520 Steering wheel removal??

[Amcwheel85 2,058]

Well guys I got the roll pin out finally but steering wheel won't budge! I'm working with limited tools but is the antrick to getting the steering wheel off? I have had is soaking in wd40 for a day now and still won't budge! 

[Ed Kennell 35,576]

 

   I have resorted to cutting the shaft so I could put it in a press to push the shaft out. Then reweld  the shaft. I have gotten some off by removing the entire tower and sliding the locking thrust ring down so I could pull the shaft up high enough that I could put the wheel above the jaws of a big vise for support. Then drive the shaft out with a large drift and a BFH.

Good luck and if you have time, you may want to soak it with PB Blaster for a week first.

 

Here are some ideas...some good and some not so good if you want to save the wheel.    Good luck.

 

[953 nut 51,464]

8 hours ago, Amcwheel85 said:

soaking in wd40 for a day now and still won't budge!

WD 40 won't do a thing, PB Blaster has been my go to penatrent for years. If you can drill a few small holes between the shaft and hub it could help too. One other thing I have done that worked was to heat the shaft below the wheel with a torch until nearly red hot, this heat will migrate up the shaft and break the rust grip and help the PB work in between the shaft and hub. Do this outdoors, hot PB smells real bad.

[JoeM 7,603]

before I go crazy on any wheel I lock the steering shaft with a pipe wench and steer the wheel trying to get the wheel to turn on the shaft.  I try both directions, when that fails bring out the big gun puller.  

[JAinVA 4,619]

Like Ed said you might try pulling the hood stand to get the shaft in a vise.If this set-up is on the 520H then I would rather sacrifice the wheel than the steering shaft anyday.JAinVA

[cleat 4,936]

With the later 1990+ 520, you leave the hood stand bolted in place and remove the dash. Hardest part of that job is removing all the wiring from the gauges.

Begin by getting the battery out of the way then make note of where all the wires go before removing them.

Throttle and choke cables need to be removed as well. 

Ignition switch simply unplugs.

Hose to vacuum gauge needs to be pulled off (that is fairly tight).

 

2 small screws behind idiot light panel removes it then you can unplug the headlight switch.

 

At that point, you can pull the dash and steering shaft as a unit then clamp the shaft in a solid vice and attempt to twist the wheel free.

 

When reassembling, use never seize to this will never be a problem again.

 

With everything apart, you can now replace any loose bushings, clean up wire connections etc to improve reliability of this fine machine.

 

Cleat

 

 

 

[doc724 924]

Here is my no fail method.  I have used is successfully removing steering wheels on a 1978, 1979, 1981 and 1996 WH tractors.  Use Kroil.  PB Blaster and WD 40 is not good enough in my opinion.  Since you have the roll pin already out, spray inside the pin hole with Kroil.  Spray the underside of the steering wheel where the steering shaft goes into the wheel.  Do this for 4 days in a row.  On the fifth day, block the front wheels to keep them from turning and then turn the steering wheel -HARD.  The combination of the oil wicking into the joint and the torsion will break the wheel free.  I have never used a hammer, saw or torch on the steering wheels and I am 4 for 4.  I urge you or try this before you go the disassembly or saw cutting route.  BTW, as Cleat said, use never seize liberally during reassembly.  His advice applies to hubs as well

[Amcwheel85 2,058]

Well thanks for all the things I can do... bad thing is tractor is totally disassembled and this is all I have left is steering wheel attached to steering shaft! Guess I should of took steering wheel off first but I had no way to get roll pin out til I took the steering to local lawn tractor shop, I'm working with limited tools since I moved!

[cleat 4,936]

Sounds like you just need a vice now to hold the shaft.

 

I fully agree with using Kroil, that is all I use now.

 

Maybe stand steering wheel upside down and work penetrating oil around shaft and allow it to flow into joint.

 

You may need to allow several days reapplying frquently around the shaft and in roll pin hole.

 

Cleat

[JPWH 5,295]

I would caution trying to turn the steering wheel to break it loose. I broke the lower steering shaft assembly doing this. This is what was on my 69 Raider.

Edited May 25, 2017 by JPWH

[Uncle Buck 246]

I have one with a toasted steering wheel that I need to replace. I have the replacement wheel. I plan to use an air cutoff to cut the wheel off of the shaft destroying the damaged wheel and leaving the shaft in tact. Great plan if your wheel is already shot.  

[Tankman 3,515]

After repeated steering wheel removals, added PB Blaster under the steering wheel cap to my PM (preventative maintenance) routine.

Remove the cap, PB Blaster or a few drops of sewing machine oil top of the steering wheel shaft, put the cap back on.

[Uncle Buck 246]

4 hours ago, Tankman said:

After repeated steering wheel removals, added PB Blaster under the steering wheel cap to my PM (preventative maintenance) routine.

Remove the cap, PB Blaster or a few drops of sewing machine oil top of the steering wheel shaft, put the cap back on.

Not for the really stubborn ones. As I said, mine was already damaged beyond repair. No amount of any slickem you want to use did a thing. I know, I tried, hosed it down left it set for days. Finally I broke out the big guns and turned to my pullers. I have a very good selection of pullers. Not one puller did a thing, even my big 3 jaw OTC puller budged it even one iota! The only way I see that wheel coming off without a torch at this point is literally carving it off in chunks with my 3" air cutoff.  

[Tankman 3,515]

Know the pain Buck!! Once that steering wheel settled in, not comin' off.

My oil slick under the cap is hopefully for, ouch, just in case there's a next time. 

Preventative Maintenance

[Flunkywill 2]

Hey guys the best homemade penetrating oil is 50% transmission fluid and 50% acetone. Make sure your squirt can has a Rubber seal as the acetone will evaporate very quickly. It will beat anything you can purchase in a can.

  My first experience was a frozen starter Bendix. Frozen for 5 years I freed it up in 15 minutes.   I also removed roll pin and steering wheel from model 877 in 5 minutes. Don't forget the never seize before reassembly.  Good luck.

[lynnmor 6,762]

14 hours ago, Flunkywill said:

Hey guys the best homemade penetrating oil is 50% transmission fluid and 50% acetone.

 

Be careful using acetone, it will attack some kinds of plastic.

[Nightowl 5]

Removed steering wheel on 1990 312h used Kroil sprayed it for 3 days came apart like new condition.

[AMC RULES 36,940]

 Was way too easy...

you just got lucky.   

[Nightowl 5]

maybe a little experience with rusted stuff

 

[953 nut 51,464]

12 minutes ago, Nightowl said:

experience

 

           Removing a steering wheel is one ,of the three rights of passage in !   The other two are rusted on Hubs and rusted in Hutch Pins.          If you can accomplish all three you will be thought the secret hand shake!    

[midpack 804]

I just pulled one off a C-175. I picked up a vintage steering wheel puller for a Chrysler (IIRC). Didnt do much....

Ended up taking the tower off and driving the shaft out in a vise. Easy peasy! 

Put a later (312 hydro) wheel on for better grip and leverage. The new one is about 2" larger OD with maybe double the diameter of the grip

Edited September 11, 2019 by midpack
thanking the tower off... guess I better pay more attention to autocorrect

[richmondred01 2,202]

If you have the power assist steering you don’t want to damage the steering column because they are much harder to find then the steering wheel.

To avoid damage you can forsake the steering wheel by cutting it vertically with a cutting wheel just deep enough not to score the column. The use a chisel to spread it. 

Of course you will need a new wheel but they are cheap ($45.00) or so.