Best Product for Cracked Steering Wheel Repair

[WannaBe68]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

OK, perhaps nobody in the history of this forum has permanently repaired their steering wheel yet, or if they have they can't give up the info on exactly what was used. There's a whole bunch of might be able to use this or might be able to use that, and a whole bunch of I used this and I used that. But then rare is the report back on the failure after time, and no reports that I found of success over time along with the product name and part number. So perhaps some of the 2 part plastic fix would be a good thing to try. We can't know whether it actually works. Whatever it is that I try, I'm going to make notes about the product name and part number. I'll try to report back here in this thread in a couple of years.

You might try posting this over in the truck section. It might get more attention? I have read several places around here, that the Truck forums are waaay busier than the Burb ones.

[NorthernMatthew]

Interesting exchange of efforts taken, thanks for the input. For sure not everyone can afford a $400 no crack wheel as some are being priced at nowadays. I think I'll get a black cracked wheel for my 72 and do some experimenting. Up here in Alberta, Canada we get some dramatically cold weather so a great test area indeed.
Cheers everyone,
Matthew

[WannaBe68]

Have spent many moons in Edmonton and a few eateries in Sherwood Park... Cold is DAM right!
I am in the process of rehabilitating a pretty cracked up original I bought off a guy in the parts forum here. Using POR 15 two part epoxy putty. All the cracks and gaps have been Dremeled out, cleaned out and filled with the putty. Letting it cure for a day or two then I'll start sanding.
Will try to post pictures when I have a little more to show of the process -

[NorthernMatthew]

Well nice to meet you on the forum here! Nice sunny day in Sherwood Park today but as is normal the weather changed this week
The wheel I might get would be quite the restoration project, is yours in better, worse or similar shape?

[WannaBe68]

I think ours are really similar on the wear part, but I think the one I bought is worse off on the tear part! Big cracks everywhere and huge gaps at the North and South ends and medium gaps at East and West! One that ran in the grove from 8:30 all the way to 12 O'clock high!
I was able to spend a few hours over a few evenings digging out all of the cracks then filling with POR 15 two part epoxy putty... I've heard mix reviews on this stuff, but had some so I thought I'd give it a try. It dried rock hard, but sands out pretty well. I have 2 coats of filler / primer and have not sanded this yet, but hope to one night this week.
Here are some photos of my progress from the beginning to the filler primer. It might take a few posts to get all the photos on since it will only let me upload 5 at a time:

[WannaBe68]

[WannaBe68]

Thought I had a pic of it in primer, but couldn't fine it. The last picture is the same old faded horn button that I cleaned up and repainted saddle. Used a blue pen to touch up the bow-tie. Turned out pretty good!

[WannaBe68]

That palm mouse sander with 120g was amazing for this job. The pointed end really made short work out of what could have been a PITA sanding by hand! I also used a round penfile to get the grove at 1:00 (below) and from 8:30 all the way to 12:00 back. I did cut out this area with the arrow and refill with putty as well.

[ho70]

I have repaired about 11 steering wheels (for steering wheel tables) and use fix steel epoxy preform pf706. I bought it at an auto body supply. IT is a two part putty u knead together. IT hardens like rock and I have had no cracks ( 4 years running)

[dmjlambert]

Originally Posted by ho70

I have repaired about 11 steering wheels (for steering wheel tables) and use fix steel epoxy preform pf706. I bought it at an auto body supply. IT is a two part putty u knead together. IT hardens like rock and I have had no cracks ( 4 years running)

That is good news to hear it is a lasting repair. What is a steering wheel table?

[ho70]

hubcap base, table leg, then steering wheel table

[HAULIN' IT]

Originally Posted by WannaBe68

Thought I had a pic of it in primer, but couldn't fine it. The last picture is the same old faded horn button that I cleaned up and repainted saddle. Used a blue pen to touch up the bow-tie. Turned out pretty good!
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Something I see on Wannabe's photos that has a direct effect on how well the repairs last or don't last is the tapering or lack of tapering of the plastic...Hate to say it Wannabe, but what you have done looks like the "won't last" in my opinion from many years of autobody repair.

Instead of digging a straight 90* ditch & filling it up with the epoxy, you want rolled, tapered edges so the glue has a horizontal ramp to stick to. Each crack should have around a 1/2" long taper on each side of the crack (which means some will run into the next one) starting at the metal rod & the very top should be rounded as well.
If you think about...it simply makes sense. The re-cracking happens right along the edge of the original wheel & epoxy...not in the middle of the epoxy. You have a plastic ring with a 1/4" to 1/2" thick item that is "butt" glued together only relying on the vertical surface from the metal ring upward. With "proper" tapering, you will have a wedge-like "plug" on each side of the metal ring with a long, horizontal surface supporting the sections. It is like most things...it will take more time, more material, but the outcome will be better.

