Replacing Steering Wheel

[1973Auto 80]

I am trying to take off and replace my steering wheel on my 73 Auto, with a steering wheel from a 72. The 72 is in good shape, made from hard plastic, the 73 is mad from a hard rubber compound and is broken so it flops around. still works but not the best. I can not  get the 73 wheel off. I see a set screw or a pin holding it in place. Allen wrench won't fit or work and tried to hammer out the pin to no avail. About ready to drill the pin or screw out. Any suggestions? Thanks.

[peter lena 8,742]

thats a spiral pin ,https://www.google.com/search?sa=X&sxsrf=ACYBGNQvgFf5FhA3bLjR8475QsYRBRyOmA:1571240032127&q=spiral+pin&tbm=isch&source=univ&ved=2ahUKEwi33-KfjaHlAhWKm1kKHTIjAkgQsAR6BAgFEAE&biw=1024&bih=625  , best way to remove, is block up the oposet side of wheel against wall , so your hammer impact does not bounce, making it a solid hard stop against the pin. probably a 3/16 size small drift pin with penetrating oil will move it . pin is probably rusted in place , having an exact size hole punch will give you the mechanical advantage of hammer drive, pete

[ebinmaine 68,460]

Steering wheel or axle hub removal is probably the most challenging thing that most Wheel Horse owners get to deal with.

 

Others will be along to chime in with better ideas than mine which would have involved a sawzall, torch, bfh, possibly an expletive or a few.

 

One advantage you have is that your steering wheel is already broken so it can't get, more broken.

 

[1973Auto 80]

Thank you Peter and Eric. I guess its time for the BFH, and  WD-40. I am glad it is the Spiral Pin. A set screw would be harder to drill out if it comes to that. 

[ebinmaine 68,460]

4 minutes ago, 1973Auto said:

Thank you Peter and Eric. I guess its time for the BFH, and  WD-40. I am glad it is the Spiral Pin. A set screw would be harder to drill out if it comes to that. 

If you're going to use WD-40, grab the one that actually says penetrating. It works far far far far better then the regular one which isn't really meant to be a penetrating oil after all.

 

Personally I've had much better luck with the good old-fashioned formula of liquid wrench.

 

 

If you can use heat from a torch without screwing up surrounding areas that too would help you quite a lot.

 

 

[peter lena 8,742]

that wheel solid back up , to eliminate  bounce is vital. done this a number of times , if the column has a solid side stop , your first drift pin hit hit will move that spiral pin. pete

[1973Auto 80]

THANKS AGAIN ALL. I WILL BRACE IT UP AND GET THE PENETRATION OIL!!

[The Tuul Crib 7,337]

Git r dunn!

[roadapples 6,983]

While you're at it soak the shaft going through the wheel. Even after the pin is out they can still be a bear....

[JCM 9,413]

Please let us know how you make out with removing your steering wheel and the procedure that worked for you. I have never had to do it and hope to never have to.       GOOD LUCK

[pacer 3,174]

As mentioned steering wheel removal is in the top 2-3 'pain in the butt' problems on these horses. I will have to say dont be to shocked if that rollpin just WILL not come out! Many of us have had failures, I've had 4 unable to remove but I was doing a resto and just removed it still attached to the shaft, course you cant do that. Have heard several guys say they removed the wheel attached to the shaft and put it in a big press and with that much force sheared the pin.

[JCM 9,413]

I wish that I would have been able to work on the assembly line at Wheelhorse in South Bend back in the day and my job would have been to put a liberal amount of Never-Seize on both steering shafts and rear axle shafts so that none of us would ever have to deal with these issues, other than that what a wonderful machine they produced engineering and quality/ dependability wise. 

[peter lena 8,742]

another thing i do after driving out that rusted spiral pin is to  use this , https://www.millrose.com/twisted-wire-brushes_double-spiral-tube-brushes.php   , on a drill, to clean out the rusty crud. i also use a never sieze  and penetrating oil lube to reseinstall  the pin . this is my experience , pete

[clueless 3,012]

I've found that you really need to use the right size roll pin punch, a regular punch tends to flatten out the end of the pin making it far harder to remove. The last two I removed I used a quality penetrating oil the right size roll pin punch a 2x4 brace and a hammer drill, not an impact drill. Soak the pin with penetrating every few days then chuck up the pin in the hammer drill and hit the pin with it a few times. I did this every couple of days, one came out in less than a week the other took a little longer. If you don't have a hammer drill, you may know someone who does.

[1973Auto 80]

Well I finally got around to replacing the steering wheel, Angle Grinder 1, Steering wheel 0!!!

 

 

[pacer 3,174]

Geez, aint that something!!! First time Ive seen that method --- I bet last fall when all that talk about how hard they were to remove you probably was thinking "Aw that thing CANT be THAT hard!! Made a believer out of ya didnt it

[Lee1977 6,808]

I see you got the wheel off how about the roll pin did it give you much trouble?

[1973Auto 80]

Pacer/Lee:  The kicker was the other steering wheel, that was still good, the pin push out with no issues.This one wouldn't budge!! then I drilled it out,only half the pin can out,then more hammering, then after about 10 minutes of pissing around with it,I said,F-it,and got the grinder. It was rusted on pretty tight,even with WD and other stuff I put on still wouldn't budge.  The wheel was broke anyway so I didn't care what I had to to get it off. Soo!!! It if off!!!!!

[Lee1977 6,808]

On 5/7/2020 at 8:20 AM, 1973Auto said:

Pacer/Lee:  The kicker was the other steering wheel, that was still good, the pin push out with no issues.This one wouldn't budge!! then I drilled it out,only half the pin can out,then more hammering, then after about 10 minutes of pissing around with it,I said,F-it,and got the grinder. It was rusted on pretty tight,even with WD and other stuff I put on still wouldn't budge.  The wheel was broke anyway so I didn't care what I had to to get it off. Soo!!! It if off!!!!!

I do tires the same way after 20 or 30 minuets It's time to get it off.

[squonk 41,397]

I had to shear one of those pins off once Wish I took pictures.