I destroyed my 19 Grand Sport. My wife bought me a suede steering wheel for Christmas. It’s an easy swap. I got to the infamous bolt. I couldn’t get it to move. I read on the forum to heat it up. I’ll give it a try. I packed exhaust wrap around the inside of the wheel to protect it from the heat. I’ve never used heat before. I heated up the bolt and prayed that the 5 teeth left would hold. It did and I got it off. I was so stoked I pulled the wheel off along with the clock spring behind it. I failed to disconnect the connector on the right. I had this white ribbon cable hanging out. Oh ****. I put it back together not knowing what the clock spring actually did. It’s a critical part. I bolted the new wheel on with a new bolt and drove around the block. Every possible warning light was lit up. There was an ugly pump type noise from the rear. I flat bedded it to the most talented Corvette shop in San Diego. He brought in a GM tech to set the clock spring. He was able to get all of the lights off except the traction control. If I drove it, maybe it would learn whatever to fix the TC. He didn’t realize that I used heat. He told me to never use heat. The last thing we can try is to replace the sensor behind the clock spring. I don’t know what it does. I can not believe how much damage I did doing a job that was so simple. Lesson learned and please learn from my mistake. USE AN IMPACT. Impact, $100. Repair, $1,000 and counting. The shop is Excelsior Motorsports.

 

I sympathize. I had my own share of self inflected wounds. One just has to learn the lesson from each and move on but don't give up.

 

Don't know what u used for heat but the trick we use is a 120 watt Wellar gun type sodering gun , you put the tip on the end of the bolt and pull the trigger , the heat is concentrated in the top and transfered to the bolt only which is what you need to soften the loctite

Dave

 

I used a $20 Home Depot propane torch. It was so tight. My big ratchet Bertha couldn’t make it budge. As you said, it’s just the bolt that needed heat. I heated it up so much the rear end got warm! I wish everyone could read what you just said before the easy swap. Thanks Dave….. Dave

 

Good Luck and let us know how it works out , let's see a picture of the new wheel 😀

Dave

 

What kind of "heat" did you use?

When dealing with bolts on possibly sensitive areas you should never use a heat gun or MAPP torch! Best to use a 60w or great soldering iron with a 1/2" wide chisel tip (something one would use for soldering ESCs and motors in RC cars)

Red loctite needs HEAT to weaken its bond. Even blue is helped along by heat.

 

As I stated above ..I..

Dave

 

The high power soldering iron with a wide tip is a great idea. Focused right on the bolt. I have a 120 watt soldering iron with an adjustable temperature so you could set it right where the red loctite releases and no more.

 

Not exactly.

If you want to get technical, you said to use a Weller 120w gun which have those conjoined tips-- I have never had any luck with them. I suggested using a strong pencil iron with a 1/2" wide, chisel tip which can hold and transmit far more heat than the gun tips--at least the standard ones. These always work for me.

I've used many types of irons over the years and the only thing the Weller guns are good for IMO is melting styrofoam. Respectfully.

 

In our line of work a chisel tip would melt the auto interior parts we are working with every day , for instance every nut bolt and screw in a Lexus has either Blue or Red lockite on it including all interior fasteners, The weller provides alot of wattage for faster heat to soften the loctite along with a finer point allow the ability to heat a 7MM bolt or a 18 mm bolt without melting the surrounding surfaces and it has an almost instant cool down . To each his own
Dave

 

I used an air driven impact wrench and the bolt spun right out. Just sayin.

 

You don't need heat or an impact gun to do this job. Both are a terrible idea regardless of what you read on the forum. The SAFEST and easiest way to do this is the turn the steering wheel all of the way to the left until it binds. Then get a wrench with a breaker bar to break the bolt loose SLOWLY and easily. The rest is cake as long as you know what you're doing and don't allow the clock spring to come off or move. I've done this job multiple times and it works perfectly every time. I hope this advice helps anyone trying to do this job in the future.

 

to many stories of people stripping the head doing this

Dave

 

Agreed , that is the safest way and probably works 99% of the time but at the slightest hint of stripping the head applying pinpoint heat with a solder gun will make the bolt spin right out without damaging anything ....

Dave

 

I must be lucky? I replaced by buddy's steering wheel on his 2015 a few months ago using a 1/2" socket wrench with a T50 socket from Harbor Freight. Sat in the seat, used my legs to brace the wheel while my buddy reached in and also braced it. With some grunting and struggling it eventually let free. No heat. No impact.

I put a dab of Loctite blue on the bolt and re-used it. Tightened it as tight as we could get it with the same 1/2" socket wrench and T50. Afterwards I gave it a tug and said "That's not going anywhere" so I know it's good.

 

When I did mine I used a Dewalt cordless easy in & easy out.Very sorry to hear your problem

 

Well, my car still isn’t fixed.. My repair shop guy fixed everything except the traction control. We both believe it’s the steering sensor behind the clock spring. It tells the TC to come on when the steering wheel is cranked like your ready to crash. The TC is on all the time. My guy brought in a GM guy to set up the clock spring. So far, I’m $800 into it. I’ve been trying to get it back in to him for the last month. I’ll keep trying. I really screwed up with that heat. I’ll keep you all posted.

 

Sorry to hear that , so I have to ask , has he reset the steering wheel position sensor with GDS2 ( GMs diagnostic software)
Dave

 

I’ve been waiting in line until he could set it up. The same GM guy will come do whatever he needs to do. What a mess. I really hate that steering wheel nut.

 

I got blown off by my guy so I’ve no choice than to go to the dealer. God this is fun.