Steering Wheel Removal

[roray]

Having difficulty removing the 27mm nut, it's frozen.
Any secrets as I don't want to damage anything.

Thanks
Robert J.

[denson]

Cover the inner wheel around the nut and spray the nut with a penetrating oil. Let it sit for 1/2 hour and use either a hair dryer or heat gun for a 30 seconds.

Hope it works for you.

[Allen Henderson]

You need a good 18"+ breaker bar. Turn the wheel to full counter clockwise lock; still hold wheel with one hand to try and relieve stess on steering gear system...don't worry to much. Apply force to breaker bar..off it will come.

-Allen-

[sithot]

An impact gun will bring it off quickly. IF the wheel is stuck once the nut is off DO NOT pull on the wheel without partially re-installing the nut as a saftey "stop". That is, unless you like a bloody nose, bruised forehead or broken teeth.

When the wheel lets go the nut is your only protection from this kind of accident.

Good luck!

Tom

[Sandwich Boy]

What do you mean by "frozen"? Are you sure, or is it just tight?

I would highly discourage using the steering lock as a brace against the torque, as it was never designed to handle stress like this and I know from personal experience that these things are easily broken.

Stand up outside the car, reach in with your left hand and grip one of the spokes with your arm fully extended. With your right hand, use a breaker bar pushing down. Keep the wheel stationary with your left hand (not against the steering lock). You can apply a LOT of torque this way using the large muscle groups in your back and shoulders. The nut should loosen easily as it is not supposed to be torqued tightly.

This is not a place where rust normally appears so it is not likely "frozen", whatever that means.

[drwhosc]

agree with the breaker bar. a 3/8 may not do it. sears has a nice 3/4 in drive one. Also get some torque and extend the breaker bar with a pipe. the nut will come off, but you need the right amount of torque on it.

Good luck....

[Allen Henderson]

What do you mean by "frozen"? Are you sure, or is it just tight?

I would highly discourage using the steering lock as a brace against the torque, as it was never designed to handle stress like this and I know from personal experience that these things are easily broken.

Stand up outside the car, reach in with your left hand and grip one of the spokes with your arm fully extended. With your right hand, use a breaker bar pushing down. Keep the wheel stationary with your left hand (not against the steering lock). You can apply a LOT of torque this way using the large muscle groups in your back and shoulders. The nut should loosen easily as it is not supposed to be torqued tightly.

This is not a place where rust normally appears so it is not likely "frozen", whatever that means.

Just for the record, I wasn't talking about a key lock if that's what someone thought I meant..don't think the SWB even had those...not sure. I'm talking about full lock, rotation, counter clockwise. I also said to support it (strongly with your hand)

-Allen-

[Mycar]

I would discourage leavering against full lock, you`ll snap something expensive. If you have a friend handy or a wife, decide which of you is stronger with a brief arm wrestle. The winner sits in the car and grips the wheel, the embarrased looser gets the breaker bar. No sweat.... ask my wife, she got to sit down.

Regards, Mike

[rickrick]

You can use one of those club gizmos and lock it tight - it will give you something to squeeze together with the ratchet to provide leverage.

-rick

[kenikh]

Impact gun, impact gun, impact gun. Short burst torque will break it free and leave the shaft/rack unaffected.