Fusor 100 is my plastic epoxy of choice. My Two Cents, Lorne

[WannaBe68]

Great feedback, Lorne... You're probably right and will have to circle back around on this one. It's not perfect, but turned out pretty good for being my first rodeo! I also remember seeing in a video someone keying the epoxy into the sides of the gap or crack with extra Dremel cuts like in these pictures. Hoping this will help with not having your V.
In the first picture of the completed and painted wheel...only the horn cap has a coat of clear on it. The wheel and horn button are the same saddle color now with clear on everything.

[Curtb1971]

I'm in the process of restoring a wheel and I used 3M 08116 body panel adhesive. It's a two part system that normally glues sheet metal together (rockers on my truck haven't fallen of yet) so I figured it ought to be good product to try for this. I guess time will tell. Also where the grain is worn on the outer wheel I'm going to blend in some chip guard for texture.

[HAULIN' IT]

Originally Posted by Curtb1971

I'm in the process of restoring a wheel and I used 3M 08116 body panel adhesive. It's a two part system that normally glues sheet metal together (rockers on my truck haven't fallen of yet) so I figured it ought to be good product to try for this. I guess time will tell. Also where the grain is worn on the outer wheel I'm going to blend in some chip guard for texture.

Curt, Again, not with intent to be-little your efforts...I'd like to offer a couple of thoughts. First, just because the panel bond product is strong enough to hold your rockers on...doesn't make it the ideal product for a steering wheel repair. NOT saying it can't or won't work, just that you have to think it through. Maybe do a small part, paint it & let it sit in the sun a little while?
Chemicals can behave very differently when placed around, under & over others. The metal bond sticks well to metal...maybe not so much to plastic? Like fiberglass resin, it sticks rather well to metal, VERY well to wood, cardboard, ect., but will shuck right off of most plastics even though it appers to be "plastic like" make-up.
Same with a product that is used to glue the fiberglass Corvettes to the metal structures...it's a very good GLUE! If you try to use it as a filler of a crack in fiberglass, it will ring & raise a slight bump once painted. It is NOT a good adhesive/filler to repair a broken area in fiberglass.

The other thing I see that as I mentioned in a few posts above...the cracks need to be tapered much more if one expects the repair "to live". I realize the thought process is: "I have this little crack here & I don't want to make a bigger mess & then have to fix that" which is very typical of anything you do especially if it's not something you are rather familiar with, BUT that is what you need to do! Just like smoothing the seams in drywall...if you swiped just the gap between the Two panels, it will look poor & crack almost as soon as you are done painting.

Each crack in a wheel that is about a 1/4" thick to the core needs about 3/8-1/2" wide taper on each side of the crack upward to the edge of the original wheel. Viewed from the side, a cut-through image would look like an hour glass shape of repair material. The repair product should look near feathered into/onto the parent plastic.

I have a simple rule with nearly any repair...bodyfiller to metal, plastic repair to plastic, ect. "If I hand you a pencil could you draw along the edge of the transition?" If so, it's a poor repair. A proper edge should be ghost-like with very fine scratches...not a straight, defined line.

Since the photobucket non-sense, I've not found another means of posting photos. I have a bunch of repair examples that may help if I take the time to figure the best alternative. I'm doing a steering wheel for a friend's Studebaker at this time & have several photos. What is everyone using now? Lorne

[dmjlambert]

Originally Posted by HAULIN' IT

I'm doing a steering wheel for a friend's Studebaker at this time & have several photos. What is everyone using now?

I think most people just upload the photos to the forum. Use the manage attachments button and add the photos. If you don't see a manage attachments button, click the go advanced button and then you will see it.

[Curtb1971]

Originally Posted by HAULIN' IT

Curt, Again, not with intent to be-little your efforts...I'd like to offer a couple of thoughts. First, just because the panel bond product is strong enough to hold your rockers on...doesn't make it the ideal product for a steering wheel repair. NOT saying it can't or won't work, just that you have to think it through. Maybe do a small part, paint it & let it sit in the sun a little while?
Chemicals can behave very differently when placed around, under & over others. The metal bond sticks well to metal...maybe not so much to plastic? Like fiberglass resin, it sticks rather well to metal, VERY well to wood, cardboard, ect., but will shuck right off of most plastics even though it appers to be "plastic like" make-up.
Same with a product that is used to glue the fiberglass Corvettes to the metal structures...it's a very good GLUE! If you try to use it as a filler of a crack in fiberglass, it will ring & raise a slight bump once painted. It is NOT a good adhesive/filler to repair a broken area in fiberglass.

