Autohelm 4000 Replacement Wheel

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Pgutierrez's picture
Pgutierrez
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Joined: 5/14/12
Posts: 235
Autohelm 4000 Replacement Wheel

Autohelm ST4000 wheel Replacement

It is time, cant re glue internal wheels, belt is shot, clam shell ocassionally starts to open.  Hey, is 26 years old.  Drive motor is fine.  Suggestions for replacement, new or from salvage chandlery?  What is your experience?  Suggestions appreciated.

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peter g

2000 C36, MK2, Hull. #1897
wonderful, wonderful, wonderful ! ! !.   5 th Catalina

 

 

pierview
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Joined: 9/27/09
Posts: 616

I'm unclear if you're looking for a wheel or the autohelm pieces but if you Google Catalina 36 steering wheel you'll get sites for new as well as recycled wheels.

Chuck Parker
s/v HelenRita
Atlantic Highlands, NJ

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Chuck Parker
HelenRita 2072 Mk II
2002 Tall Rig - Winged Keel
Atlantic Highlands, NJ

Burnt End
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Joined: 4/7/24
Posts: 20

A couple of wheels on eBay look workable; one fairly cheap option is a whole unit, but the condition of the internals is unknown. I also looked at a few others for donor parts.  I considered making a low offer on one last week after what NASA would call a "rapid vehicle disassembly" of my wheel drive in rough weather two weeks ago, when at least two wheel posts failed; a third broke as I tried to deal with the flying parts in a pitching boat, and the shell jammed the wheel. 

I considered using epoxy and ruled it out; I also thought that if 2-3 had failed due to time and stress, I needed to consider the other 4-5. I expect them to fail similarly, and assessing the posts' structure is dubious at best, so I'll replace them at the same time. I had seen a repair on an Ericson that looked straightforward, and the person who did it explained what they'd done and what inspired them. I decided my best option was to grind the failed spots flat, drill out the centers, and use brass binding posts with spacers and washers similar to, but not exactly like, the sets on i3dgear.com, since I could assemble the parts for seven plus make the jig to drill for the cost of one kit, but ymmv. I am buying new spoke clamps and some other parts from them. I didn't need to replace any wheels since mine were hardly worn, but if/when I do, I'll likely source them from i3d if they are still around and I haven't switched to a ram.

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J. W. Bell
S/V Adagio
1985 MkI TR #462 M25
MKE, WI

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