Steering wheel removal

[elcaminokid]

Hi all!
I want to have my steering wheel re-upholstered in my S2 (electrical tape is not a good look for it).
I found a shop who'll do it for me, so have to send them my steering wheel...but I can't seem to be able to remove it. I sprayed it a lot already with rust penetrating oil, but nothing, it wont budge en iota...

Anyone have any experience how to do it?   
I tried a puller, but it's to thick and I cant get it under the hub...
Should I use a puller in the steering wheel spokes?
Or drill out the rivets from the hub and replace em with screws or new rivets afterwards?


Please

[EuropaTC]

They're often stuck in place, after all most folks never touch them in the life of the car.  This is what I do......

1. Loosen the nut on the steering column. I usually take it off completely and then squirt a bit of release agent at the boss/steering column interface if it all looks dry and dusty.
2. Replace the nut & washer, but leave it 2 or 3 threads away from being tight, roughly 2-3mm gap away from the wheel hub.
3. Slowly but firmly pull on either side of the steering wheel, first one side then the other as if you're trying to rock it off.  It's not a massive show of force because you stand a chance of bending the arms, just enough to feel you're putting strain on the wheel boss.

This is not an instant fix but I've found that repeated rocking/pulling over a minute or so usually does the trick and suddenly the wheel will launch towards you.  That's why the nut is loosely in place, to stop the wheel smacking you in the face   

Brian

[4129R]

I presume the nut came off reasonably easily.

What he said. 

[Roger]

You can also try pulling back on the wheel with one hand, and thumping the loosened nut with a hide hammer to jolt it free.

Note I wrote "hide" - so you won't damage anything if your blow is a bit stray!

[BDA]

I don't know that I've ever heard of - or if I have I haven't seen - a hide hammer, but I know what you're talking about. If you go this route, I would suggest a rubber or plastic mallet in case you don't have the hide hammer.

My method is outlined by Brian. I do it so often, I don't need any release agent!

[4129R]

If all else fails, taking the whole steering column out and working on it out of the car is an option.

[Clifton]

I just removed one with a small two jaw puller. I had to use a piece of square tube around the pullers shaft to keep the jaws from slipping off but it came off.

[elcaminokid]

thanks for all the tips!
I'll give it a shot in a couple of days when I get home before dark and keep you all updated on the progress!

[3929R]

Alternatively, perhaps leave the wheel on and recover it? For this to work I'd think the old upholstery (leather and foam?), or what ever is covered, would need to be smooth enough to not telegraph through the new leather.

http://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?topic=158.msg956#msg956

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FITS-LOTUS-EUROPA-1966-1975-REAL-BLACK-ITALIAN-LEATHER-STEERING-WHEEL-COVER-NEW-/250901023436?hash=item3a6addcacc:m:mf5OBXUwigBOGTCGjA3DFAg

[jbcollier]

It's not that hard to fit a new leather outer covering yourself,.  As proof, even I was able to master it!  I used this supplier:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/250901023436

I fortuitously ordered two as I got in a rush and foo-barred the first one.  Go slow, the leather cover is a very tight fit (otherwise it will bag later).  Mine looks absolutely factory fresh now.

The one caveat being that the underlying padding has to still be in good shape.  Mine looked terrible but was fine was the ragged old cover was removed.

[elcaminokid]

been wiggling like a madman for half an hour: nothing so far... 

will keep trying.

[EuropaTC]

If it's really stuck, try soaking it overnight in a release agent, not WD40 but something like Plus Gas ? If all else fails you could remove the column completely as in 4129R's post and try with it in a vice.

Brian

[BDA]

Any good penetrating oil would do. Here in the states we have Kroil and Liquid Wrench.

If you can find an assistant, you might try wiggling the steering wheel while tapping the end of the steering shaft with a hammer. I wouldn't consider hitting it hard enough to worry about damaging the threads but if you're worried about it, you can be safe and put the nut on so it's flush with the end of the shaft before you do your "tapping."

[jbcollier]

Pull strongly and evenly on the steering wheel (nut loosened just two turns) and have your beautiful assistant smack the nut/steering shaft with a hammer and a brass/alloy drift.

[4129R]

Is there any way you can attach a slide hammer to the steering without without damaging it?