Had to use the press on steering wheel removal

[JoeM 9,037]

This one finally almost beat me. Had this pretty nice steering wheel and wanted to save it. 

Did all the normal stuff, the pin can out but the wheel was stuck. Soaked, shocked, puller and no dice.

I ended up removing the cap drilling out the excess plastic and put her in the press. 20T and is had to grunt a bit.

I put a two piece sleeve on the shaft to get a close push fit along with the puller yoke.

 

 

[Moparfanforever 892]

The wheels I have put in my press made a big BANG when they finally let go. 

 

Almost made me do a big BANG in my britches!!.

[ri702bill 10,245]

Yup - LOTS of stored up energy there - both cases!!!!

[ri702bill 10,245]

I have my 20 ton HFT press at the inside of the cellar stairs. That loud bang noise always startled my wife - and the dog!! 

[Retired Wrencher 6,098]

Joe looks like a handy tool have. Good save. To bad they never put never seize on the shaft from the factory. This would have been good.

[peter lena 9,492]

@JoeM   2 bolt flange bearing , green grease , pete

[Wishin4a416 2,231]

I had to do the same on a C-160 I restored. Took it to work and went to the boiler room and the 20 ton press made short work of it.

[ebinmaine 74,934]

Nice save Joe. 

Appreciate the pics too. 

Good reference material for those who try it later.  

 

[JoeM 9,037]

48 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Good reference material for those who try it later.

First one I had to press off. guess I've been lucky before. 

[ebinmaine 74,934]

2 hours ago, JoeM said:

First one I had to press off. guess I've been lucky before. 

We've never tried to remove one. 

All the tractors we've done Trina's been able to bag and mask the whole wheel for painting.   

 

 

[TheGrinch 7]

Big Pain for small gain. I used the milling machine to remove the pin then the press and it took 2500 lbs. to break it free.

No issues with the end mill going dull just go slow, this one had a spiral pin, I ruined 4 drills then this end mill did the trick.

Lots of great ideas on the forum here, thank-yous!

 

[Bar Nuthin 1,602]

I've got a steering wheel I want to swap out on an older C-series.

I don't have access to any heavy presses or machining tools. But my crazy brain got to wondering....

 

Has anyone ever thrown their wheel and column in an e-tank and let it percolate for a couple days?

[kpinnc 15,931]

1 hour ago, Bar Nuthin said:

Has anyone ever thrown their wheel and column in an e-tank and let it percolate for a couple days?

 

If the column top is aluminum, the E-tank will dissolve it. 

 

But yes, it's will break the rust up nicely, though it might take a few days. 

Edited October 12 by kpinnc

[Bar Nuthin 1,602]

2 hours ago, kpinnc said:

If the column top is aluminum, the E-tank will dissolve it. 

Well, the one steering wheel is on a cutoff shaft. Everything appears to be solid steel. I think I'll have a go at it. 

I was going to drill out the roll pin, but I'll wait and see if electrolysis has any effect on it.

Edited October 12 by Bar Nuthin

[ebinmaine 74,934]

3 hours ago, Bar Nuthin said:

Well, the one steering wheel is on a cutoff shaft. Everything appears to be solid steel. I think I'll have a go at it. 

I was going to drill out the roll pin, but I'll wait and see if electrolysis has any effect on it.

 

 

Please do keep us posted. 

 

 

[953 nut 62,565]

4 hours ago, Bar Nuthin said:

6 hours ago, kpinnc said:

If the column top is aluminum, the E-tank will dissolve it. 

Well, the one steering wheel is on a cutoff shaft. Everything appears to be solid steel. I think I'll have a go at it. 

I was going to drill out the roll pin, but I'll wait and see if electrolysis has any effect on it.

There is a strong likelihood that the  hub inside the steering wheel is aluminum and galvanic corrosion has a good grip on it.   

Since it is on a cut off shaft and the roll pin won't budge you may want to drill progressively larger holes from the top and bottom until you reach the roll pin coming as close to 3/4" as you can get. Next drill holes alongside the roll pin as large as you can manage to get them. The heat from the drills may assist in breaking up the corrosion, At that point the remaining shaft pieces should be able to be removed.

[Bar Nuthin 1,602]

2 hours ago, 953 nut said:

There is a strong likelihood that the  hub inside the steering wheel is aluminum and galvanic corrosion has a good grip on it. 

I live about 10 minutes away from a mower graveyard. Maybe I'll pick up a "junk" wheel and dissect it with a cutting wheel to get a cutaway look at things.If nothing else, they're a good source for 3/4" bar stock.

 

Edited October 12 by Bar Nuthin

[Handy Don 14,869]

Good to remember that e-tanks work on “line of sight” between the part being de-rusted and the suspended iron/steel electrode(s). There is no penetration into enclosed areas. 

[wallfish 18,668]

14 hours ago, Bar Nuthin said:

I've got a steering wheel I want to swap out on an older C-series.

I don't have access to any heavy presses or machining tools. But my crazy brain got to wondering....

 

Has anyone ever thrown their wheel and column in an e-tank and let it percolate for a couple days?

Cut the 3/4 steering shaft and the steering wheels come off much easier. (Shaft and all) 

The steering gear can also come off by grinding off the weld that holds it on. It's much easier to get that gear off the shaft than the wheel. Weld it back on when done. That might be easier than cutting and repairing the shaft

I usually just cut that lock collar off too and replace it with a 2 pc lock collar. Or you need to remove all of the paint and rust in order to slide them off and on.

You can weld the shaft back together, or pin a 3/4" shaft coupler, or weld the bottom of the coupler and pin the top for future removal.