The other thing I see that as I mentioned in a few posts above...the cracks need to be tapered much more if one expects the repair "to live". I realize the thought process is: "I have this little crack here & I don't want to make a bigger mess & then have to fix that" which is very typical of anything you do especially if it's not something you are rather familiar with, BUT that is what you need to do! Just like smoothing the seams in drywall...if you swiped just the gap between the Two panels, it will look poor & crack almost as soon as you are done painting.

Each crack in a wheel that is about a 1/4" thick to the core needs about 3/8-1/2" wide taper on each side of the crack upward to the edge of the original wheel. Viewed from the side, a cut-through image would look like an hour glass shape of repair material. The repair product should look near feathered into/onto the parent plastic.

I have a simple rule with nearly any repair...bodyfiller to metal, plastic repair to plastic, ect. "If I hand you a pencil could you draw along the edge of the transition?" If so, it's a poor repair. A proper edge should be ghost-like with very fine scratches...not a straight, defined line.

Since the photobucket non-sense, I've not found another means of posting photos. I have a bunch of repair examples that may help if I take the time to figure the best alternative. I'm doing a steering wheel for a friend's Studebaker at this time & have several photos. What is everyone using now? Lorne

Hey Lorne, the hourglass grooves make a lot of sense because it would hold in whatever material is used. I just tapered this one with a V notch and scuffed up the walls of the V with 150 grit sand paper to give the panel bond something to bite to. I should've mentioned I used 3M's panel bond about 10 years ago to repair a 65' truck steering wheel and it has held up granted the truck it parked in a garage and is not driven much. I guess time will tell with the 72' wheel as we all know how prone to cracking they are. I finished this one off with stage stage PPG concept. Darn things are time consuming to make one nice but nothing like taking something old & tired and giving it life once again

[HAULIN' IT]

Finally got the photobucket mess figured out & thought I'd update this one. On here, many of my photos were showing up REAL BIG!

So here is the wheel from my friend's Studebaker I had mentioned working on. He is using a GM column & the original wheel had a small (old ford) size hole. Note, the steering wheel is NOT round...more of an oval for leg clearance while going straight & longer sideways for the "hand over hand" leverage turning the manual steering. Crazy! Some Dodge products were similar in the same era I believe.




I found that this "modular" design wheel that was used by GM in the late '80's-early'90's had a real nice "hub" for the job

I gutted out the original splined hub & fit the GM one in



Welded up to the original rods

Followed by a pour of Fusor 100EZ, top & bottom



Some minor crack repair. note the "feathered" look of the plastic repair material

I notched the bottom of the wheel to fit inside the shroud of the column so a gap wouldn't be seen. The placement of the hub was factored to allow the correct depth

A while back I had asked for some measurements of the various horn caps to try to find something that would work. We had the domed emblem, but the chrome trim was gone & finding one that wasn't pitted proved not happening. Ironically I found the answer INSIDE a headlamp for a '13 Dodge Dart...it's the reflector trim for the "cat eye" lens. ABSOLUTELY the ideal size! The base matched the 'baker wheel & the hole matched the original emblem, Crazy!

I had made the wheel on a spare column I had laying around. When I went to put it on his column, the notch I so carefully figured didn't work. The column is a knock-off ididit type unit that has a tin housing that had a rolled over top edge unlike the original pot metal straight one. My friend had also knocked it over during the build phase...making the housing "less than perfectly round" which didn't help either. I cut the top 1 1/2" off & attached a slice of 4" exhaust pipe top make it all work.

A little bit of primer followed by some basecoat on the wheel

Second color application

Done!


I also made some knobs for the turn signal & tilt levers mimicking the original parts. The inside of the tip from a silicone sealer tip did the trick. I poured them with the same Fusor 100 EZ. Popped them out & carfully chucked them in a lathe to drill & tap the center hole. They got painted the Aqua as well. I don't seem to have any pictures of the finished product though.


Hopefully this will help someone in some way in the future. Lorne

[Mike_The_Grad]

That is some intensive work. Good job!

[HO455]

I believe the problem with cracking comes from the hot and cold expansion/contraction cycles. GM's original formula seemed to match the expansion rate of the steel/iron frame of the wheel but over time the plastic hardened up as the solvents worked out. In order to get a lasting repair you would need to match the expansion and contraction of the wheel material and that of the product you want to use.
I would use a test wheel and figure a way to be able to accurately (and repeatedly)measure the changes with temperature. The longer the test section the easier it will be to see the changes with your micrometer.
Then make some test pieces out of the product(s) you plan to use that are the same length (and mimic the general shape) as your test sections on the wheel. Place your wheel and test pieces in the freezer for a half hour or so and measure them. Follow this up with the heat test at least 150 degrees in the oven and measure. The closest match in explansion and contraction amount should be the most resistant to cracking.
Just my opinion your results may vary.