VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 Steering wheel removal

I'm trying to get the steering wheel off of my '38 Master so I can put in a new horn wire. I have taken the center nut off, but the wheel won't budge. What am I missing?

It's a press fit and a tight one. I've used two different methods over the years. One is to wedge your knees under the wheel and put a lot of upward (toward your chest) force on the wheel while striking the end of the shaft with a hammer (put the nut on the shaft to where the edge of the nut and end of the shaft are equal so you don't bugger the threads on the shaft). A couple of stout raps with the hammer should pop the wheel off. Method two, and the only one I use now that I'm old and inflexible, is to use a universal puller, Like this one., except using large "J" hooks from the hardware store in place of the bolts. Place the hook part of the J bolts around the spokes of the steering wheel. Put the shaft of the puller against the steering mast and get it pretty tight, a stout pull. Once you're to the point where you feel it's about to break something give the end of the puller shaft a good rap with a hammer and the wheel will pop loose.

. All Chevys made before 1938 used a taper shaft and woodruff key to hold the steering wheel to steering column shaft. Starting in 1938 and newer, Chevy had a splined shaft. They do not have threaded holes to attach the puller. I've damaged a lot of steering wheels (Mostly 37s) that have rusted to the shaft. Tiny has described his cure for those frustrations quite well in previous comment. .
. Lou .

In addition to the techniques described by Tiny that I have successfully used in the past I have tapped the holes for the horn button with a 10-32 tap and used long screws and washers in a steering wheel puller to put pressure on the wheel. A rap with hammer loosens the wheel that is retained by the backed off nut. If rusty multiple treatments with PB Blaster over several days helps to loosen the rust grip and lets the wheel to pop off.