VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 steering wheel removal on 1937 chevy

I can't get my steering wheel pulled off my shaft to repair my horn. I know some of the columns are key way and some are tapered. Mine seems to be a key way, but their seems to be some threads at the top steering column inner shaft leading me to believe that the wheel may be threaded on. Has any one ever heard of this??

It should just pull off. They are often pretty tight. In the day we'd wedge our knees under the wheel, putting a fair amount of force upward while at the same time smacking the end of the shaft with a heavy hammer against a drift punch. It would usually pop loose. Leave the nut on the last few threads & impact the nut so as to not deform the threads on the shaft. Since I'm no longer that flexible with my knees I use a universal puller like this one substituting large "J" bolts for the threaded bolts. I have spread the "J" part a bit to hook under the arms of the steering wheel without damaging it. Again with the center nut of the steering wheel protecting the shaft threads put a good amount of pressure against the steering wheel then strike the end of the puller with a hammer. The wheel should pop loose.

I have tried every thing you have spoke of and more except the jay bolt application, I will try that next. But let me ask the question again, their are threads at the top of the inner steering shaft at the base of the steering wheel where they meet on my 37, indicating some sort of possible threading application. Have you ever heard of this?

Never. There are splines, lateral grooves that keep the steering wheel from spinning on the shaft. I believe the '37 has splines, the '38 does. The only threads I know of are for the nut that holds the steering wheel in place. You are loosening/removing the nut aren't you? If you don't you'll destroy the wheel.

The '37 still had a keyway.

Does it have both a keyway and splines or just the keyway Gene? The steering wheel on my '38 has both but only the splines are used.

Just keyway.

My 37 has a conical shape with keyway.

Tino

Ok, so no threads, mine is just a key way, It has no splines.. Ok guys thanks for the information. I just installed a button on the bottom of my dash for my horn I give up on the steering wheel, I took a small impact wrench and a block of wood to it and it won't budge. So its either a horn button or a saw zall and I don't want to do that. Thanks.

I have had similar issues with old wheels. I made my own wheel puller, using a flat piece of 1/4" metal, drilled two holes in it to line up with the threaded holes in the steering wheel, then used 2 bolts with matching threads of the wheel. I put a nut onto the bolt, above the plate, then screw the bolt through the hole, into the steering wheel. I then take the nut down on top of the flat piece that is laying over the top of the steering wheel nut, (threaded down flush with the shaft), and slowing tighten down each side, back and forth. In one case I had to squirt the shaft with WD40,
tighten the bolts very firmly, and let them sit overnight. Came back in the morning, tightened them more and the wheel popped right off. Bob

Bob I tried something similar to this a while back, (I have taken a few steering wheels off in my day and have never had the trouble I'm having with this s.o.b.) any way trying the same technique you just mention I broke the bolt off in the left side hole, so I drilled it out stuck an easy out in it and snapped the easy out off in the hole. I got a carbide tipped drill and drilled the easy out, out with much patience got almost through and snapped the bit off ( they are so brittle) in the the hole, and buggerd the threads up at the same time.So my persistence has not payed off. I have two alternatives, cut the steering wheel off or install a horn button. I have chosen the horn button. Thanks for the infro...Dan

Wow, that sucker must really be on there!! Usually the wheel puller method will work.

A few years ago I asked here about how to get the steering wheel off my 38 Master. Tiny replied and I used his method. I made three J hooks from bolts and used a puller. It worked like a charm.