Mid 80's steering wheel install

[hatred]

Took the cheap Grant knock-off wheel off today and got a wheel from a mid 80-90 truck. Whats needed to get this on? It doesn't seem to want to slide onto the shaft.

[kcsa75]

It should slide right on. Do you have photos? That might make it easier to diagnose the problem.

[hatred]

Ill take pics in the am when I start on it again. It seems like the new wheel is bottoming out on the column and not sliding onto the shaft.
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[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by hatred

Ill take pics in the am when I start on it again. It seems like the new wheel is bottoming out on the column and not sliding onto the shaft.
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Is your wheel like the one in the pic below (probably without the leather wrap)? Does yours engage the splines on the steering shaft at all? Or, does it engage the splines and just have a gap between the wheel hub and column?

[hatred]

Looks identic to that one. It feels like the shaft is too big, and it may also be hitting the housing on the column. Ill take pics of it sitting on the end of the column and all the parts I have. Never had this happen before.
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[special-K]

I put one in my '71 tow truck and it slid right on...and off. Does anyone have the nut that holds the wheel on? That may help and be a tad safer,ya think?

[hatred]

K, I took some pics today...

This is the new wheel on the shaft. The shaft is flush with the end of the splined part
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As you can see, its hitting the column housing (still flush as in the pic above)
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This is all that came off (wheel, horn cap, horn wire) the donor truck.
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This is what I took out of my truck...
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I put one of these wheels in my old 67 C10 about 20 years ago, and I thought it basically slid right on and fit... Am I missing something here???

[knomadd]

Originally Posted by hatred

As you can see, its hitting the column housing (still flush as in the pic above)
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I put one of these wheels in my old 67 C10 about 20 years ago, and I thought it basically slid right on and fit... Am I missing something here???

There's more to it than the cancel cam. The cam wouldn't make the steering wheel sit flush with the end of the shaft AND touch the turn signal lever. If it was the cam, you'd have a mile wide gap between the column and the wheel. With the wheel hitting the turn signal lever, you obviously have no more room to push the wheel onto the column. The cancel cam won't give you more room for that. Your steering shaft is too far into the column for that wheel. I don't know if the newer style wheel is supposed to fit as I've never installed one of them before, but the steering shaft in your column isn't long enough for that wheel.

I'd suggest looking under your hood at the column to see if there are any issues down there like FirstOwner69 and chiefcfd suggested.

Good luck.

[hatred]

Originally Posted by special-K

I put one in my '71 tow truck and it slid right on...and off. Does anyone have the nut that holds the wheel on? That may help and be a tad safer,ya think?

If I figure this crap out, I'll send you one of these that I don't use (provided they're the same)

[FirstOwner69]

Something is not normal. Shoot a picture of the underhood end of the column. It looks like the shaft may be positioned too far forward in the column somehow. Not sure if that's even possible.

[hatred]

Originally Posted by FirstOwner69

Something is not normal. Shoot a picture of the underhood end of the column. It looks like the shaft may be positioned too far forward in the column somehow. Not sure if that's even possible.

Its put back together with the old wheel cause I had to move it. The shaft was pushed down some, but even when I pulled it up some it hit the column housing before I could get the nut started.
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[wgr2112]

When swapping steering wheels on my 72, there seemed to be a lot of in and out movement of the shaft itself.

When I first put it on, it would barely engage the threads. I pulled up on the shaft and got a little more meat. It came up the rest of the way as I tightened the shaft nut.

If everything lines up properly, it should slide right on.

Not sure if the horn button will work or not without a little modification.

[WIDESIDE72]

I would be interested I. The old wheel and installation kit you took off if you decide to part with it
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[WIDESIDE72]

Sorry I don't have any advice on the install. I had a wheel of a mid 80's s10 on my72 for a while and it fit fine. I've never tried to install a wheel like yours on a 67-72.
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[JOJABOY]

need photo of end of your steering column with no wheel installed. sounds like your turn signal cancel cam is hitting the bottom of your steering wheel. you said you pulled the shaft up right? what cancel cam do you have on there?

i installed same wheel on my 69 and had to modify the horn spring a little (nothing crazy) but all works very well.

[hatred]

Originally Posted by JOJABOY

need photo of end of your steering column with no wheel installed. sounds like your turn signal cancel cam is hitting the bottom of your steering wheel. you said you pulled the shaft up right? what cancel cam do you have on there?

i installed same wheel on my 69 and had to modify the horn spring a little (nothing crazy) but all works very well.

Ill work on trying to take it apart again tomorrow for more pics. The cancel cam im not sure about. ..
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[JOJABOY]

The cancel cam for that steering wheel is convexed. Meaning it bumps up. You need to run the cancel cam for a 1972 steering column. You will need the spring and bushing from the mid 80's steering wheel. and will need to wedge it in the tube thing for the horn to work. Super easy to do and can explain better later.

But I ran into the same thing with mine when I was figuring it out. If you have the wrong cancel cam on the shaft...the steering wheel won't go all the way on.

[JOJABOY]

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=559128

This is from when I went through the pains of figuring it out.

[hatred]

Swung by the pull-a-part and took a pic of the column I got the steering wheel off of. It's a 91 chevy with a tilt column. I only had a steering wheel puller so I couldnt get anything else off. Think I might try and get the signal cam for a 91 and see if it works.

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[JOJABOY]

lol....pick of your column please.

[FirstOwner69]

I don't know if you have the right cam or not. However, in the pictures you posted it looks like the wheel is in contact with the top of the column and the shaft still isn't protruding beyond the wheel hub. The wheel has to have some space between the hub and column or it won't turn. As a couple of us have already said, it appears your shaft is not protruding enough from your column.

We NEED A PICTURE of what the column looks like under the hood without a steering wheel mounted.

I had the same wheel on my 69 with the same column, and the cam and everything else were the original to the truck. Here's a pic.

Edit: I see knomadd and JOJABOY beat me to this!

[hatred]

I will take the wheel off tomorrow and take a pic of the column and under the hood. I know the shaft was pushed in some, but even after I managed to pull it back out the wheel wouldn't fit. With the cam it hit the column housing, and with the cam there wasnt enough threads on the shaft to get the nut started.
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[FirstOwner69]

Read this thread (http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=471499) thoroughly before you look under the hood. Then compare what you see to what you read in that thread. Do you have the spring and washer at the bottom of the column? Is the bottom bearing properly seated into the bottom of the column and held there by the spring? I'm betting this is where you have a problem. I believe the spring holds the shaft in place where you need it.

Edit: I believe, when properly installed you should be able to slightly compress the spring by pushing on the steering wheel toward the front and it should be popped back toward the seat by the spring when released. You should not ever have to pull the shaft out to install the wheel.

[JOJABOY]

It's definitely something though and with outside perspectives....you may figure it out easier. With the shaft pulled all the way up and the original 67-72 turn signal mechanism and cancel cam the S-10 style steering wheel should fit perfect. there should be about 1/8" gap between the bottom of the wheel and the top of the column housing.

And when you do get it on correctly....I found a good way to get it lined up centered on the splines. Put it on as close to straight as you can. Drive around the block and see how off you are. Then pull it up where the wheels are straight (even if wheel is of centered) Put a piece of tape down the top of the wheel and column then take a knife and cut it along the wheel/column separation. Then you can pull the wheel off and move it a spline or two to get it lined up straight.

[hatred]

This is a pic of the column from under the hood. All looks normal to me...?
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The wheel will be coming off this weekend. Works keeping me too busy this week to do anything when I get home...