Steering wheel to shaft - what do I use to avoid seizing up

R

Rafiki

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 Jul 2009
Messages
1,076
Location
North Bucks
Visit site
I have just been servicing the top end of my Edson steering system. All came apart relatively easily except the wheel from the shaft where the helmsman end is relatively exposed to the elements, despite a plastic cap. I rather doubt it had been seperated for 20 + years, but after finally finding a small gearbox specialist with a press that was large enough to accommodate the wheel the 60 ton ?? force it could exert was sufficient to part the wheel and the shaft. I have cleaned it all up ( the shaft is somewhat pitted) and it is now a smooth sliding interference fit. So the Q is what do I use on the wheel to shaft mating surface to ensure smooth seperation in the future? Zinch Chromate paste, waterproof grease, or oil? Both components are stainless steel.

Andrew
 
I will try, I'm always worried that grease dries out, but I suppose if I remember to remove once a year it sb no problem. Thanks
Andrew
 
Crevice corrosion fro ingress of salty water into the minute gaps between the mating surfaces. I would try a waterproof grease, such as Blakes seacock grease, but the thinnest smear possible, as it is only to seal seawater and free oxygen out. The taper works best with intimate metal to metal contact.
 
I don't know if it's correct or not, but I always use Copaslip (sp?) for anything like that. Just the slightest smear.
 
NormanS said:
I don't know if it's correct or not, but I always use Copaslip (sp?) for anything like that. Just the slightest smear.
Click to expand...

Copaslip is primarily a high-temperature anti-sieze and anti-galling solution, I don't think the copper will help here.

I would just use a good waterproof grease, such as winch grease, or a heavy molybdenum based grease.
 
Rafiki said:
I have just been servicing the top end of my Edson steering system. All came apart relatively easily except the wheel from the shaft where the helmsman end is relatively exposed to the elements, despite a plastic cap. I rather doubt it had been seperated for 20 + years, but after finally finding a small gearbox specialist with a press that was large enough to accommodate the wheel the 60 ton ?? force it could exert was sufficient to part the wheel and the shaft. I have cleaned it all up ( the shaft is somewhat pitted) and it is now a smooth sliding interference fit. So the Q is what do I use on the wheel to shaft mating surface to ensure smooth seperation in the future? Zinch Chromate paste, waterproof grease, or oil? Both components are stainless steel.

Andrew
Click to expand...

Loctite LB 8023 Marine grade antiseize. Expensive though!
 
Last edited:
Is this a taper fit? Seizure of such fittings, like props on shafts, is usually because enthusiastic owners tighten the nut as if it was on a bolted joint. It is totally unnecessary to tighten this much, barely more than finger tightness is enough.

If the problem is galling between two stainless components, the best palliative is a MoS2 compound but Copaslip is probably good enough for this application.
 
vyv_cox said:
Is this a taper fit? Seizure of such fittings, like props on shafts, is usually because enthusiastic owners tighten the nut as if it was on a bolted joint. It is totally unnecessary to tighten this much, barely more than finger tightness is enough.

If the problem is galling between two stainless components, the best palliative is a MoS2 compound but Copaslip is probably good enough for this application.
Click to expand...

It's not a taper fit. I have googled "galling" and it appears to relate to threads. IN my case the problem was not with the threaded part of the shaft but with the unthreaded sliding fit part which had become stuck together. As I have said a large tonnage press seperated them but there is some corrosion - maybe galling applies also in these circumstances. I will the Lithium grease I think and in the future remove the wheel during the winter and slide it off once during the sailing season.

Thanks all

Regards
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top