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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Wrench for Wheel Nut?

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MartinJW
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USA
241 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/02/2009 : 16:46:10

This is probably a really dumb question, but what the heck...

(If you have wheel steering) WHAT/HOW do you adequately secure the nut that holds the wheel in place?

Thanks,
Martin

************************************************

Here are the details, if anyone is interested:

We sometimes remove the wheel when we're anchored and just hanging out during the day; we also sometimes remove the wheel and store it in the cabin when we're away from the boat (which is on a mooring) for a week or more.

To re-install the wheel, I usually simply torque the nut back onto the shaft by hand. Someone once told me that Edson offers a special wrench for this, but I didn't buy one.

The problem is that I don't really get the nut very tight by hand, so I thought I'd buy the special wrench and keep it on the boat. A preliminary search didn't turn anything up, so I contacted Edson directly. Here's their response:

#960-A-2105 - Inside Nut, 5/8-18 Stainless.

We do not have a special tool. You might try a deck plate tool. The 2 holes were designed to fit the most standard tools.


Seems a little whimpy to use a deck plate tool, doesn't it?

The problem is that the nut is very thin, and I don't think I can get any sort of standard, open-end 5/8" wrench between the six little "tabs" and the wheel hub itself. You can see how Edson specifies this installation here:

http://www.edsonmarine.com/support/PDFs/installation/EB424_336PedShaftRemoval.pdf

C25/250 Int'l Ass'n Member
2008 C-250 WK #973
"Bluebell"
Lake Tahoe, CA/NV

Edited by - MartinJW on 08/03/2009 08:59:39

Ed Cassidy
Captain

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USA
365 Posts

Response Posted - 08/02/2009 : 16:54:26

Do a search for 'pin spanner wrench'. I think you will find exactly what you need.
Ed

Edited by - on

MartinJW
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241 Posts

Response Posted - 08/02/2009 : 18:00:59

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Ed Cassidy
 Do a search for 'pin spanner wrench'. I think you will find exactly what you need.
Ed
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Good tip, Ed. I ultimately searched under 'Adjustable Pin Face Spanner Wrench', and I'm finding some wrenches that will probably work. I'll post the details after I actually buy something.

Thanks for your help!

Martin

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 08/02/2009 : 19:55:01

Our wheel nut is round just like the brake knob, Hand tightening is all we ever do.

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5908 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2009 : 07:17:23

Mine is an older pedestal design, and a little different, but I also only hand tighten the nut that holds the wheel on.

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MartinJW
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USA
241 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2009 : 09:04:22

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Nautiduck
 Our wheel nut is round just like the brake knob, Hand tightening is all we ever do.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Thanks, Randy.

Does your wheel also have the brake? I can't see how a large knurled knob could be used to secure the wheel if there's also a brake knob; there doesn't seem to be enough room for both.

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2009 : 12:33:35

My C250 is a 2000 model and the brake is mounted on the starboard side of the pedestal column. The newer Edson units have the brake on the same axis as the wheel itself.

Edited by - on

MartinJW
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USA
241 Posts

Response Posted - 08/13/2009 : 21:48:12

I found a wrench at Harbor Freight Tools that's not quite perfect, but I think it will work. It only cost $3.99, so I decided to take a chance on it.

Here are the details:

Pittsburgh Adjustable Pin Wrench
HFT item number 36554-1VGA

Here's the Web page for this item:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=36554

I'll try it in the next week or so and report back.

Edited by - on

essen48183
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USA
143 Posts

Response Posted - 08/15/2009 : 10:46:44

I do the same thing. Hand tight, remove with hand. I don't think it needs to be that tight that you'd need a wrench, after all it is a plastic nut. Being a keyed shaft, you just don't want it loose enough to have any fore/aft play nor do you want it to turn by itself and fall off and roll into the drink. It makes me wonder if you have a bit of play in the wheel that you are trying to remove my tightening the nut more.. which I don't think is going to help. If there is play in the wheel, maybe shimming the keyway on the wheel might give you the tight feel you are looking for.

Maybe you could even cover the shft in saran wrap, tape the front and back face of the wheel hub, smoosh some epoxy putty in the keyway and press it on, after 20 minutes pull it off and remove all the saran wrap and tape.

Edited by - on

MartinJW
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USA
241 Posts

Response Posted - 08/15/2009 : 17:17:11

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by essen48183
 I do the same thing. Hand tight, remove with hand. I don't think it needs to be that tight that you'd need a wrench, after all it is a plastic nut. Being a keyed shaft, you just don't want it loose enough to have any fore/aft play nor do you want it to turn by itself and fall off and roll into the drink. It makes me wonder if you have a bit of play in the wheel that you are trying to remove my tightening the nut more.. which I don't think is going to help. If there is play in the wheel, maybe shimming the keyway on the wheel might give you the tight feel you are looking for.

Maybe you could even cover the shft in saran wrap, tape the front and back face of the wheel hub, smoosh some epoxy putty in the keyway and press it on, after 20 minutes pull it off and remove all the saran wrap and tape.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Hi Essen,

Thanks for the input.

No, the nut on our boat is stainless steel, not plastic.

There is absolutely no play in the wheel when the nut is reasonably tight. I think that Edson has done a good job with this in terms of manufacturing.

Part of the problem may be that we tend to remove / reinstall the wheel every few days when we're out, and, since I'm about middle aged, I just don't have enough strength to tighen up that funky little nut by hand!

I just need another foot-pound or two to make this appropriately tight. The wrench will give me that tiny bit of extra leverage to do this.

Thanks again,
Martin

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 08/15/2009 : 18:36:18

Why not just use a [url="http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00945570000P?vName=Tools&cName=Wrenches,Ratchets&Sockets&sName=Strap%20Wrench%20Sets&psid=FROOGLE01&sid=IDx20070921x00003a"]strap wrench[/url]? Cheap, easy to store.

Maybe one of those [url="http://www.alwaysbrilliant.com/aa/aspx-products/pid-373/pd-35922/bb/p.htm?SessionID=vPlT3dYqYFr%2b40i5KdQ2H5Pt3mZa7e%2bdjRWq6rLNHeU%3d"]rubber disks[/url] they sell to help folks improve their grip while opening a jar lid. You really don't have to spend a lot of money just cuz it's a sailboat. That's just a rumor started by the marine supply industry.

Edited by - John Russell on 08/15/2009 18:38:26

MartinJW
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USA
241 Posts

Response Posted - 09/25/2009 : 19:40:16

Here's a wrench that fits the Edson wheel nut on our boat precisely:

Martin "Sprocket & Gear" Tools part #422: 1-1/2in Face Spanner (wrench)

We bought this from www.SJDiscountTools.com for $13.13:
http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/mrt422.html

The total, with tax and shipping, was $23.58 (shipping to Nevada)

I know that this is overkill, but it feels good to be able to apply a tiny bit more torque to that nut. The wheel feels rock solid now, and yet it's easily removed with this wrench.

Martin

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