26 M steering wheel removal

[Bobglas]

A few years ago tried to remove. No joy! Tried a wheel puller, no joy either, only resulted in mushrooming the end of the steering bolt/shaft. Had to dremel the end to fit the washers and nut back on! Squirted all kinds of looseners to no avail. Any solutions out there? I want to access behind the the black panel.

[NiceAft]

Bob,

I am not certain what you are trying to do? I also don't know what year you have.

On my 2005 , if you are trying to access the interior of the binnacle, one removes the black, plexi pannels? They're only screwed on. When removed, they expose the interior.

Are you referring to something else?

[Bobglas]

2012 26M. I'm trying to access the binnacle to do some wiring. Have to remove the steering wheel before removing the black panel. I'm hesitant to use heat.

[Jimmyt]

2012 26M. I'm trying to access the binnacle to do some wiring. Have to remove the steering wheel before removing the black panel. I'm hesitant to use heat.

If you have a dewar of liquid nitrogen, you could spray the shaft while you have a puller on it. Otherwise, the careful use of heat on the hub may be required to break it loose.

I tried to get mine off a couple of years ago to answer a forum question (I can't remember the question now). When the puller didn't move it, I stopped - since I didn't need it off for my purposes anyway. But, I've had to take that sort of stuff apart many times. Pressure (puller or press), penetrating fluids, heat, and the occasional sharp hammer blow; is my go to formula. It can take several days to get something apart (if you don't want to, or can't, destroy the parts). Patience is the key.

I always put anti-seize on this sort of thing when it goes back together. You can get a real debate over what type of anti-seize, grease, etc is appropriate, but my point is; put something on to prevent the shaft from corroding itself to the wheel hub again.

Mine is a 2013, by the way. So, yours has had more time to "become one" than mine.

Hope you can get it off without too much difficulty. Good to know that you have an easy fallback position though...

https://shop.bwyachts.com/product-p/5706-1v0.htm

Good luck!

[kurz]

maybe give some shots with a hammer on the puller...

[opie]

10 minute procedure to get your stuck wheel off of your 26M pedestal:
1. Dremel, or hacksaw, or reciprocal saw, the black plastic spacer and throw it overboard.
2. Metal reciprocal saw through the wheel shaft.
3. Put wheel upside down on a block of wood and drive out the siezed portion of the shaft that remains in the wheel.(note that a setscrew needs to be removed before the wheel nut round cover can come off)
4. Do your work in the pedestal.
5. Buy new steering mechanical box and new black spacer and reinstall.

waalaa!

[Bobglas]

Success! Aha! After many many strategies and tries I finally got it off! Wheel puller cranked on (used a nickel against the shaft to prevent mushrooming) over a period of 3 days, applying PB blaster then cranking hard. Nothing was happening until this morning. A cold night so shaft was cold, I used a heat gun followed by some hammer pounding, tightening and more PB. On the second try using the gun it literally exploded off! HOO HOO! No damage present, I'm going to steel wool everything, apply anti seize and put it back together. Waiting till Spring to remove again to carry out plans to gasket the black panel, install a switch for the plotter power and see if the rack and pinion needs grease. Glad I didn't saw stuff apart.

[Jimmyt]

Success! Aha! After many many strategies and tries I finally got it off! Wheel puller cranked on (used a nickel against the shaft to prevent mushrooming) over a period of 3 days, applying PB blaster then cranking hard. Nothing was happening until this morning. A cold night so shaft was cold, I used a heat gun followed by some hammer pounding, tightening and more PB. On the second try using the gun it literally exploded off! HOO HOO! No damage present, I'm going to steel wool everything, apply anti seize and put it back together. Waiting till Spring to remove again to carry out plans to gasket the black panel, install a switch for the plotter power and see if the rack and pinion needs grease. Glad I didn't saw stuff apart.

Great news! Congratulations!

[NiceAft]

Well it's about time

[opie]

I'm glad, too. Perseverance and patience are good attributes to have.

[kurz]

congrats!

Don't tighten the nut strong.

On my the noot was tighten so strong that the thread was completely damaged and the nut turned and turned without coming away. I had to dremel away the nut.

So as I was lucky I still had some 3 theads left so with a new nut and some washers all stays safe. Just to know... very soft material there (I think alu...)