pulling a steering wheel collar....
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 769
Likes: 36
From: Goose Creek SC
pulling a steering wheel collar....
i am trying to pull the steering wheel collar so i can replace the turn signal cam in my 68. someone tried to take it off in the past and destroyed the threads in the collar that you thread the puller tool into. they also left off the nut and washer that hold it on. is there anything besides that nut that would hold the collar on? i have been trying to pick up on the o.d. of the collar with a different kind of puller but this thing is locked on like you wouldnt believe. can NOT get it to budge. any ideas/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. thanks.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
From: Salem Oregon
I've done this on my car and found it to be pretty easy. If the gear puller won't do by itself, leave the puller on and give some pressure to it. It should stay on by itself. Take a propane tourch and heat the collar slightly, it should pop right off. The nut and washer are all that hold the collar on, as well as the tapper of the shaft and collar. Hope this helps.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 769
Likes: 36
From: Goose Creek SC
i used some heat from a heat gun but i will try that again. when i had the o.d. puller on there i put enough pressure on it that it cut a hardened acorn nut in two that i was using to protect the steering rod from the puller. i have pulled many gears of various type, dampers, etc and some steering wheels in the past and some of them have been tough but no where near like this one is. i mean i have put major league pressure on this collar and it aint moving. i have located a replacement hub because i actually think i may have to cut this one off. it just doesnt make sense that it could be so difficult to pull. its like its fused together on the splines but there is not even any rust in there. has me baffled. thanks for the help and keep the comments coming. (i'm beginning to understand how the last guy blew out the threads trying to take it off. i assumed he had just cross threaded the puller bolts but now i'm not so sure)
Last edited by 68/BB; Nov 25, 2005 at 05:38 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
From: Salem Oregon
Heat gun won't be enough heat. You've pulled gears before, so you know what's going on...i'm stumped. Your new collar may be your only answer. I say more heat, but you don't want to screw-up the threds on the column. Good luck. We drive a '69 coupe with a 4sp. and a newly rebuilt 406 cid small blk.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 112
From: Saginaw Michigan
If you are heating the hub, don't forget that you have a turn signal switch with plastic parts just behind the hub. How about drilling and tapping the original two holes for larger bolts? You might also try some penetrating oil. That stuff can sometimes help to break a tapered lock.
Jim
Jim
