Steering wheel removal from Seastar helm

[family affair]

Thought I would post this since a wheel puller won't fit and all the online folks claim that striking the center shaft with a hammer while pulling will dislodge it. It wont.
A little heat with a mini torch and an air hammer on the center shaft while pullingEz-Pz.

 

[seasick]

Replacing the steering box?

 

[family affair]

Replacing the steering box?

Hopefully just replacing the shaft bushing. Squeaky and has a little play.

 

[seasick]

were you able to get the bushing? If so, from whom?

 

[family affair]

Unfortunately the THT lore is not true. There is no bushing. However one can replace the assembly for a mere $300 or a THT fellow claims 90% of the movement can be eliminated with a brass washer behind the snap ring. I think I'll try option "b" 1st.

 

[seasick]

That was my understanding for the mechanical boxes but I thought that the steering mentioned was hydraulic. Don't know where that thought came from.

 

[SkunkBoat]

There is no bushing but there is a seal. If you leak fluid out the front of the shaft that seal can be replaced.

Glad you got the wheel off. I had to destroy the plastic cover of the tilt mechanism to get a puller behind the wheel.

Mine had some black electric tape on shaft from PO to make it not wobble. I need to put some there because everything is new and the whell still wobbles & squeaks slightly

 

[Meanwhile]

There is no bushing but there is a seal. If you leak fluid out the front of the shaft that seal can be replaced.

Glad you got the wheel off. I had to destroy the plastic cover of the tilt mechanism to get a puller behind the wheel.

Mine had some black electric tape on shaft from PO to make it not wobble. I need to put some there because everything is new and the whell still wobbles & squeaks slightly

Wobbles and squeaks?

Mine did that and then totally seized up. It turned out a bolt within the tilt had backed out and lodged in the works. You might want to check it again. YMMV

 

[SkunkBoat]

Wobbles and squeaks?

Mine did that and then totally seized up. It turned out a bolt within the tilt had backed out and lodged in the works. You might want to check it again. YMMV

no, its absolutely just play of the wheel on the shaft. Helm is brand new. The wheel is original. Doesn't seat tight enough on the shaft

 

[family affair]

There is no bushing but there is a seal. If you leak fluid out the front of the shaft that seal can be replaced.

Glad you got the wheel off. I had to destroy the plastic cover of the tilt mechanism to get a puller behind the wheel.

Mine had some black electric tape on shaft from PO to make it not wobble. I need to put some there because everything is new and the whell still wobbles & squeaks slightly

I'm going to attempt to shim mine now. I'll let you all know if it accomplishes anything.

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

I actually just replaced my helm with a new one. I went to AutoZone and found a wheel puller that worked. My old wheel fitted snugly on the new seastar 1.7 tilt helm. Good luck .

 

[wrxhoon]

They have a plastic like bushing to the wheel doesn't wobble. when the bushing wears the wheel will wobble somewhat.

 

[blindmullet]

Yep, AutoZone has the small puller that won't damage the plastic. I ended up buying it vs renting. Helm wasn't hard to rebuild.

 

[family affair]

They have a plastic like bushing to the wheel doesn't wobble. when the bushing wears the wheel will wobble somewhat.

Is yours the fixed mount or tilt? I've read fixed mount has a replaceable bushing, while the tilt style does not.

 

[family affair]

I actually just replaced my helm with a new one. I went to AutoZone and found a wheel puller that worked. My old wheel fitted snugly on the new seastar 1.7 tilt helm. Good luck .

Curious to know what style assembly you have. My tilt assembly at best has 1/16" clearance to get under it. No puller exist to enable getting under it either externally or internally.

 

[family affair]

I shimmed up the steering shaft perfectly, but it can never be that easy. I had to use a bronze thrust washer to make this happen. The galvanic charts suggest bronze can not be in contact with aluminum. I believe the tilt housing is aluminum (need to put a magnet on it)and the bronze washer is touching it, so it needs to come back apart. I swear I've seen bronze swaged fittings in my motorcycle frames, but maybe I'm mistaken.
Anyone have experience with a lubricated bronze part in contact with Aluminum? I've wondered if the lube will sufficiently isolate the materials. Seasick, what say you?

 

[blindmullet]

Curious to know what style assembly you have. My tilt assembly at best has 1/16" clearance to get under it. No puller exist to enable getting under it either externally or internally.

The plastic moves a little. I have the same assembly and the small puller worked just fine.

 

[wrxhoon]

Is yours the fixed mount or tilt? I've read fixed mount has a replaceable bushing, while the tilt style does not.

This was in my old 228 and it was tilt helm, I had a bush made on the lathe from similar material, she still good until I sold the boat .

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

Curious to know what style assembly you have. My tilt assembly at best has 1/16" clearance to get under it. No puller exist to enable getting under it either externally or internally.

The puller I got has a harden bolt in the center and these 3 legs that span out and have claw finger like that hooks under the spokes of the wheel. The center cap of the wheel pops off and the bolt in the middle pushes against the top of the shaft. I took a wrench and turned it until the wheel popped.