Hey guys...im trying to remove my steering wheel in my 38 ford pickup....having a little trouble. I removed the nut and just hooked up my puller. Should this steering wheel just come off like this or do I have to remove something else? Am i missing something? Thanks
Your steering wheel should come off, it,s only held on by the tapered shaft and key after the nut is removed. Try a little WD40 , and flex the steering wheel rim while the puller is under pressure. Good luck with your project. ..........Jack
I found my '40 style wheel under a tree at a local sale couple years back. It was still on the shaft and had the tube and gutted steering box attached. The tube was rusted out from the inside and the center nut was rust welded to the shaft. I only needed the wheel but how to get it free without destroying the thing? Stood the entire rig up on end and filled the center section of the wheel (horn ****on and spring were long gone) with penetrating oil - for couple weeks. Finally gave up and grabbed the Dremel and carved off the nut. Next we had to rethred the two side holes so we could get a puller on it. Finally got it off with no damage to the wheel and it fits fine on our '41 column in the roadster. Should have grabbed the Dremel first! Good luck...
I hate getting those tappered wheels off, ecspecialy if they have been rusted on. I always end up drilling the shaft out.
Stop now! Do not use a 3 jaw puller on the plastic body or you will junk the wheel. Unless you have the KRW steering wheel puller you will screw something up. If you don't, can't borrow one or don't want to purchase one, its time to be careful unless you don't care about the steering wheel. First as other poster, apply a liberal amount of penetrating oil to the shaft area so it soaks down around the key and the shaft. Next , using a propane or small gas welding tip torch heat the metal area of the steering wheel body near the threads being careful not to burn nor crack the plastic. Doesn't have to be red hot just warmed up, let this cool for a period of time. If you do not have a KRW tool you can use a small engine flywheel puller to ***ist you breaking the bond of the shaft but this will require you to drill and tap two opposing holes in the base of the steering wheel body to match the puller. If you go this route remember the shaft is a tube and if you hammer on the treaded end or apply pressure to the threads you can screw them up very easily. You should run the steering wheel nut down on the threads to give the threads extra support. You can also place a 5/16 ****on head screw in the end of the shaft to serve as a bearing center for the tip of the puller. This is not a fail safe method, if the shaft is rusted the tapped threads can pull out, the metal base is very thin so you should tap fine threads for better holding power. In any case after doing this use the puller as you normally would using care not to damage the threads, some will pop right off others you will have to fight with. If you only have access to a large 3 jaw puller you can use them but it will require you to make a collar out of 2x4 blocks and apply a uniform pressure to grab the body of the wheel. How does it go, good luck.
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