removal of steering wheel in toto.

[DaveT]

Next question for you all

I've read all the previous posts but still cannot remove the steering wheel from the splines. Bear in mind I'm not changing the wheel I'm trashing the car. Need to get the wheel off before I remove the shroud, instrument panel etc.

I've tried as much brute force as I can muster which isnt very much and a hell of a lot of ignorance and my ex says I have a hell of a lot of that.

Any polite suggestions would be welcome as the wheel is sold and I dont want to damage it.

D

[DeeAitch]

I ended up making an 'extrator' which was basically a flat bar with a nut welded in the middle. A bolt through this pressing on the centre of the column to pre load it, followed by a sharp whack with a big 'ammer did the trick Maybe you could do the pre load bit with a mate and give it a whack with a suitable bar on the centre of the column? But make sure to leave the nut on or you risk shagging the threads, never mind imprinting the wheel on your mush as it flies off.

[GeoffSmith]

removal of steering wheel in Toto

Toto!? Another bloody funny name for a car! Nearly as bad as Ernest!

[DaveT]

Sorry geoff- the car is called "Mags"

D

[Doug]

I, too, though of a little movie dog when I read this

sorry, I have not suggestions for the true question

[Paul.P]

Dave, take the centre horn push piece out of wheel, by turning one way ( or the other ), so you can see nut inside. Undo nut about halfway off , then you need to hold steering wheel either side & jar it from side to side, when you feel it come loose, you can undo nut rest of the way. Reason you don't take nut right off at 1st, is because your likely to bang the wheel in your face as it ping's off the splines.

[DaveT]

Tried that Paul- no movement at all. Sy suggested that on one old thread.

Have also tried a twatometer- carefully of course.


Sorry Geoff- typo error- should have been a small t- in toto- defn.- as a whole.

D

[Paul.P]

Whats up Dave, lost the ability for a bit of side to side jiggling mate ?

Afraid what you need is a bit of weight behind your jiggle, if only you were closer ?

[GeoffSmith]

8)
Sorry geoff- the car is called "Mags"

D

I know Dave!

Turncoat and glory hunter!

[dapinky]

All the above techniques seem good to me, but as a bit of a tweak, if you sit in the car with your knees applying an upward force to the steering wheel (after undoing the nut part way!) and then using a suitable drift (5" extension bar is my tool of choice ), give the centre shaft a sharp whack with a suitable brummy screwdriver.

The upwards pressure from your knees should allow the splines to jar free. Once there is some movement, undo the nut fully and, in the words of any Haynes manual, simply lift away the wheel!

Good luck.......

.....and remember, don't force it.....

......use a bigger hammer!

[Sy V]

I'm sure I've heard that twatting the end of the spline damages a crucial component at t'other end o't shaft.

[GeoffSmith]

I'm sure I've heard that twatting the end of the spline damages a crucial component at t'other end o't shaft.

Correct. Check out Andrew Ennis' post second from bottom.

[Sy V]

See, I might be getting old but I've still got a perfectly functioning memo...what was I going to say?

[Sy V]

Top Tip:

Spline Twatten Verboten!

[Monty]

yep, hit it to hard and u`ll collapse the steering column and i`ve heard people having to replace the column. Also remember someone have stiff steering, when he investigated more noticed the steering column had collapsed slightly.

[DeeAitch]

Yes, the steering column is deformable for safety reasons. I have not seen one off the car but I believe this means it is also possible to stretch it
The force to separate the weel from the column is the same whether you pull or push so please take care
That's why I recon you need a puller (unless you plan to scrap the column )
I'm lazy so I did try the pull thing, always worked in the past for me but not this time, that taper was ferkin tight! Hence a few hours in the workshop - well at least a lunch time!