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MG MG Y Type - Steering wheel removal tips?

Some time ago I found a nice used chromed spring that's fitted under the steeringwheel, but now I'm unable to fit this treasure because the steeringwheel is stuck solid on it's splines.

I've tried everything; soaking it for two weeks in several WD40'ish products, tapping the hub and shaft lightly (and increasingly heavier, destroying the nylon hammer in the process), wiggling the hub whilst carefully applying pulling force on the rim, unsuccesfully searching through my brother-in-law's sizeable ar*enal for a suitable puller etc. etc..

Is there a magical spell I can use, before I put the torch to the *&#@%-thing?!

On a brighter note: the same garage-owning brother-in-law MOT'ed the Y yesterday and it past the test with flying colours!
Willem van der Veer

There is a securing screw which holds the horn assembly in place. This should be removed. If your clock work switch works you then need to remove the switch and horn push with care. Often these have locked in pretty solidly. I soaked mine in my YT for ages before I could shift it. Still it didnt want to budge. Fortunately the YT did not have the clock work switch so I got a very fine screwdriver behind it and slowly levered it out until I had a bigger gap, then again using a slightly bigger screwdriver and so on.

Take great care though as WD40 may have weakened the bakerlite. Massive patience especially if you have gotten no where so far.

Paul
Paul Barrow

Thanks Paul, but it's not the clock-work switch, horn assembly or underlying locknut that bother me, they came off smoothly. It's the hub that won't come off the splines. I think I'm going to remove the complete steeringcolumn and (carefully) use the large (6 ton!) hydraulic press they have here in the truck-workshop.
Willem van der Veer

Hi Willem

You need a "Puller". If you go down to your local auto tool store you should be able to get a puller which once you get it properly rigged up with just a small tweak you will free the hub of the wheel on the splines. It will then come off so easily that you will wonder why you needed the puller, but you'll have it in your tool kit for the next time.

Paul
Paul Barrow

The steering wheel is not on splines, it is on a taper with a woodruff key. The taper is of the 'morse' type and has to be 'broken' to part the items. You need an extractor, not unlike that used to break tapers on steering joints, but bigger.

Neil.
Neil Cairns

You could try tapping the back of the boss with a soft faced mallet.

GENTLY THOUGH!

Paul
Paul Barrow

Paul,
I already destroyed my nylon hammer on the back of the boss, but Neil sparked my imagination to fabricate an extractor, to be continued!
Willem van der Veer

Willem,

As you were attacking the back of the boss with the hammer, was someone else providing a "pull" on the steering wheel (grasp the spokes as close to the centre of the wheel as you can get) so that the energy shock you put on the boss was not just deadened? I think the first time I moved my steering wheel it was a two-man job.
Paul Barrow

A 'bodge' I used years ago was to undo the nut, then refit it with no washer, and about four threads away from the wheel boss, ( ie not tight up to it.) Then one puts ones knees hard up under the steering wheel to force it up towards yourself, then put a thick solid bit of steel bar onto the nut, and get a friend to whallop the bit of steel really hard with a big hammer. You need to be forcing the wheel hard up towards you, so put your arms across your face as you lean well back so your mate can get a good swing.

It works sometimes. Really, you need a taper-extractor as I first mentioned.

Neil.
Neil Cairns

This thread was discussed between 06/01/2005 and 17/01/2005

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