Mounting a bomber steering wheel - help!

I am attempting to mount this wheel on a 3/4 steering tube. I have some ideas and am about to start molesting.

The first idea is to find a B-26 bomber and cut out the shaft. (problems : not even sure of the aircraft type - don't know where to find aircraft parts ).

The second idea is to take a 1" - 8 thread tap and thread the center. This was worked out by my machinist friend to give about 45% thread grab. Then make a plate with a dimple to fit that notch. Then use a big nut and lock washer (possibly a little weld on the nut and plate). Then take a 6" piece of all thread, turn down about 3" of it to fit a coupler that will go on the 3/4" tube.

So the big question - can I thread this ? It looks like magnesium or aluminum. If I file it, it powders off small filings real easy. It weighs next to nothing. I don't think it is ***anium - what I can find, TI was not used in WWII that much.
My biggest fear - cracking it to pieces with the tap - getting the tap stuck. Anyone ever try something like this ?

 

it's already splined. try to match the splines up to something. I'm sure a machine shop can broach up a splined shaft that it will fit on. the shaft can be welded onto your current shaft or machined to fit on as an adapter.

btw, that wheel looks magnesium to me. that grey color gives it away.

 

A B-26 wheel is BIG money. PLEASE don't drill out or otherwise **** it up! Get a shaft splined to match what is in the control wheel. That's what we did on Back Seat Betty.

 

Ditto.

 

Yeah it was big money . I had just sold my chopper and was flush with cash at the time. So - being that it is not replaceable I want to tread softly here.

Can a CNC machine make a shaft? If I were to hunt for a shaft - where do I look? Transmission output shaft? Steering box ? Or non-automotive app .....

 

count the # of splines and measure the hole. that will give you a good place to start.

if you can't find a spline to match and decide not to mess it up, go hunt for a yoke out of an old cessna. don't look too much different, but I'm sure the dollar factor is much less.

 

Definitely have a shaft splined. A quick google search gave me this

http://www.hudlowaxle.com/

Looks like they are capable. And if not, they could probably tell you someone who is.

Another option (which might not fly, no pun intended, with aircraft enthusiasts) is to buy a quick release hub. 36-spline, not a hex though as they have horrible backlash. Only requires three holes to be drilled.

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=REB-270-8630&N=700+115&autoview=sku

 

I doubt you'll get too far with a tap!! That stuff is brittle and it would be crackin

 

Cool wheel.

Here's how you could do it and not damage the wheel.

Get a GM 3/4" steering shaft - non-tilt style - and the steering wheel.

Cut the GM wheel and spokes away from the hub.
That'll give you a GM hub (that incidentally can be drilled for the common three spoke steering wheel), but here, what you are making is a B-26 to GM adapter bushing.

Turn the GM hub down to the proper OD for the B-26 splines.

Spline the OD of the GM hub with a dividing head or rotary table with masking plates.
Be sure to make it a good fit between B-26 wheel and GM hub, snug, but not so snug it's gonna jam up.

I believe the GM splines are tapered or the taper is right below the splines.
You may want to make a small flange/washer that goes under the wheel hub ***embly setting it where the GM hub splines are sitting together with no play and a larger than GM top flange washer (under the retaining nut) that will hold down the wheel ***embly with no play.

Sounds complicated, but isn't.
Main thing is leave the B-26 wheel as it is in case it ever gets a chance to fly again and you have a steering shaft that will take a GM wheel with no probs.

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If the wheel was round, what would the diameter be?

 

I would probably make a steel slug what fits into the round recess and keys into the half-circle "keyway". this spreads the load of a through bolt acting like a washer and keys it onto the shaft. by far the easiest to make. Of course a splined shaft is ideal but will cost you a lot more to have made. The keyed slug would be easy for even the smallest shop.

Looks like it's off a P-61, which I believe makes it even more rare.

http://www.militaryfactory.com/****pits/p61_blackwidow_****pit.asp

 

Hey these guys are close to me! Thanks.

