The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk steering wheel

This has been driving me crazy and I have researched this problem now, several times, to come up with a website that would show me how to restore a steering wheel from a 1927-8 Chevy truck. I have the shaft and steering wheel, help me out here, four metal pieces protruding from the center, but no wood "circle" as I am sure it rotted away many years ago. Anyway, I thought that ALL steering wheels had a metal ring as part of the wood circle...... but lately, I have found pictures on Ebay that show part of the wood still attached and there is no metal rod embedded in the wood which would explain why I cannot find it.... Can somebody confirm this? And also, I have access and the knowledge and the ability to build the circle wood steering wheel, but can someone direct me to a website or give me information as to a plan and kind of wood used and any other pitfalls I might run in to? Plans would be good too if someone has been there / done that.... As always, thanks, and I look forward to hearing the answers to this as I am anxious to get started on it.... PS.... I can send pictures of what I have, and I also saved two pictures from the Ebay listing that shows no metal ring....

This may sound silly but some old farm tractors (Mccormick Deering) had a small wheel with cap around the edge. Not exactly what you are looking for but just wanted to let you know we are listening.

Good luck

Ken

my grandfather rebuilt many of these old cars and they never had metal other than the hub and spokes of the wheel. if i were to reproduce one of these wheels i would use a hardwood. also you would want a piece of old growth that way the rings of the wood are tighter which would be stronger i think. you could also look at the aftermarket. they pretty much make anything for a model t that might be the same as your chevy in diameter. good luck mo

I'm too lazy/ busy to type it again.

https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthread...Main=118309&Number=805504#Post805504

If you have the knowledge already, build a wooden bending form, and bend it around. You'll want to bend longer stock than just what you need to make the circle, and for a radius that tight, I'd use a flexible steel backer to prevent tears.

Ash bends nice, as does white oak, live oak, swamp oak, mahogany, douglas fir, and many others. You can look up the woods you might be interested in, in the Wood engineering handbook.

I should say too, I don't mean to sound like a jack-[censored]. If you want, I'll write a detailed description tonight. Just let me know.

Hahaha censored! Sorry MR.MODERATOR!

This all started again for me when I did see the 15 minute segment on "How it's made" and understood literally everything they said. But there it was, that metal ring inside the wheel. Add to that the pictures I found on Ebay without the metal ring and I just wanted to know. I also found an "adapter" on Speedway motors that would allow a modern steering wheel to be used but I prefer to try my hand at making a new one. I am from SE Minnesota and we have a variety of hard wood that will work... I am thinking either red oak, white oak, or white maple that I used for a different project. We also have some iron wood but that gets pricey.... I am leaning towards the maple right now, because of it't strength... and would follow the direction on "How it's made" without the metal ring inside.... thanks for all the help and suggestions and especially the confirmation that there is NOT a metal ring inside these....

Finally found an internet broadcast of the custom steering wheel video and realized that it wouldn't be much help. They used birch as the wood but other than that, it was almost useless information. Does anyone know of a website that would help be with dimensions of the steering wheel since I never had the original? I need such information as the circumference, diameter of the wheel itself, etc.... Any help would be appreciated....

If you have the spider, and I think you said you did, that should tell you the diameter of the wheel. The wood wheels I've seen, vary from about 7/8" to 1 1/4" finished. I don't think that anyone would give you a bad time about the wheel thickness, also, depending on what the ends of the spider look like, you might have a hint right there. The Model T spiders have a curve in the end of them, that matches the cross section diameter of the wheel, I'm not sure about the Chevs, as I don't have one to look at.

Seems to me your four spokes will tell you your radious and the thickness will be more your preference. Since your resto modding the steering wheel anyway why not leave a bit of you and your handi work evident?

Too funny, I post my reply and see Mr. Lang has the same idea already up...

I am heading down to the shop this morning to start gluing the boards together.... It will be red oak for a couple reasons, availability and cost. I think I can find enough scraps to glue that are decent so there will be no cost except my labor, and most of you know what that is worth these days. I am going to go with a larger diameter... someone mentioned 7/8 to 1 and 1/4.... the fact is, most of the wood is 3/4 inches and I want the top half grain to go one direction and the lower half to go to a perpendicular direction for strength... that means 1 and 1/2 inches, but I will send the wood through a time saver several times which will take this down a bit, before cutting it with the band saw etc. I will ask a pro about the rounded edges on the spokes as yes, this wheel does have a curled edge with a bolt hole in it, and I would like to recess these a bit for strength too in the four areas where the wood attaches to the metal spokes... Time will tell... I may also use marine varnish to finish it, for durability... but again, will go with what the pro recommends.... thanks for your help... will try to take some pictures (I document most everything digitally these days as there is hardly any cost involved...)

I wonder if Teak would be a good choice. I've seen it bent on boats so it probable will bend well. Also, it should last longer.

Teak was used on Corvette steering wheels.

http://www.cranescorvettesupply.com/servlet/the-363/Teakwood-Steering-Wheel-Corvette/Detail