Slick 60's

ok guys recently bought a steering wheel for my 65 from the bone yard but having som trouble getting the old one off. should it slide off with a little held frm a can of WD40 and a hamer. Just wanted to ask before i tore some thing up.Ithink

Buy a steering wheel puller! they are cheaper than replacing parts, What ever you do DO NOT HAMMER ON THE SHAFT!!! I did that once and had to buy a tap to redo the threads

WD40 will help out some...

here is what they look like.......

there are 'other ways' to pull them
but a puller is the right way

Texas trux,Welcome from ElCajon! You'll find a lot of good info. here.

With the vote for a puller. It makes steering wheels come off real easy. Using a hammer will most likely either damage the wheel, or mushroom the threaded end of the shaft...that's where the aforementioned tap comes into play.

Besides, the type that Bill W posted, can be used to remove harmonic balancers from crankshafts, too. Two tools in one, gotta love that!

Welcome aboard.

It's a die, not a tap, but we get your drift. Much easier to do it right the first time, ain't it? By all means, buy the puller, unless you're one of those jerks like me who has to learn everything the hard way.

And, the puller will probably NOT come with the correct threaded bolts that go into the wheel.

Best I can recall, the correct size is 5/16 NC, BUT CHECK THAT FIRST WITH A SEARCH, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHEN THREADING THE BOLTS IN, DON'T FORCE THEM.

The steering wheel metal is either pot metal or I am sure someone will again correct me that it is aluminum. In any case, its NOT steel, so you can force the wrong bolt in there pretty easy.

Don't ask how I know all this........

If you have an AutoZone nearby,they will sell you the puller and let you return it when you are done using it. Kinda like free tool rental.

cdherman wrote:And, the puller will probably NOT come with the correct threaded bolts that go into the wheel.

Best I can recall, the correct size is 5/16 NC, BUT CHECK THAT FIRST WITH A SEARCH, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHEN THREADING THE BOLTS IN, DON'T FORCE THEM.

The steering wheel metal is either pot metal or I am sure someone will again correct me that it is aluminum. In any case, its NOT steel, so you can force the wrong bolt in there pretty easy.

Don't ask how I know all this........

the threads in the steering wheel for the puller are 5/16-24 fine (NF).

Texas Truck. Where are you located. Some one, some where is close to you. There is a big group in Houston, San Antonio, Austin, DFW, and even in east Texas. If you're here in H-town, you can borrow my puller and we can probably get a few guys to come help you with the truck.
Let us know.
U@ss technically in Pearland.

Base material is steel for the steering wheel. All ford wheels require a puller to remove.

The one pictured does double duty as a harmonic balancer puller also.

Hammers and seering shafts are not compatabile.

Garbz

Looking for the correct bolts?

Same thread is used to bolt the fan to the water pump. Grab a set from a fan that has a spacer and they'll be long enough to do the job.

been using them for years.
maybe i should be selling bolts too.

Well, whatever the metal in the steering wheel is, its soft, from personal experience. Sorry about the incorrect bolt size. I was in the airport and didn't take the time to search for it.

i have had some that have been stuck on badly even with the correct puller being used. you can put your knees under the wheel and pull up with your knees and then hit the puller with the hammer once it has tension onit. it should pop off. it took me several hits with a hammer to do the last one. it was stuck on there badly. make sure and retighten the puller each time you hit it with the hammer. and make sure the bolts go all the way into the holes.

You guys rock! Thanks for the tips and yes i'm ussualy the cat that does it wrong the frst time. LOL! THANKS AGAIN GUYS. Buy the way really killer 66 in new CLASIC TRUCK rag

Dave

Problem is the plate is only 3/16" thick and thats the weakenss. easy to cross thread... and not much meat to catch.

Garbz

You can muscle them off but you will get a puller after you get tired of being hit in the mouth with the wheel.

jakdad wrote:You can muscle them off but you will get a puller after you get tired of being hit in the mouth with the wheel.

what size arms do you have? the size of a cannon? geez