Let's talk steering wheels

[best view]

Les sells tilt columns he cuts down what a difference ,I’ve bought 3 so far he has one on the board for sale right now can’t say enough about it

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by EagleChief

Looks like I'm a tad late, but here's my set up for thoughts. I have a 71/72 wheel and an early 80's wheel. I ended up going with the 80's version, mainly because I wanted a little more room. I'm 6'3" 240 and the 71/72 wheel was just too big. I think the 80's wheel is roughly 15"? I like it so far, although I haven't driven it yet.

If you have Power Steering, no problem.
With manual steering you get a better mechanical advantage from a wider diameter wheel.
Pulling around a 4x4 Suburban [w/ a BBC up front and wide tires] was a challenge. You had to be ahead of the game. I saw an Army training film on the 1942 GMC 2-1/2 Ton 6x6. I recognized some tricks I'd learned -- like starting a left turn from stop sign, by slightly cocking the wheel left before it stopped. Trying to pull the wheel from a dead stop, was a handfull.

[Richard]

Have one of the reproduction 15" wheels in saddle that I cannot use due to adding paddle shifters. It seems to be good quality and I cannot feel any noticeable flex.

[Hotcorner]

Originally Posted by Richard

Have one of the reproduction 15" wheels in saddle that I cannot use due to adding paddle shifters. It seems to be good quality and I cannot feel any noticeable flex.

Cool. Thanks for the input!

[03BlkZ]

So I bought the GM Comfort wheel and it looks great in the truck but I'm not sure I installed it correctly. I couldn't figure out the proper way to install the horn button parts. The way it is right now the button is all the way down. What did I do wrong? I haven't hooked up the battery yet since I am not quite finished with my wiring under the hood.

[yuccales]

That wheel looks great in there!

[03BlkZ]

I think I may have figured it out. I have the horn button on with the white down. I thinknits supposed to go white up. The truck is at my parents so I will take a look at it on Sunday and see if that's the problem.

[72c20customcamper]

Yes the orientation of the horn button matters . If it not on right once you hit the horn it gets stuck . Not something you want to happen in town . Look at my post # 3 white goes to the top

[03BlkZ]

Originally Posted by 72c20customcamper

Yes the orientation of the horn button matters . If it not on right once you hit the horn it gets stuck . Not something you want to happen in town . Look at my post # 3 white goes to the top

Thanks

[68 C10 Driver]

I went with a more classic look. I decided to restore and use a 65 El Camino wheel. Because it is a car steering wheel, I had to widen the base of the steering wheel hub so it would properly fit the column.

[AllGoNoShow]

Originally Posted by 68 C10 Driver

I went with a more classic look. I decided to restore and use a 65 El Camino wheel. Because it is a car steering wheel, I had to widen the base of the steering wheel hub so it would properly fit the column.

That is class. What is the diameter? Looks awesome.

I love the look of my 68 wheel but it is just too big…hoping they make a smaller repo eventually.
Posted via Mobile Device

[68 C10 Driver]

Originally Posted by AllGoNoShow

That is class. What is the diameter? Looks awesome.

I love the look of my 68 wheel but it is just too big…hoping they make a smaller repo eventually.
Posted via Mobile Device

That particular steering wheel is 15 1/2". That puts it an inch shorter than stock, but should still give enough leverage to turn a manual steering truck...I will have to get back to you on that when I get the truck finished.

[YBNORML]

Originally Posted by AllGoNoShow

That is class. What is the diameter? Looks awesome.

I love the look of my 68 wheel but it is just too big…hoping they make a smaller repo eventually.
Posted via Mobile Device

They do make a 15” 67-68 wheel. I bought one this summer at the gitdown.

It is very sturdy. Just like the 69-72 repro wheels. I have 2 of them in my other trucks.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

I installed a vintage cover on this, which was tip rec'd from FirstOwner

[Old_Truck_Fan]

Originally Posted by YBNORML

They do make a 15” 67-68 wheel. I bought one this summer at the gitdown.

Thanks for posting this. I've been waiting ever since they released the 69-72 version.

[YBNORML]

Originally Posted by Old_Truck_Fan

Thanks for posting this. I've been waiting ever since they released the 69-72 version.

You’re welcome. Just about blew my mind when I saw it. I’ve also been waiting for years for it.

Gave in and put a 69-72 version in my 68’ gmc. I don’t hate it. But I’d sure prefer to have a proper one.

[AllGoNoShow]

Originally Posted by YBNORML

They do make a 15” 67-68 wheel. I bought one this summer at the gitdown.

It is very sturdy. Just like the 69-72 repro wheels. I have 2 of them in my other trucks.

That’s awesome that they are making those now! But, ugh, that price is something else! $370…whew
Posted via Mobile Device

[Afishinado]

I am looking for horn button parts bought me to this page, I read this thread with a lot of power steering posts bought back a memory.
In 1970 I was in Viet Nam, all I could think of was what I was going to drive when I got home. Chevy had recently introduced the Monte Carlo and the Blazer, the first ones. I was enamored with both.. My dad had a '68 Scout 4cyl, it had to go, so he already had a K5 on order. It later became mine when he passed in '79. My dad went into econo mode with most cars. He ordered it with no A/C, manual steering and brakes.... He was 5'4" tall. The first project at home was getting the parts to add PS & PB... One day after he had it, he wrote me a letter complaining, loved everything else about it. The 307 would pull the hills a ton better than that Scout!
One of my worst cases of sellers remorse, was selling it in '87+/-...

[CAMAROBOY68SS]

I'm another in the comfort grip club. This wheel is pretty much my go to wheel for anything. Luckily now they are reproducing in the other colors. Before you had to hunt down originals and they were getting hard to find.

[ghackett1]

I have installed a reproduction stock 68 steering wheel with an NOS in the box horn cap/button and am very happy with the results. I also installed a tilt steering column.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by CAMAROBOY68SS

I'm another in the comfort grip club. This wheel is pretty much my go to wheel for anything. Luckily now they are reproducing in the other colors. Before you had to hunt down originals and they were getting hard to find.

I like your Buckets. My '71 Jimmy needs new front seats badly. It's a metallic Blue. [Later called Maui Blue -- not a vintage correct color -- but I like it.]
Most of the ready-made seats on the market are black vinyl. Black seats would be a bad idea in [overly] sunny Southern AZ.

[Lee H]

Mine