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Removing a Yacht Specialities Wheel

Carefree Sailor

Member II
I want to spruce up the appearance of the steering wheel ring that the belt of my autopilot system uses. However, I'm having trouble removing the Yacht Specialities wheel so the ring can be removed. I was able to get the nut off the post (shaft) that secures the wheel and was expecting the wheel to simply pull out and off -- not so. Does anyone have any suggestions what needs to be done?

Maybe this task is far more complicated than I anticipated.
 

Glyn Judson

Moderator
Moderator
Getting your wheel off.

George, If yours is like mine and I'm about 101% sure it is, the wheel and key are just stuck to the shaft and one another. If you have access to a small wheel puller, it'll be a short job getting the wheel off. Failing that, go to a local hardware store and buy a 1/2-13 or 3/4-13 standard nut (can't remember which size and I'm not at the boat to check). Apply some WD40 or LPS spray lubricant to the shaft from front and back after removing the YS bronze nut and replace it with the one you bought. Position it such as to be flush to the shaft end or a 1/4 turn higher than it. Apply pressure toward you with your free hand to the back of the hub and tap the nut with a hammer. The nut will save the threads and the shaft from getting peened and mushroomed. My guess is that it won't take much force to get the wheel off that way. Just be sure not to slam the nut and shaft end too hard so start out tapping lightly, working your way up in force. Note the gap between the nut and the hub and observe to see that the gap is closing, an indicator that your tapping is working. After getting the wheel off the shaft, clean and/or lightly sand the faying surfaces to prevent a reoccurrence. Consider applying a bit of axle grease to the shaft before reattaching the wheel to it. Good luck, Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey, CA
 

Carefree Sailor

Member II
Another question

Glyn, thanks for the info.

Pardon me for asking what is probably a silly question. I assume that when the wheel breaks free the key may fall to the cockpit floor. When I put the wheel back on, will it be obvious how the key fits on the shaft?
 

Glyn Judson

Moderator
Moderator
Replacing the key.

George. It's a 1/4" square key an inch or so long and all you need do is to slip it into the 1/8" deep slot of the steering shaft and then slip the wheel over it, aligning the 1/8" deep slot in the wheel. Simple as pie. You can do it, Glyn
 

Stefouellet

Junior Member
Play in the wheel

Is it a good idea to put a rectangular shape key instead of the standard 1/4 square key to solve a play issue in the wheel? It feels like a larger key would fill both the keyslot in the wheel and the keyway on the shaft and resolve the wiggle/play in the wheel.

Also, what material should the key made of?
 
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Afrakes

Sustaining Member
Key

The key would have to be stainless steel. It would have to be machined to fit the worn slots in the shaft and wheel. Get yourself some stainless shim stock and experiment. If your wheel nut is bottoming out before the wheel is tight try adding a washer between the wheel nut and the wheel.
 

debonAir

Member III
have you confirmed your wheel play is actually from the shaft/key interface? Especially considering the wheel doesn't pull right off I'm imagining your key/shaft fit is probably nice and tight. There are so many other places play can easily slip in to the steering (chains, cables, qaudrants, etc.) I'd not touch the key at all unless you can prove the wheel and shaft aren't moving together tightly. You can borrow (for free) a wheel puller at Autozone to get the wheel off. If you do have to pull the key out you might nick it, making it much more likely to have to pound the wheel back on and introduce play. Get a new key vs putting even a slightly damaged one back in, and avoid sanding it to clean it even if its un-marred. It is supposed to have a very tight fit to work properly.
 

Afrakes

Sustaining Member
Old Post

This is an extension of an old post. I believe he's stating that his wheel is loose on the shaft, not that he can't get it off.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Is the YS nut tight but the wheel frequently loose? Lock washer has no effect?

My boat has a large circlip on the wheel shaft, seated in a groove. That circlip keeps the wheel from moving forward as the nut is tightened against it.

But the circlip fails under pressure. The nut is tight, the wheel is loose.

The easy answer is a hose clamp around the shaft to back up the circlip and resist pressure from the nut.

(Question: is the key supposed to do this? Is the YS key a special tapered key, perhaps? Mine is a stock key which fits well but doesn't provide a "stop" for the nut.)

By the way, you can also pull the wheel using a large C-clamp or two and wood behind the spokes.

And by the way #2, welcome to the forum. Please put boat model and engine in the Signature line, so we don't have to look it up. Settings/My Settings/Edit Signature.
 
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