Need help on Helm w/ hydraulic

[macojoe]

My hoses are cooper water tube, by what I understand it was done at the factory in 1984??

[Blue_Runner]

Wow, never heard of copper tubing in a hydro steering system. But if you can't tell by now, I don't know much about hydro steering

I know enough about steering cables though including how much they cost and how dangerous they can be when they fail! I got real lucky 2 years ago when running about 30 mph with 6 folks on board she snapped and sent the V into an instant sharp right turn. Luckily I throttled down just in time as we were heading straight for a wooden seawall on the lake.

No one was thrown out but it was scary.

[Blue_Runner]

An update on my hydro project...

In anticipation of my shipment arriving this week me and a buddy started getting things ready. First order of business was to free up the existing steering cable since it has to come out. I took the big nut off the tube and to my surprise the rod was not stuck in the engine tube
and not frozen at the helm

So apparently the cable is stuck inside the whatchamadoodle, cable sheath or whatever you call it.

Oh well, no worries, all that crap is coming out! But I left it in so I could feed the hydro hoses (Emphasis on CRAP!)

Next up, remove the wheel. I've removed about 4 or 5 stubborn wheels in the past with the 3/4 inch tapered shaft. They can be a pain in the tailbone! This one was no walk in the park. I thought I might be able to yank it off with help from my friend after spraying it down with some PB. No dice...she REEELY did not want to come off. Time to find that gear puller. Almost all of the wheels I've pulled in the past I've had to use a gear puller. Anyway, had a little bit of trouble with the puller slipping off and finally remembered to put the lock nut on the end of the shaft to hold the puller in place, but not before buggering up the threads a bit

Once the nut was on I tightened the gear puller and it was getting REEL tight, then BANG! It popped off and the gear puller crashed to the fiberglass floor and my buddy looked at me as if we had just ripped the entire console out

Then I removed the helm and bezel mount. At this point I am ready for to install the new steering. This evening I'm going to work on draining the +/- 10 gallons of old fuel and charge up the batteries. Then she needs a good cleaning, new racor filter, and the owner may need a bottle of champagne considering July 26th 2008 was the last successful voyage for me.

Wish me luck.

[cterrebonne]

sounds like a rough install, did you try the two ball pein hammer approach to remove the wheel first?

[Blue_Runner]

I'm not familiar with the 2 ball pien hammer method....do share!

She was on there so tight I can't imagine anything but the puller would have gotten it off.

Actually, I'd say things are going smoothly so far, believe it or not. I will consider it a "rough" install if I run into something I can't fix in an hours time.

[Airslot]

Perty work Blue. I was in up to my eyeballs myself tonight as I started rigging the P-line. Once I figured it out, the entire helm pod lifts off to reveal all the wiring, which in my case was a rats nest from a bunch a previously butchered jobs.I did get my plotter on before dark, so in all it was a good night.

[cterrebonne]

i'll try to take a pic of the process today.