Steering Wheel Removal

Terry its amazing what we find that works. Heat has always worked well for me in the machinist industry. One of my jobs required me to install a metal bearing sleeve that was 1 inch thick by 20 inches long by 24 inch diameter. The press fit was 1 1/2 thousands. I used a rosebud to heat the ring to 250 degrees making sure not to overheat it by turning it blue anywhere. I kept using inside tub-lair mics checking the inside diameter. When ready the bearing ring using Kevlar heat gloves was slid on the shaft. It was so loose from heating we always had to wedge it in place against the bearing land so it won't grow away from it as it cooled. That was simple compared to installing the Timkin tapered bearings in the 5 ton housing that was 28 inches of solid metal. Heating that piece took three guys using propane weed burners. We used an overhead crane to lower those bearings in the housing. I recall they weighed something around 6 thousands lbs each. Getting the old damaged bearings out usually was simple. We used high pressure grease guns around the housing. The grease hydraulic pressure would push out the bearings.... Sometimes... Other times it was air arcing them out. Noisy, smelly and hot as you know what...
I try to use a light grease on any taper fit. Most have no idea how much a taper fit holds pieces together till they try to take something apart. Every try to measure the taper fit on a crank dampner.... Thank god as they are being removed the fit gets looser....


GaryParsons

During the assembly of the steering column components and steering wheel in my 810 Cord I had forgotten to fit the spring under the steering wheel. Later when I came across the spring I figured that it had to be installed. As the steering wheel nut had been tightened up the wheel was firmly in place on the taper. Try as I might I could not dislodge it. I tried gently tapping the underside of the wheel hub with a rubber mallet but I didn't want to damage the painted surface.
Then I had a brain wave .................. gentle heat on one side of the wheel hub. Boiling water works well when poured over one side of a tie rod end . The metal expands just enough to break the taper, however I didn't want to have boiling water poured inside of the car with the new carpets and everything else in place. Another brain wave .............. try using a hair dryer.
I played the hot air over one half of the wheel hub until you could feel the heat build up then pulled gently on the wheel close to the hub and BINGO ................ it popped off. It is amazing what a little heat can do.
This may work on other ACD cars that have a metal hub in the steering wheel.