The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors Pulling steering wheel with horn wiring

I'm FINALLY getting back on my COE project. Yay!

I need to pull the steering wheel but the horn button wiring is in place. I don't know what to have the puller push against to keep from ruining the wiring.
If I keep the original nut in place, then I can't get the pulling bolts in place. Any suggestion?

The manual says there are adapters for a puller. There is a specific adapter for COE. From what I can see in the pic, it looks like the adapter, which is a part on the end of the puller jack screw, is either resting on top of the threaded shaft or screwed to the shaft. This adapter has a small enough OD to allow the pull bolts to thread. Maybe you can find a socket that fits over that horn stuff, pushes on the shaft, clears the bolt holes and place your puller jack screw on the square drive end of socket. May need a washer on the square drive end of the socket to provide a hole for your jack screw point. Of course a machinist could make the perfect adapter for your puller.

Pic HERE

Let some liquid wrench run down the shaft threads. Maybe it will reach the spline. I'm guessing about all this from a shop manual picture. I don't know for sure. 41-47 AD boys will know.

It seems like the adapter would screw onto the shaft end. Otherwise pushing on the shaft end will damage it's lead-in threads. In that case you will have to find a nut/modify a nut that fits the shaft. Then push on that nut. Maybe the actual steering wheel nut will work OK. Bolts may clear the flats. Steering wheel only needs to be pulled up a little to release. Some folks put the nut on, pull up on the wheel with their knees and bang on the nut. But you have that funky horn thing to stuff out of the way I guess. If I'm all wrong I will delete the post so as not to create bad info, even though a guess.

I tried using a regular puller and a bearing puller. It was a bit sketchy and didn't do the trick. I was afraid to tighten it down too much and bugger up the bottom of the steering wheel. I used the original nut with a socket that fit over it.

Using the actual steering wheel pulling bolt holes doesn't allow using the nut though. Even at the flats it's too wide.

I may have to go back to my first method. Try it a bit tighter maybe.

You are not going to hurt the bottom of the steering wheel. The bearing puller is your backer plate. That method will work unless the splines are extremely rusted. Which I doubt.
If the bearing puller is just grabbing a small lip, maybe you should loosen it and let it bear against a larger surface of the wheel bottom. I think you are worried you will chip off that lip?

As far as using the puller holes instead of a bearing puller. You say the flats interfere. That's why I said you may have to modify another nut. You can modify your existing nut by cutting clearance notches/half holes in two flats. That will not affect a socket from fitting on it later on.

Many Chevy shaft threads are 1/2-20. Which means you can use a lug nut to bear on. May allow access to the puller holes. If not, grind it down to whatever is takes.

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...hread-3-4-inch-hex-wheel-nut/dag0/611154

My 37 Buick has a horn wire down the center of the steering shaft so I bolted the puller on with two long 5/16 bolts but no center puller bolt. I then welded a 1/2-20 long U-bolt nut onto the top of the center puller bolt which is what fits my big slide hammer, soaked the splines with Kroil, screwed the center bolt just barely through the puller and about three whacks with the slide hammer did the trick without ever touching the horn wire.

Dedicated steering wheel pullers for vintage vehicles with the horn wire up the center of the shaft have a flat foot on the jackscrew with a slot for the horn wire to stick through. I started using one like that in the late 1950's. Pull the wire up a little and bend it sideways, then position the foot so the wire isn't damaged. A regular flat puller foot and a cutoff wheel on an angle grinder will get you in business in less than a minute.
Jerry

I went back to the bearing puller idea again and gave it another try. I was pushing against the original nut (13/16"-20) with a socket on the side of it and I'm afraid it was not doing it any good. I didn't want to bugger it up.

Now I'm trying the slide hammer method. I made the adapter to my puller and gave it a few whacks but I think I'll hit it again (pun intended) tomorrow. i have some pb blaster hopefully soaking the splines.

I don't like the slide hammer idea unless it works. As it seems to be extra tight, I would put pressure on the jack screw and vibrate down by the nut. Using a air chisel motor on low pressure (about 30 psi) with a bit that is dull or cut off. Tweak the jack screw some more....squirt blaster as you vibrate. Let it vibrate as long as it takes to break the "bond". Crank the air pressure up and down.

