My steering wheel in my 41 is cracked and dull.I'd like to keep the original if possible. I've heard of people filling the crack and then sanding back to the original shape. Who's done this and what is the best process? Thanks,Nick.
There a a few good how to videos on the tube, this one use por15.
In addition Eastwood sells a kit for this work.
Basic effort is to grind out the bad cracks and open the crack up enough to fill to bottom. The epoxy the crack back level to surface. Sand to shape and paint.
Baking in the nice desert sun, breathing life back into a 48 3800 5 window.
First I tried to restore the steering wheel on my '42. I used the Eastwood kit which uses a slow curing epoxy. I opened up the cracks down to the metal core. This widens the areas you must sand and match the contour of the wheel. I found that the sanding process was very frustrating because you are sanding dissimilar materials (epoxy and old hard rubber). The edges were very obvious and with the wide areas of epoxy, I couldn't recreate the contours of the original wheel. Many years later, the wheel is usable but sort of ugly. Small cracks have reappeared.
My second attempt was the wheel on my COE. I abandoned the idea of widening the cracks and filled with JB weld, which cures rapidly. Using a box cutter blade I worked the epoxy into the cracks and then skimmed the blade over the cracks, leaving little or no material left to sand. This came out much nicer and the wheel hung in my garage in Mesa for 5 years (very hot in the summer)without change. After repainting the wheel to the proper color and installing, it was really pretty. Unfortunately, small cracks appeared soon thereafter, probably because to enter the cab requires grabbing a hold of the wheel to hoist yourself in. The cracks have stabilized and it doesn't look too bad 5 years later.
So, my conclusion is that I don't have the skill or knowledge to do a first class permanent restoration of a wheel.
I was concerned about dissimilar materials and cracking as mentioned above so went with 2 part panel adhesive (auto not construction) and was very pleased with how close to the original material it cured out as. It sanded just like the original material and remained flexible reducing the likelihood of those JB weld type of cracks. Sometimes you gotta think outside the box to get the best match...
Im with Kent on this one. Similar experience, now doing it again and am using jb weld too.
1953 Chevrolet 3100 261 cu inch, sm420, 3.55 rear, torque tube still,omaha orange, still 6 volt, RPO green glass, side carrier spare, all done In the DITY Gallery Video of the 261 running
1964 GMC 1000 305 Big Block V6, sm420, the next cab off restoration
Im with Kent on this one. Similar experience, now doing it again and am using jb weld too.
" Unfortunately, small cracks appeared soon thereafter, probably because to enter the cab requires grabbing a hold of the wheel to hoist yourself in. The cracks have stabilized and it doesn't look too bad 5 years later."
Those are the cracks I was concerned about... Rigid unyielding material (JB weld) against vibration prone flexible material doesn't compute for me.
After opening up the cracks and seeing how the grip was more like rubber than steel, I wanted a rubber cement like bond only stronger. The adhesive fit that bill. It was like pancake batter when applied but cured solid but flexible just like the grip and they sanded the same, so I avoided that hard soft sanding issue as well.
CASO, you may be on to something. Maybe I will try that with my current 1937 project (have steering wheel, got cracks). Perhaps I will now have the knowledge to do a "first class permanent wheel restoration". Kent
I just did a search for what I used and it comes up under structural adhesive not panel adhesive.
3M 8101 is what I used.
I've used the 08115 but it needs a special applicator caulking gun and was a pain to use since I didn't have one but would work. The 8101 is 2 tubes you mix 1:1 like filler (if you had filler that mixed 1:1)
I'll humbly submit my DIY thread on my website where I show how I used KBS Coatings epoxy putty to restore my 1965 C10 steering wheel. I think JB Weld would be easier to work with in certain areas but have not tried it to make a fair comparison.
I've restored four AD truck steering wheels - two for my trucks and two for friends. I used the KBS Coatings two part epoxy on the first two and gap filling CA glue on the second two. The KBS coating epoxy applied in the recommended process resulted in a good looking wheel, but after a while I noticed slight, almost invisible, hairline cracks where the epoxy met the hard rubber.This process is also messy (with black dust from the rubber and epoxy everywhere) and very time consuming. I do a fair amount of wood working and had some gap filling CA glue on hand and decided to try it on another wheel for my GMC truck. It has the added benefit of being thin enough to be absorbed into the cracks by capillary action so no "V ing" out the crack is required. Some small cracks were filled with one pass and others took several coats to fill the crack. One wheel had large cracks and looked as bad as the NOS one pictured in Brad's photo. Only minimal sanding is required after filling. After a year and one half since completing the wheels using the CA glue I have seen no hairline cracks. I got my glue from Woodcraft Supply but I am sure you can find other sources. CA glue I would look for the words "gap filling" and you don't want the thin instant glue for going two pieces of wood together. Mike
The CA glue definitely wicks into even the smallest of cracks. The wheel just sucks it up. I'm hoping it holds up as well as Huck says it does. The kicker seems to help with some of the larger cracks.
