removing steering wheel

[Chris Ryan]

Ahh Scott its all in the technique!

I had the same reason to take mine off - snapped helm drive cog so I didn't give a crap if I bent/stuffed the drive shaft. The interesting thing was I had the helm changed, the new steering wheel on (the old one was cracked) and when I thought all was good and put the drive cable in, the damn connectors were different and there was no adaptor because of its age. (didn't realise this until I went to get on the water.....must have missed that one with the 8th or 9th can for the arvo...!!

SOOOOOOOO new bloody steering cable as well. Get some looks changing them in a Bunnings carpark

[mally]

hey tully, u forgot to tell him to put a nappie on first . lol

[BM]

Try this first. Grab the wheel with both hands at 9 & 3 o'clock and pull back, while flexing the wheel rim as much as possible in a sort of side to side rocking motion if you know what I mean. Takes a fair bit of grunt but usually works.
Failing that you will need a puller of some sort, but most cheap ones are crap and be very carefull hitting the shaft as most helms are only diecast body.

P.S if you try my way, leave the nut on a bit and you won't go A over T when it comes off. Good luck.

This is the method I employ and usually is successful. A squirt of a lubricant such as Penetrene on the standard 3/4 taper shaft can also assist.

Failing that, and assuming the wheel is coming off in order to replace the steering, a 9 inch grinder in behind the wheel can be a more effort free way of removing the errr....... offending system.

Cheers

[Roughasguts]

Oh yeah I forgot heres a tip for using the gear puller to get that steering wheel off. It's a little hard to get the 3 prongs to stay in side the plastic edge of the steering wheel thay tend to wan't to pop out. So grab a zip tie to hold the 3 prongs in behind the steering wheel, wrap the tie around all 3 prongs and tighten it up. The gear puller 3-4 prong set is only 18 bucks from Kmart, a little dearer from super cheap.