Don't like the shock load of a slide hammer on a plastic wheel unless just on the puller threads.

Can you cut the wire to get it out of your way, then splice it later?

That's a resounding NO! The wire runs the full length of the driver spear, AKA the steering shaft, so cutting and splicing creates a stress point due to the constant twisting the wire gets. Of course, it would be possible to run a new wire, preferrably something very flexible like the wire used for voltmeter test leads.
Jerry

I really don't want to cut the wire. I'm not looking to disassemble the whole shaft and everthing to replace the wire. There really isn't enough slack to splice it either.

I have another nut on order:

Spindle Lock Nut Kit

It's for a wheel spindle but has the right threads and size. I'm hoping to use it to tweak and not mess up the original (or vice versa).

I'm trying the slide hammer on the pulling holes on the wheel. I had to cut an old wheel stud to connect the puller to an old wheel nut. The wheel nut (lug nut) is welded to a nut that connects to the slide hammer. (It's mostly home made stuff)

Are the pulling holes in the steering wheel in metal? Maybe the same metal as the hub? I'm guessing they're not just in the rubber of the wheel itself. That would be bad.



btw, what's it like on "normal" trucks?? Where does the horn wire come up?

I know that the puller holes are threaded into a metal hub on an AD (47-54) steering wheel, and I'd be surprised if your wheel isn't constructed the same. So you should be OK with using them with your slide hammer rig.

If that nut is threaded onto the center shaft, you're wasting your time hammering on it. No thrust whatsoever is being applied to the wheel hub. You're just trying to yank the shaft out of the steering gear. If the thrust is applied to just the puller in some way, you're fighting a tapered spline which is extremely unlikely to come loose by hammering on it. The way it's been done for decades, with a slotted foot on the puller, works.
Jerry

I know how later horn buttons work but need to understand how yours works to explain the difference. Basically the newer have the wire attached to a upper mast bearing which is a combination bearing and slip ring. The wire comes up the column, stays below the bearing and is no factor.

Assuming I can make some sort of flat puller foot with a slot for the wire, what do I push against? If i put the nut on the shaft and keep it flush with the end of the shaft, that will allow the wheel to move maybe 1/4" or so. The problem is the nut doesn't allow me to put the pulling bolts in the holes. I thought I had another nut (ordered a 13/16-20 jam nut) but it was too small. It must be 7/8-20 or so. If I can find one of those I could grind notches for the bolts.

If i don't use a nut, I'm afraid I'll mess up the end of the shaft. I really don't want to do that.

The slide hammer isn't working yet.

Options/answer to question:

1. Take the original column nut to the hardware store. Find a bolt that fits it. Then you will know the size. Then buy a nut.

OR,

2. Use a 1/4 or thicker aluminum plate/round bar/etc. to place on top of the threaded shaft. Aluminum will not damage the threads. However, too much pressure could split the thin shaft. Go back to post 1423159. Let PB blaster soak down the outside of threads. Plug the puller holes if they are thru holes and fill that whole cavity to level with top of threads with PB or any penetrating oil. Vibrate for several minutes. Soak for 30 min. Then start cranking on the puller set-up you show. It will come off.

Like I said, I don't know anything about that horn wire, but if it can be disconnected and withdrawn, I would do that. If it was assembled it has to be able to disassemble and put back. If horn wire can be cut after it exits the bottom of column, and pulled out the top. That is the ticket. Then splice it when finished. Getting it out of there would be my first priority.

YES!! Finally got it.

I bought a 7/8-20 panel nut that fit in the wheel and allowed the pulling bolts to be inserted on each side of it. I then took an impact socket and put it over the horn button wire. I used my puller to push on that socket. The hardest part was getting over my fear of breaking something. I cranked it down and left it for a day or two. Then I finally just cranked hard on it and it just came off like it was no big deal.

The shaft is tapered but no splines, just a key. Interesting.

Thanks to everyone for all the help and suggestions!

Congrats on your success!