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Steering wheel puller rod clean up

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Old Mar 11, 2020 | 12:17 PM
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Default Steering wheel puller rod clean up

The forged steel GM steering wheel pulling rod ends were too thick and didn't fit between the wheel and yellow clockspring assembly. Here's a supplied rod end, both sides of the foot have the center ridge:


Here's the same rod after it was ground flat on both sides:


These were ground down to fit this car which turned out to be 1/4" thick, it might not require that much or any for other cars.


For removal, with the steering wheel in the normal straight ahead position, the left side rod foot is pointed down and the right side rod foot is pointed up. The pockets on the back of the wheel can't be seen until the wheel is removed. Here's what the back of the wheel looks like and the resulting shiny rod marks:

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Old Mar 11, 2020 | 12:51 PM
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I broke a few of those rods trying to get my wheel off. Finally gave up and sent it to my body shop guy who then drilled the wheel to be able to use a different puller. I would have drilled it myself but then I didn't have the right puller to use. Glad it worked out for you.
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Old Mar 11, 2020 | 05:09 PM
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Same for me. Had to drill and tap so I could use a conventional puller. Very annnoying.
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Old Mar 11, 2020 | 07:29 PM
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For reference, post a picture of where you drilled and tapped as well as the tap size. How did you keep from drilling into the clockspring?
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Old Mar 11, 2020 | 08:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Fast one
For reference, post a picture of where you drilled and tapped as well as the tap size. How did you keep from drilling into the clockspring?
I was pulling the wheel to replace the clock spring because of an intermittent b0026 code,.so I gladly drilled into the damn thing because I was angry at it.

Follow this thread and you will be amazed at how easy it comes off. I drilled exactly as described in the thread.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...el-puller.html

Last edited by CinciZ06; Mar 11, 2020 at 08:08 PM.
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Old Mar 12, 2020 | 02:02 AM
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I’ll have to post when I get home from work tomorrow morning. I don’t have that picture on this computer.
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Old Mar 12, 2020 | 11:10 PM
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I think my body guy said he went to 5/16" drill and not sure on the tap size. Maybe 24??? Anyway, you can see where he drilled the holes and tapped them. Not sure either how he didn't drill into anything under the wheel but hope he used tape or something to create a stop for the drill when it went thru. I do know I had to clean up the shavings that went on the floor. I haven't had any issues with any part of the steering wheel or associated parts in the column yet so I'm going to assume he got most of it out while he drilled. He did a great job with it. Where he drilled it the wheel had the most meat to it.


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Old Mar 13, 2020 | 12:45 AM
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Nice job modding the puller to get it to work.
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Old Mar 13, 2020 | 08:50 AM
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Nice work. My normal puller bolts wouldn't work on the steering wheel, so I took 2 old LS water pump bolts, cut the heads off, then heated the cut shanks with a torch and bent the ends at a 90 degree angle. Not pretty but works great if you're in a pinch!
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