Steering wheel restoration

[Mister-B]

I just bought this decent 68 wheel for my 69. This new wheel doesn't have very many cracks, but it does have a few here and there. I want to fill them, sand it all down, and then paint it dark blue to match my interior, and clear coat it.

I've got a question about what to use to fill the cracks? I've heard people mention using Reson, but exactly what type of Reson? Where can I buy it? Are there better options out there to fill cracks?


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[SCHRUMGMC]

Hmmm, I am glad your not just throwing it out like numerous of people I know...

[ole dollor]

there have been several threads on doing this , some one will chime in and advise on the best way to fix it...good luck on it...

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by ole dollor

there have been several threads on doing this , some one will chime in and advise on the best way to fix it...good luck on it...

Yeah, and I looked at those, but the ones I saw just say they used "Reson" but not much more
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[JRE]

I used Eastwood's steering wheel restoration kit. it's a two part epoxy. When I restored the last one I sanded the whole wheel with 320 grit sand paper then opened up the big crackes using my dremmel to grind a v in them. Then put the epoxy putty in them. after letting it sit over night I sanded the putty with 150 then 320 then primed it with high build primer and painted it body color.

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by JRE

I used Eastwood's steering wheel restoration kit. it's a two part epoxy. When I restored the last one I sanded the whole wheel with 320 grit sand paper then opened up the big crackes using my dremmel to grind a v in them. Then put the epoxy putty in them. after letting it sit over night I sanded the putty with 150 then 320 then primed it with high build primer and painted it body color.

Cool. Thanks. Where did you get it?
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[JRE]

Here you go.http://www.eastwood.com/?srccode=mn2...Brand-Eastwood

[Andy4639]

Here is the thread on my SS Chevelle steering wheel I did back in October.


http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=547520

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

Here is the thread on my SS Chevelle steering wheel I did back in October.


http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=547520

Thanks for the info. Looks great. So, did you just use Bondo then?
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[Andy4639]

Yes the cracks were all pretty small so I decided to use the bondo. I took a small thread file and open them up some to get the bondo in there good. sanded it all down and painted. I think it turned out nice for my first time.

[Spartan]

2nd the Eastwood kit
Por 15 makes one too
The epoxy is a two part similar to jbweld
It's called pl7 and can be purchased at home improvement stores
Clean clean clean before hand.
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[Spartan]

I'll add that if you go to you tube that Stacy David? Guy shows basics
Cheers!
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[bollybib]

I used PC7 epoxy to fill the gaps. I masked right up to the edge of the area to be filled so as not to get goop on the adjacent original surface. Once cured, the epoxy was fairly easy to shape. I used narrow strips of sandpaper, working my way little-by-little down from 100 grit to 1500. I had to use my Dremel with small diamond shaping bits in a few places to reproduce the rim contour, particularly for the groove and offset in the top half of the wheel.

It's a lot cheaper to buy PC7 at your local hardware store than as part of a kit. Just make sure you get the contact surfaces on the wheel very clean and slightly roughened.

http://www.pcepoxy.com/our-products/...oxies/pc-7.php

[RManson]

I restored the wheel in my '68, but I reduced the diameter as well. Check out the link and it will answer a few of your questions I hope. I used Eastwood products with very nice results...

http://www.customclassictrucks.com/t...teering_wheel/

-Ryan

[Mister-B]

Ok guys, thanks for the help. I ended up using Bondo. I could get what I needed for less than 10 bucks, and it worked really well. Got everything sanded down and primed. Painted it dark blue like my interior, and clear coated it. Looking good

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[JRE]

looks good. Keep a close Eye on the repaired spot's bondo doesn't like to flex and will start getting some hair line crack's in it after a while.

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by JRE

looks good. Keep a close Eye on the repaired spot's bondo doesn't like to flex and will start getting some hair line crack's in it after a while.

Luckily the wheel was in good enough shape that I really didn't need much
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[Andy4639]

Looking good man. That blue is poping!

Question I have been wondering since I restored mine.

What in the world caused all these wheel's to crack? Man I just can't believe that some one would pull that hard on a steering wheel. What kind of person pushes down on the wheel to crack it like some of these pictured.


I know the heat from the sun doesn't help but I just can't figure it out how they crack like this.

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

Looking good man. That blue is poping!

Question I have been wondering since I restored mine.

What in the world caused all these wheel's to crack? Man I just can't believe that some one would pull that hard on a steering wheel. What kind of person pushes down on the wheel to crack it like some of these pictured.


I know the heat from the sun doesn't help but I just can't figure it out how they crack like this.

Thanks, man. The 67/68 steering wheels are less prone to cracking than the 69-72 wheels IMHO. So, I think the cracks come from poor design, age, and hot/cold temperatures.
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[Andy4639]

Yea the design and heat factor are a lot of it but man some of these wheels I have seen look like someone just bared down on them are pulled them as hard as they could.

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

Yea the design and heat factor are a lot of it but man some of these wheels I have seen look like someone just bared down on them are pulled them as hard as they could.

I wonder if part of it too, is that Armor All was real popular in the 70's, and as we all learned from experience....that sh!t cracks your interior.
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[Scott>72-GMC]

Superbird / Vintage Parts Restoration [S1 Ep.6-2]...

Here is another way to repair one
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[Andy4639]

Originally Posted by RManson

I restored the wheel in my '68, but I reduced the diameter as well. Check out the link and it will answer a few of your questions I hope. I used Eastwood products with very nice results...

http://www.customclassictrucks.com/t...teering_wheel/

-Ryan

That is a cool wheel but for me it's a little above what I personally could do I think.

[Madtat]

Good thread and good link!
ughhhh....my next project.

[SCHRUMGMC]

Nice Steering wheel man