15 replies to this topic

[mickthefitter]

I was going to get the steering wheel refinished on my 1963 Wolseley Hornet, but I've just come back in from the garage (got to get ready for work) and having removed the horn push, loosened the wheel nut and pounded the spokes with the palms of my hands, the darn thing just will not shift. I've even dared to tap the back of the hub with a nylon mallet, but I don't want to damage the wheel which I've been told is made of bakelite over a steel core. There's about 2mm end play movement in the column itself, which doesn't sound a lot and I know there's got to be some free play, but even so, without knowing exactly 100% what the column is fastened to at the other end I'm a bit worried that I'm damaging something else by repeatedly pounding at the wheel and getting nowhere. I've not got a massive amount of experience at removing steering wheels and one of the first I took off was on a Morris Marina in the early 80s, and because I was dumb enough to take the retaining nut off completely it flew off and smacked me in the face. I've re-aligned one or two others since but I've never had this amount of trouble getting one off before. Anyone got any tips? Because on the present showing, my steering wheel is stopping on the car and keeping its worn out 1963 finish. 

[Phil-R]

It's taper thread, and can be a bugger.

 

1) Screw the nut back on a few turns, exactly flush with the end of the shaft to protect the threads, lightly pull back the wheel out to take up the slack, then strike the centre hard with a small metal hammer to try and 'shock' them apart.

 

2) Wiggle the steering wheel back and forth to see if it's broken the taper free

 

Alternate between the two and hopefully it should come free within 10 minutes.

[mickthefitter]

Hi. Yeah, I understand the principal of shocking, the trouble is my age of car has a little spring and a metal stalk protruding from the middle of the column to operate the horn. Of course I'm not meant to need to touch this but it is in the way of applying any sort of force to the column from the front. I had the circlip off once because it wasn't in the right place, but as far as I could tell the metal stalk stays put.

[deanymini]

Could try a little heat. Boil the kettle and pour some water on.

[mickthefitter]

That's a thought. Or a hair dryer?

[Ben_O]

How about some penetrating fluid down the splines?

 

Sit in the seat, nut on a couple of turns, hook you feet under the pedal box and pull on the wheels whilst wiggling the wheel side to side.

[mickthefitter]

Yes I though about some penetrating fluid. I've got some of the good stuff, Plus Gas. No time this morning though. I thought it would be a 2 minute job!

[Craig89]

Mine was stuck on and I had to remove the column with wheel attached then with it off the car it's easier to give it some thrash

[A-Cell]

I have had some very difficult ones. Plus gas and patience. You could try Halfords Shock and Release spray after a couple of days of plus gas.
Some rag to protect back of wheel and a heavy rubber mallet. Leave nut on a few turns to avoid face full of wheel.

[dklawson]

Without a puller, try the John Twist method from University Motors.

• Loosen the nut and unscrew far enough to protect the threads on the end of the column.
• Find a pipe nipple that you can rest on the nut (the horn spring will be in the center of the pipe).
• Wedge your knees against the back side of the steering wheel so they are applying pressure against the wheel... pushing it towards your face.
• Strike the free end of the pipe nipple with a heavy hammer using a few sharp blows.

The pressure from your knees along with the shock from the hammer blows will free the wheel while the pipe protects the spring/wire and the nut protects you from getting struck in the face.

[newenglandmini]

The proper method of steering wheel removal is by use of a steering wheel puller.  This will ensure that you don't damage the steering wheel.  The kit is inexpensive to purchase.  You may also be able to obtain a no-charge loaner kit from you local parts factor.

 

http://www.harborfre...-set-68982.html

[mickthefitter]

There's some good suggestions here, thanks. I wondered if taking the column out with wheel would be neccessary but I really want to avoid that. I like the idea of a pipe nipple over the horn spring. I'd forgotten I sometimes worked with those things. I've used conventional bearing pullers but don't know what a steering wheel puller looks like. I'll lOok properly on the computer when I get home tonight. I'm wondering if a combination of a pipe nipple plus a wheel puller, after some Plus Gas, might be my best bet.

[mickthefitter]

The wheel is off. Wow. That was a bit stressful. I was pretty worried about doing some damage to either the wheel or the steering column and was on the point of giving up, when it finally moved. I ended up getting a pipe nipple from the local plumbing merchant and I used a hairdryer to warm up the wheel hub before giving the retaining nut a few thumps through the the pipe nipple. But it didn't let go till I managed to get my knees behind the spokes (after moving the indicator stalk up). I'd seen a YouTube video of an American guy getting a three spoke wheel off a very basic car (looked like a Mini Clubman wheel but it wasn't) and that jumped off the taper after a few strikes to the hub nut, then I watched a video where a British bloke removed the three spoke steering wheel off what looked like an old van or ambulance, and he used a home made puller that consisted of a flat round plate with a jacking bolt in the middle, and three eye bolts on the perimeter equally spaced, and when he placed the plate over the wheel hub he passed a bar he'd rolled into a circle through the eye bolts under the wheel spokes, and jacked it off that way. It was a good idea but apart from not having the means to make my own puller (I'm out of the engineering industry now) I didn't think that design would work on a two spoke Mini wheel. All the purpose made 'harmonic' wheel pullers I saw seemed to be made for modern steering wheels with air bags that had jacking threads under the air bag pad. Anyway mine is off now so I can get it sent away for refinishing. Thanks for the tips. 

 

Exactly how much end float should my steering column have? None at all I bet. Mine's between 2 and 3mm. I didn't check it before I started banging. Is it something that can be adjusted by loosening a pinch bolt? There is a tiny amount of up and down play at the wheel when you rock the steering wheel that I knew was there already. My car always passes the MoT that way. A couple of years ago I bought new bushes but when the car passed, I just kept them. I can remember my uncle David in the very early seventies having an Austin mini Se7en with a small wheel and he demonstrated the up and down play in the column to show us what a heap he thought he'd just bought! 

Edited by mickthefitter, 19 November 2014 - 11:44 AM.

[dklawson]

 I'd seen a YouTube video of an American guy getting a three spoke wheel off a very basic car (looked like a Mini Clubman wheel but it wasn't) and that jumped off the taper after a few strikes to the hub nut, 

 

Exactly how much end float should my steering column have? 

 

That was probably the John Twist video I mentioned earlier.  

 

I remember there being almost no axial motion of the steering column.  Some motion may feel axial but be related to failed column bushings letting the assembly wobble.  Remove the column and inspect the pinch bolt and splines on the bottom.  If the splines and pinch bolt look OK fit new bushings to the assembly and see if it is not better when re-installed.  If there is wear on the splines and pinch bolt area get a replacement column.  (Paint mark the pinch bolt/joint components so you can easily put things back in their proper alignment during reassembly).

[mickthefitter]

Okay thanks. Time to get the Haynes manual out. With the steering wheel off for refurbishment this is probably a good time to use those bushes I bought.