How to Remove a Teleflex Boat Steering Wheel

Teleflex wheels are slightly different from standard boat wheels.

While a Teleflex steering wheel is similar to a standard boat steering wheel in many ways, removing the Teleflex wheel's hub cover is slightly more complicated than removing a standard "pop-out" hub and wheel, since it is designed to fit on a Teleflex/Marine Star Helm unit's tapered shaft. Whatever your reason for removing the Teleflex wheel--whether it be replacement of the wheel or replacement of the helm itself--the boat's responsiveness to the wheel is a major safety factor in boating.

Things You'll Need

• Screwdriver
• Assistant
• Gear puller
• Water-excluding, penetrating lubricant spray

Instructions

1. Use a screwdriver to remove the screw located in the face of the plastic cover, over the center of the hub. Lift the plastic cover from the center of the hub and put the set screw in your shirt pocket.

2. Have a friend hold the steering wheel tightly while you use an adjustable wrench to remove the retaining nut from the center of the steering wheel hub.

3. Set the central screw of a gear puller in the center of the steering shaft and fit the "hooks" that surround the gear puller's central screw, underneath the spokes of the steering wheel. Turn the central screw of the gear puller to the right to "pop" the wheel loose from the steering shaft. Wiggle the wheel and lift it free of the steering shaft, retaining the "key" for the re-installation process.

Tips & Warnings

• Spray the retaining nut with a water-excluding penetrating lubricant before attempting to remove the nut.

• Apply an anti-seizing compound to the tapered steering shaft before reinstalling a wheel or the wheel retaining nut.

• Use an assistant to hold the wheel, rather than trying to insert a board between the spokes. The spokes can be damaged if you shove a board between them and try to turn a "difficult" retaining nut against the sides of the spokes.