02z06dave

If you end up cutting just don't cut into the spline underneath. Your new hub needs to attach to it.

rnelson11

Don't mean to hyjack but when you guys change your steering wheel do you just not use the airbag? Is there a specific steering wheel or will any one work?

meflyfrc

Post some pics so we can see what you are dealing with.

TmillerC5

Hey if your in Plymouth WI. give Joel at Corvette Sports in Sheboygan Falls a call. Joels great and I see him twice a year going to Road America for stuff

rtpassini

I was going to see if he has any ideas with this. I was just there the other week too. lol

$$$frumnuttin'

yup, it's worth the $100 to have them do it. When I had mine done the mechanic came around looking for me after he finished the job. He had a fatigued look on his face and he was all hot and sweaty.

02z06dave

some people get wheel that are factory looking but wrapped in leather or whatever and retain the airbag others get aftermarket without an airbag. you can get prettymuch any wheel but for the aftermarket wheels you have to get a hub kit for it to fit.

rtpassini

so i tapped it and got it somewhat tight. Smacked it with a hammer a bit. got some lube all over in there. Im going to let it sit at least 24 hours. and check on it again. I hope that will help....

corvettezman

Well at least you have a tight steering wheel.
I remember about 25 years ago I had a 1976 Firebird for a college car, and the stering wheel once came off while I was driving it.

Good luck with your project.

Rayshound

I just went through this 2 weeks ago. I was putting a rewrapped wheel on my 02 c5. Thankfully I only had a $50.00 core charge. I purchased a cheap wheel puller correct type just cheap. I broke one of the legs. I returned it for another 2 more times. I finally went on e/b and purchased a used proto puller. This time it didn't break the puller it pulled through the wheel itself. I eventually used a dremel tool with a small cutting wheel and cut the wheel off. after getting down to the small splined hub, I split it and it slid off. I had tried different types of pullers before splitting the splined hub. I dressed the shaft splines with a jewlers file and everything was o.k. I installed the new wheel. What a pain in the a.. No rust or anything on the old wheel splines or shaft it looked like new. This design is only made for this type of puller and a good puller pulled through the wheel & ruined the wheel.

rtpassini

good to know that i may have to resort to that. I told my wife that its coming off one way or another. lol

AngryTurtle

Instead of a J hook see if you can find a bolt that will fit through then but a bunch of washers and a nut on it.

rtpassini

You can't get or put something behind it. it seems I must have a faulty wheel. one side has given me nothing but troubles. the metal ripped out, the threads stripped out. but the side has had no issues holding. time to start cutting!

02z06dave

Please post pics. I gotta see this

rtpassini

i also broke a part of the yellowish plastic underneath. not sure what that is....

02z06dave

I think that's just part of where the horn wire goes. Probs nbd

rtpassini

the left side is the mangled side. the right side has been holding strong.
damn you chevy.

$$$frumnuttin'

Well, I see one issue that is responsible. The wheel was made to be lightweight. It may be magnesium, and quite possibly it is cast aluminum. Both of these materials will yield very weak thread strength compared to steel. It is impossible to achieve identical root strength given the same thickness of material. If it were steel to begin with I guarantee you never would have started this thread. Furthermore, steel puller into soft base metal=high odds of cross-threading, which will lead to false seating of the puller....explains why one side is good (properly installed) and one side is stripped out (improperly installed)

rtpassini

Yup! whatever it is, its not magnetic

$$$frumnuttin'

wow, are you sitting there watching for responses? That was quick! Best of luck