Steering wheel removal

blue68 · Post by **blue68** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 5:00 pm

I know how to remove a steering wheel properly (with a puller), but I am really in a pickle right now. My wheel is seized onto the column shaft tight as a tick. I've tried everything I can think of: 2 styles of pullers (one broke in half, the other was starting to bend Grade 8 bolts!), hammer and chisel, electric air wrench, and some more. It just wont come off it seems like. My dad says he's never seen anything like it in all his years and he's a diehard Ford man. We are going to try a hydraulic air wrench soon, but that will possibly break something, I think. What are you guy's ideas on how to pull this thing?

Thanks!!

GT-Racer · Post by **GT-Racer** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 7:02 pm

we ran into this once before. I dont know what the guy finally used but he had the same trouble as you. I was thinking he just used a B.F.H to break it loose.

flyboy2610 · Post by **flyboy2610** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 7:25 pm

Soak the shaft with PB Blaster or another good penetrating oil (NOT WD-40, it's not made for that) Then rap the end of the shaft smartly with a ball-peen hammer, put the puller on it and apply some good tight tension. Leave it overnight. Leave the puller on, soak the shaft again, rap it with the hammer, tigthen down the puller some more, leave it overnight, repeat process until it comes off. it may take awhile, but it'll come off.

Fake Name · Post by **Fake Name** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 7:45 pm

How about a little heat? A plumbing torch applied to the hub might expand it enough to let go...

fn

studdmstr · Post by **studdmstr** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 8:03 pm

Fake Name wrote:How about a little heat? A plumbing torch applied to the hub might expand it enough to let go...
fn

I don't know about that, might end up melting something you didn't want melted.

blue68 · Post by **blue68** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 8:45 pm

Thanks guys. The wheel doesnt actually have to come off now. Nothing is wrong in the column. It's just going to be a pain if my turn signal switch goes out, or something of the like. The reason I was trying to get it off was to fix the main bushing/sleeve in the column to keep the wheel from shaking around loosly, but I found a way to fix that w/o taking the wheel off by sliding up the steering colum out of the brace till it bottoms out on that bushing. That fixed my problem. I may wait a while (like weeks or months) before I mess with that wheel again because I played with it last night for about 4 hours and it really whooped me good. I appreciate the ideas! thanks

Post by **FORDification** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 12:10 am

I don't know if I should be admitting this or not...but this happened to me once. I wrestled with the darn thing for a good half-hour (breaking a puller in the process) before it dawned on me that the wheel might actually come off easier if I were to remove the big nut off the end of the shaft.

Not one of my better days.

jzjames · Post by **jzjames** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 12:23 am

YEAH!!!!
Awright Kieth!

mrsnicks · Post by **mrsnicks** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 1:03 am

OH MY GOD!!! Keith is human, and prone to mistakes!

Wow.. that's good to know because I was starting to get worried.

Patrick

blue68 · Post by **blue68** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 9:50 am

Yeah I've done some crazy stuff too. You ever tried working on your truck in the wee hours of the morning and you forget which way is loosen or tighten? Now I've got another question: I had a Grant GT wheel on there before and the horn blew with it. Now with the Ford wheel, it wont blow. both contacts are there and they press down ok, any ideas?

71 LONG BED · Post by **71 LONG BED** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 10:04 am

Hey flyboy2610, that PB Blaster is great stuff isn't it!! I removed the original bolts that held on the cat. converter on my wifes '94 Honda!! Before I used the PB Blaster, I broke every other bolt on the rest of the exhaust.

Hey blue68, you should post that in the "Did you ever...?"

Keith, we'll let yours slide.

cooltoolguy · Post by **cooltoolguy** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 10:57 pm

as flyboy and longbed said PB Blaster is the only stuff to use (even better than CRC screw loose) I would not heat the shaft strange things happen like melted wires and a burnt truck. Longbed, advance sells pb in a gallon can now that comes with a refillable sprayer FYI.

Fake Name · Post by **Fake Name** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:04 pm

Um- just for the record, I never suggested heating anything that will melt. Just a little heat not a blowtorch....

fn

cooltoolguy · Post by **cooltoolguy** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:18 pm

thats funny I'm just ribbing ya fn. i know that a little heat dosen't hurt, but i have friends that would take a oxy - acteylene torch to open a beer. I was just being over protective.

steve

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