@#%&* Steering Wheel...

[Rfischer 0]

Hi All,

On my C175, finally got the pin out of the steering wheel, like that wasn't fun enough....

The wheel will not pull off the shaft. Have soaked if for days with lube, will not budged.

Any ideas anyone???

Thanks

Randy

[hounddoghundzsa 7]

I had the same problem with a wheel horse I was restoring last summer. My buddy had an air chistle and I held the steering wheel and rested the other side on the work bench while he chistled on the shaft (with a blunt tipped one so we didn't damage it too much! Then we took off the steering gear on the bottom and pounded it with a big rubber mallet and "POP" came right off! A little persuasion with the right tools always helps! Good luck!

[stevebo-(Moderator) 8,351]

If you are not going to use the wheel again the cut it even with the shaft on two sides with a sawzall. Once you have the two pieces off the wheel should then be able to come off the shaft. I did this with one of my c175's last summer. I purchased a used wheel that was cut off with the shaft and pin still in it. My brother has a bridgeport in his shop at home and it was a real pain to drill out the old shaft. I am surprised you actually got the pin out in the first place. Good luck-

[sorekiwi 761]

If you can get it in a hydraulic press, that will get it off, but it usually takes some ingenuity to clear the dash housing.

On my 63 Ranger the shaft itself was badly rusted, so I cut it in half with a hacksaw and then put it in a press to remove the wheel. Then made a new shaft...

One thing that has worked for me before is to beat the wheel further on the shaft, once you get it to move a bit, it will usually come back the other way relatively easily.

Good luck!

[buckrancher 2,694]

You need one of those bearing pullers that use's the two

piece cup that goes behind the bearing 'then use's bolts or threaded

rod to attach the puller in front of the bearing to push on the shalf .

I'am I making any sense

:whistle:

[Butch 194]

Yep. those old WH steering wheels can be a bear. I spent a couple days on mine and wound up taking it to a machine shop. Even after I drilled quite a few holes around the area where the shaft and steering wheel hub meet it still took 10 tons of force to pop it out with a press. There isn't a lubricant in the world that can free those suckers up. I'm pretty convinced if WD40 won't work then go to heat or a press. Of all the lubricants I've bought none of them freed up something that WD40 also failed on. Not a one. The only thing they did loosen was my wallet.

[Sarge 3,463]

Brian nailed it good- beam type bearing puller and a common bearing splitter/puller combo . Slip the 2-piece bearing splitter behind the wheel's center and set it just snug against the shaft , add the beam puller on top with a flat pusher tip against the end of the steering shaft and start screwing it down - works most of the time although I've had to apply a bit of heat/penetrant to help them along . Problem is, bearing pullers of this type aren't cheap and cheap ones break. BTW-WD40 is about worthless- won't ever find it near my toolbox . Gibb's is about the only thing I use anymore besides PB Blaster for stuff that needs to soak for a few days.

Sarge

[hounddoghundzsa 7]

I'm not familiar with the type of pullers your suggesting, but I think I'm going to look into them before my next restro. project.

I don't care much for WD either as a lubricant. But I tell you what it's a hell of a degreaser for cleaning up oil from those leaky old Kohlers!

[Rfischer 0]

Thanks folks, great ideas. Looks like I will have to wait till Sunday to work on it a bit more. The sad part it this WH was is really good condition, stored indoors. The Steering Wheel itself is in almost perfert shape. I really dont want to start pounding on it. I really just need to get the dash sheet metal off since it is the last part to blast and paint. Since the steering gear is welded on, can't get the dash off. I suppose I could just saw the steering shaft in half, paint everything, then weld and grind it back smooth, but seems kinda brute force....

Thanks Again

[Butch 194]

I have PB Blaster also. It also didn't work. I have liquid wrench in foam and liquid.

I have Kroil also. None of those have worked. Heat and hammer or a press is by far the best for serious work. I pretty much have given up on penetrating oils except for nuts and bolts and then I now usually use an air chisel or grinder when I can get on them.

[ohiofarmer 3,276]

 My steering wheel on a Raider 10 is severely bent. I have not tried removal yet and will wait till mowing is over before replacing it. Any ideas on what to use as a replacement?

[tbirdsteve 11]

I just took the wheel off my 93 520H. Man what a pain!! The bolt broke off in the wheel. Days of soaking with PB blaster and heating the shaft let me punch it out with a drift. Then the wheel refused to come off the shaft. More soaking with PB blaster. Heated the metal base in the wheel with a small torch, the plastic smoked a little but it didn't really damage the wheel at all. Suspended the shaft upside down from the bench vise and hammered the metal base in the wheel. Eventually it came off without damage to the wheel or the shaft. Perseverance people. 

[rmaynard 15,610]

When you reassemble it again, put some never seize on the shaft.