Web Development on a Stick
Steering Wheel Restoration
Removing, restoring, and installing an original Jeep steering wheel.
After putting in some original lowback seats in the ‘66 CJ5 I got motivated to install an original Jeep steering wheel I had purchased a few years back for $12 at an auction. It came attached to a steering column, though, so the first step is getting it freed. By the time I started taking the pictures below I had already removed the turn signal unit and cut off most of the steering tube and shaft.
All other attempts at removing the wheel had failed, and post from one of the guys at the EarlyCJ5 board (thanks Dan!) led me to a WillysTech page that said you could drill and tap some holes under the horn button, then use a steering wheel puller.
Tapping the holes drilled in the outside of the hub - I tapped for 1/4” / 20 bolts. I found that you can only drill where the spoke meets the hub - there is no metal to drill through in between spokes, and I went through the backside of the hub with my bit.
Attaching the puller. In this case I’m using a cheapie harmonic balancer puller I picked up for less than $10 locally.
Once everything seated and tightened up, the wheel popped without much effort.
Here’s another method that worked on another wheel - using the same puller but with a ratchet strap looped around the spokes of the steering wheel:
Overall the wheel is in pretty good shape, a little out of round and with some hairline cracks at the base of the spokes.
I remembered someone saying they had fixed small steering wheel cracks with JB Weld, so that’s what I’m going to try.
Old and new steering wheels.
The JB Weld took two applications to fill the cracks, but it came out pretty well. I was even able to fill the hole I drilled through the backside of the hub by mistake:
I painted it with 3 coats of Rustoleum Gloss Black, then 3 coats of clear over that:
Installed in Jeep:
The only issue is that the little rubber wheel that self-returns the turn signal must have gotten worn to a smaller diameter with the old wheel, as it will not reach this steering wheel. I guess the signals are truly “self-cancelling” now…
January 08, 2004
Nice writeup, thanks! I’ll be pulling my steering wheel soon.
August 29, 2004
Update - the cracks are returning. I’m starting to get convinced that the size of the wheel, along with non-power steering is just too much stress on these wheels to *not* crack.
January 09, 2005
for the little return wheel on the turnsignal switch (spartan i assume?) you could try some shoe goo or goop which is made for repairing running shoes. it becomes very tough a little soft with enough tack for friction. build it up the way you would if you were welding to repair a hole or worn rod diameter. then sand it back down to the correct diameter.
you’ll need to let it dry well between applications.
let me know if it works. cya on ecj5.
January 10, 2005
If I understand right that wheel is also adjustable by disassembling the turn signal.
No matter, different Jeep now...