, shows people needing to use pullers to get the steering wheel off, but mine just came right off. Dunno.

 

[AZGDOGG]

I have a heat gun. Worried about melting the plastic bezel though. I beat on it a little bit just to see if it just needed a knock or two. It's on there pretty **** good! Starting to wonder if that part that is still on the shaft was supposed to stay on steering wheel? Every video I watch about doing this, shows people needing to use pullers to get the steering wheel off, but mine just came right off. Dunno.

Thanks for the additional pictures, that helps a lot. I've been doing automotive and marine work for nearly 50 years and have not seen a steering wheel hub like that one but I'm sure that I have NOT seen everything. It could be designed that way to accommodate the use of different steering wheels from a specific manufacturer I suppose? If the connection between the steering wheel and that hub cannot be safely assembled and retained then I would buy a new wheel. (You do NOT want your steering wheel coming loose while operating anything anytime! If you have some thin sheet aluminum and cut a slot in it and slide it between the bezel and hub it should prevent damage although ABS plastic bezels like that can be distorted fairly easily. (Use caution and try to heat the hub and not the aluminum sheet) And sorry but WD-40 really isn't a proper rust penetrant in my opinion. You have a decent gap between the bezel and hub to allow a lot of puller jaws in to get a good purchase. Get your puller and heat shield in place and apply some preload to the hub and shaft, apply heat with a heat gun or hair dryer and add preload (tighten) to the puller and get it pretty tight and apply heat and tighten alternately. You got this!

 

[CRB357]

Lucky me! Haha. Of course I have some weird part.

I also sprayed an actual penetrating oil on it before I shut it down for the evening. Let that marinate over night. I'll go buy a puller in the morning and see what happens.

Thanks for your help!

 

[AZGDOGG]

Thanks for the additional pictures, that helps a lot. I've been doing automotive and marine work for nearly 50 years and have not seen a steering wheel hub like that one but I'm sure that I have NOT seen everything. It could be designed that way to accommodate the use of different steering wheels from a specific manufacturer I suppose? If the connection between the steering wheel and that hub cannot be safely assembled and retained then I would buy a new wheel. (You do NOT want your steering wheel coming loose while operating anything anytime! If you have some thin sheet aluminum and cut a slot in it and slide it between the bezel and hub it should prevent damage although ABS plastic bezels like that can be distorted fairly easily. (Use caution and try to heat the hub and not the aluminum sheet) And sorry but WD-40 really isn't a proper rust penetrant in my opinion. You have a decent gap between the bezel and hub to allow a lot of puller jaws in to get a good purchase. Get your puller and heat shield in place and apply some preload to the hub and shaft, apply heat with a heat gun or hair dryer and add preload (tighten) to the puller and get it pretty tight and apply heat and tighten alternately. You got this!

After looking at the hub and steering wheel pictures again I think that the arrangement may have been designed to more easily index the steering wheel in a "straight" position when under way. This can be safely accomplished by assembling the helm and all connections properly and then assembling the wheel, hub and washer- nut parts snugly so that you can drive the boat without losing control. Drive the boat in a straight direction under throttle and observe the orientation of the wheel, if it needs to be corrected, STOP and remove nut, washer and wheel and reorient the correct amount to get as close as possible. When satisfied properly tighten nut retaining the wheel and install center cap or cover. This would be a more accurate way of orientation than most marine helm and wheel assemblies that only include two or three keyway slots provided in the steering wheels for this purpose. By the way, what is that clay or mud looking material in the cavities on the reverse side of your wheel? Id definitely clean that up.

 

[CRB357]

Pretty sure it is mud dauber dirt. I've been cleaning that stuff out of every crack on this boat for a month.

Yeah I've had the wheel off to make it straight already. Pretty easy to do.

 

[AZGDOGG]

Pretty sure it is mud dauber dirt. I've been cleaning that stuff out of every crack on this boat for a month.

Yeah I've had the wheel off to make it straight already. Pretty easy to do.

Yeah that's it just haven't experienced that design yet.
Your welcome!

 

[CRB357]

Well that part that is stuck on shaft is supposed to be still in the steering wheel. That’s why you haven’t seen that design before, bc it doesn’t exist. Haha. Going get puller right now and I ordered new steering wheel.

 

[AZGDOGG]

Well that part that is stuck on shaft is supposed to be still in the steering wheel. That’s why you haven’t seen that design before, bc it doesn’t exist. Haha. Going get puller right now and I ordered new steering wheel.

Good to know, how did you arrive at that conclusion please? It did concern me that the thread puller holes in the steering wheel were not carried through or counter bored to allow for the bolts go through without pushing the wheel away from the hub center. Just very curious to me?

 

[thill]

That is part of the steering wheel. It's a splined hub. You can remove it with a gear puller, if you have one.

If not, screw the nut back on and make it flush with the end of the shaft, to prevent damaging the threads. Then pry up under the hub with a pry bar and smack the shaft sharply with a brass hammer to make the hub pop off.

Try to hit it perfectly square. Don't be shy, smack it harder and harder until it loosens. Then unscrew the nut and take the hub off and proceed to remove the helm.

If you have a different steering wheel, you can just cut off the black cover, unbolt the helm and throw it all away.

I actually like wheels with that type of hub, because it's easy to center your steering wheel straight with the motor.

 

[CRB357]

On my way into town this am, I stopped at my local friendly marine shop and asked them about it. They recommended that since I have a new helm, they would just Sawz All the shaft and remove it all. Which I think I will do once the new steering wheel comes in.

 

[JL8Jeff]

I remember something being a pain to get off on mine as well. There is a key somewhere holding it in place and it's probably rusted so try the PBblaster or WD40 and some heat.

 

[CRB357]

Sawz All way more fun!!!! Hahaha

 

[thill]

On my way into town this am, I stopped at my local friendly marine shop and asked them about it. They recommended that since I have a new helm, they would just Sawz All the shaft and remove it all. Which I think I will do once the new steering wheel comes in.

Very good advice.