 

These are all good ideas. That ****pit web page is awesome! C9 - the wheel would be about 15" if it was round.

 

how are you going to make the column go in and out to simulate the "PULL UP" effect?

 

Holy ****! I'm not trying to be a **** or anything, but DON'T CUT UP / DRILL OUT / WELD UP / MACHINE OUT OR ANY THING ELSE WITH THAT WHEEL! Do any of you realize just how RARE and HARD TO FIND P-61 stuff is?! Send us the wheel, we'll make you the shaft. Hell, I could make you a whole column if you wanted. Making a shaft will run about $150.00 and save you a ton of work. Re: install and bolt the wheel to it. It's also the safest option, otherwise production automotive wheels wouldn't have been splined for the last 80 or so years.

Ok, I'm calm now. Yes, I think that is off of a P-61 Black Widow. There are only 4 known to still exist I believe, one is being restored now to flying status.

 

Holy ****, you are right! OMG. Do you want to sell it? Or trade for my track nose?

 

It's a WWII piece, most every vehicle built for the war had enough spare parts to build 5 more. It's entirely possible it never saw the light of day and has been in a crate for 60 years. I could see maybe emailing one of the restoration groups that is working on these and seeing if it's a piece they've been searching for if you were really worried about feeling like you did something wrong by using it. It might be cool to get some straight facts anyhow, That pic I linked may be wrong! Besides, they can probably show you exactly how it bolts on. But otherwise run it, what's the big deal? It's cool, it's yours, bolt the ****er on tight so it doesn't walk.

 

P-61 that's pretty cool man - NOW you have to put a dual tail fin on it.

that track nose would be cool. I don't knwo how they figured that out though. needle in a hay stack

 

Sounds like you got some guys in Chicago who might be willing to trade you a similar wheel with a new column on it, for your "rare" wheel.

 

I would also recommend the splined shaft. I would definitely not tap it. I have seen and held that puppy; it's bad ***.

 

Ok now I feel like I stole the Pope's Ring. The only right thing to do is ..... try it on while, see how it fits, have some large breasted women bend over and kiss it . I promise not to molest it. I just got my heart set on driving a few miles with it! Probably the first time it slips out of my hand while parking and takes some teeth out, I'll be up for a trade. Thanks for convincing me to not use a tap.

 

Well, then pm me, any time you're ready.

 

A couple of years ago I bought a 29 es*** box that had been used as a cowl mount steering in an old salt car. After I looked at the military sight I found out that it has a B-25 mitchell wheel. I was told it was a wwII wheel and that proves it. Thanks for the sight. TP

 

could i touch it????? next time i'm down there.....

 

Dude, you'll be ticketed every time you're pulled over ANYWHERE you're pulled over for runnin' that wheel.

 

WOW! You realize you're going to have to build a car equally as impressive as that wheel, right!?

 

The american Service men based in New Zealand During WW2 refered to the local gals as P 61's....( think about that for a moment...)
this is really disturbing though from the P61 resto site
But ahead lay a daunting task. The wreck was surrounded by dense jungle and overgrown with vines and other vegetation, all of which had to be cleared away before dis***embly could proceed. The steep slope on which it had come to rest in 1945 exacerbated the already incredibly difficult recovery operation. As if all this was not complicated enough, a tribal leader staked a claim to the plane and mountain, requiring intervention by the local military.

In case folks in the northern hemishere are not aware,Indonesia invaded Irian jaya *( west papua) and have systematically been committing genocide since.One can only hope the military intervention didn't involve the slaughter of tribes people so someone could retrieve a relic.

 

What an insane aircraft! Looks like it could do some serious damage too!

 

They had FOUR 20mm Canons slung in the fuselage on the underside of the main section, and FOUR M2 .50's up on top. Black Widows are COOL!

 

Go ahead - keep it up. I feel like ****. Django is wearing me down.

 

I wouldn't know you if it weren't for Django - I found his car like mine on ebay and sent him an email. Then he showed me the hamb. Then I met you because you moved to Georgia. Then my buddy fixed your welder. You owe him big.