Removing Wheel from Destroyer type Whitlock Pedestal

[fchurtic]

H, I have a destroyer type Whitlock pedestal in a Baltic 47. See picture. I have never removed the wheel and need to do so to clean up the water evacuation pipes in the cockpit. Does anyone know what is the right process to remove the wheel? Help much appreciated
FCHURTIC

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, FCHURTIC.

Lewmar acquired Whitlock circa 2001, and has since rebranded its products under the Lewmar name.
Try searching the Lewmar site for manuals.

[h the boat]

Hi FCH, simple strait forward job. Remove the cover dome at center, remove retaining nut, wheel center is either splined or more likely keyed on to the shaft. If it was clean and properly fitted, it should come off simply by pulling evenly. If it is tight, beg, borrow, or at the last resort buy, a small hub puller, from a motor spares shop. this will pull the wheel center from its rear, by putting pressure on the front part of the holding spindle. when replacing, make sure it is perfectly clean and dry, apply a little engine oil to the spindle to protect from future corrosion and do the nut up good hand tight, with the right spanner. dont over do it. RGDS h the boat.

[fchurtic]

Thank you h_the_boat

Because of the dual support, forward of and behind the wheel, I guess I need to extract the axis somehow...This seems to be a custom Lewmar pedestal for Baltic...Will keep on trying. Best regards

[h the boat]

Hi again FCH, The extended part of the shaft, to the rear of the wheel, or possibly the front whichever way round it may have been fitted, was intended to enable a remote or autopilot fitting. In your photo, it appears to enter a box panel, which may support compass or electronics. This assembly will have to be removed/diss assembled to gain access to the principle fixing nut as previously described. The shaft, is in fact a one piece machined item, which is keyed to both the wheel and the drive sproket, if it is link chain, or the cable control wheel. There is a single bearing located at the business end of the support system, against the drive sproket. This is within the part of the pedestal that has the circular cover plate and many screws. Dont even try and dissassemble from that end. In the unlikely event that it is a very early type of unit, it may even have a drive shaft , leading to a right angle box and mechanical lever to the rudder. The actual pedestal wheel, always comes away from the end further most from the final drive.. Hope this helps, as I know there is not much printed info available from Whitlock, even when they were supplied to boat builders... h the boat.

[fchurtic]

Your comment is most useful. I have tried this morning to disassemble from the back (the round plate) and I can't even get this one out. I guess the key nut is in the front pedestal. I can access it from the hydraulic panel, located at the front. Definetely an extremely robust system
Thank you very much