RayMarine ST4000+ Autopilot breaks

[pfaffk]

After 17 years my ST4000+ Autopilot broke. Of course it breaks at the worst time. I was just outside of my marina, and take the clutch off and it moved very strangely and I cannot steer the boat. I manage to steer back onto the Hudson river but the wheel is very stiff. I grab my toolbox find the correct Allen Wrench and remove the autopilot from the wheel, then pull the wheel off, disconnect the autopilot, put the wheel back on and now I can finally steer, and head in. At home I pulled it apart thinking that I have a problem with the clutch, but instead 2 of the wheels fall out, and a third broke off when I tried to unscrew it. All three wheels were on the top so I am thinking the wheel was torqued which make steering difficult. Tomorrow I am going to see if I can through bolt the wheels as I don't believe glue or epoxy would hold the small plastic centers.

 

[jviss]

Tomorrow I am going to see if I can through bolt the wheels as I don't believe glue or epoxy would hold the small plastic centers.

This can be done, I've done it. I used metric, fine-thread, SS hardware, countersunk the outside plastic for flat head screws. I did all the wheels.

 

[smokey73]

This can be done, I've done it. I used metric, fine-thread, SS hardware, countersunk the outside plastic for flat head screws. I did all the wheels.

Same here. It works pretty well and is probably stronger than the original plastic shaft that the wheel attached to in the first place.

 

[nightowle]

I did the same with 2 of my wheels that had broken off. Make sure to carefully align your drilled holes so that the wheel isn't too far outboard or inboard of the circumference circle it's supposed to lie on. I used stainless screws with the heads on the inside and locking nuts at the outside. The nuts aren't large enough to be noticeable, and I'd be concerned that countersinking would possibly cause some wobble with the fixed post. If you need new wheels, there's a guy in B.C. Canada that sells 3D printed replacements with metal posts and screws: https://www.i3dgear.com/