Fox I cannot get this steering wheel off!

James V

5 Year Member
Feb 26, 2017
409
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63
Connecticut
Hi again guys. Trying to take the stock steering wheel of my 93 notch and it will not budge. I may be doing it wrong so let me tell you what I tried so far.

I used a puller tool and a ratchet
I put the bolt in and tried pulling on the steering wheel back and forth.
I tried hammering the bolt (which I probably shouldn't of done)

This thing wont come off. Any suggestions? Also as I was pulling the steering wheel, the whole steering assembly/column moved closer, is that normal that is can move like that? Thanks!
 
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Hi again guys. Trying to take the stock steering wheel of my 93 notch and it will not budge. I may be doing it wrong so let me tell you what I tried so far.

I used a puller tool and a ratchet
I put the bolt in and tried pulling on the steering wheel back and forth.
I tried hammering the bolt (which I probably shouldn't of done)

This thing wont come off. Any suggestions? Also as I was pulling the steering wheel, the whole steering assembly/column moved closer, is that normal that is can move like that? Thanks!
"I put the bolt in and tried pulling on the steering wheel back and forth."
Explain this please.

For the record, there is one short bolt right in the centre of the steering wheel that you remove and sit to the side. At this point you have an open hole in the middle of the steering wheel. Then you place the puller on using 2 long bolts ( one on each side). These thread into the two small holes on the wheel. The large center pin/bolt of the puller is then turned with a ratchet and the wheel pulls toward you and comes off. I do mine with my cordless impact and it takes literally 5 minutes. Hope that helps. If not, give more exact info and we can try again.
Oh, and nothing else should be moving.
 
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For the record...there is the main shaft under the cover on the steering wheel that you remove exposing a NUT, NOT a bolt...on it. You remove the NUT.

When you remove the cover, there will be two holes that a puller bolts into. The threaded insert on the puller threads through the puller. Once threaded through the puller, you place the provided pivot end on the puller that threads against the main shaft that you removed the nut off of. Then you start to tighten down the threaded insert. That action will force the steering wheel to pull off of the shaft.

IF.... You are doing anything different from that,...smack yourself,...then take the car to a mechanic, and pay out the ass for somebody who knows how to fit a round peg into a round hole, to put a steering wheel on...Then sell the car to somebody else who knows how to use a steering wheel puller.
 
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"I put the bolt in and tried pulling on the steering wheel back and forth."
Explain this please.

For the record, there is one short bolt right in the centre of the steering wheel that you remove and sit to the side. At this point you have an open hole in the middle of the steering wheel. Then you place the puller on using 2 long bolts ( one on each side). These thread into the two small holes on the wheel. The large center pin/bolt of the puller is then turned with a ratchet and the wheel pulls toward you and comes off. I do mine with my cordless impact and it takes literally 5 minutes. Hope that helps. If not, give more exact info and we can try again.
Oh, and nothing else should be moving.

Maybe I'll try to take a video to explain the moving. When I pull on the wheel the wheel moved closer to me, like the whole assembly, ignition and all. I tried the puller, I tightened the middle bolt so much it bent the 2 side long bolts, but the steering wheel didnt budge.
 
The smaller bolts should be pulling the wheel off as you tighten the large middle bolt. That pushes against the main shaft, and the smaller ones pull the wheel off. If those small ones are bending, something is set up wrong.
 
Sorry mine's an '88. It's a BOLT.
Sorry,....didn't know that they changed the fastener,.thought it was a word mis-usage...my mistake.

how-to-1979-1993-upper-steering-column-bearing-replacement-retaining-bolt.jpg

Regardless though..the puller should look like this when properly installed.
 
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No I pulled mine not to long ago with an autozone cheap rent a tool. I got the airbag block off which I kept thinking this thing is gonna blow up in my face! loosened bolt and removed, put the remover on threaded in the two bolts that fit and used the small spacer started cranking and the damn thing just busted off, bent one of the bolts. I ended up going to Home Depot, bought the same two bolts and this time I threaded the down as tight as I could get them, tightened the main center pulled part and it popped right off. I think I messed up by not cranking the two stabilizing bolts down as tight as I could get them.
AA9D1B01-791D-49B5-A920-41CDA01260C9.jpeg
 
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No I pulled mine not to long ago with an autozone cheap rent a tool. I got the airbag block off which I kept thinking this thing is gonna blow up in my face! loosened bolt and removed, put the remover on threaded in the two bolts that fit and used the small spacer started cranking and the damn thing just busted off, bent one of the bolts. I ended up going to Home Depot, bought the same two bolts and this time I threaded the down as tight as I could get them, tightened the main center pulled part and it popped right off. I think I messed up by not cranking the two stabilizing bolts down as tight as I could get them.
AA9D1B01-791D-49B5-A920-41CDA01260C9.jpeg
I'll have to try this. Because I think that's what happened to me, I could have tightened them more. Do you happen to remember the size bolts needed?
 
Thanks for the advice anyway. I'll make a home depot trip tomorrow to match the bolts up
Yeah that’s what I ended up doing, I just said screw whether they were right thread or not just sink them down as tight as you can. I think the mistake was not doing that and just sort or lightly cranking them down, and once the force was given they just snapped out.
 
First time I pulled my wheel it was a bitch. The puller bolts broke. Ended up buying bolts, putting tension on it with the puller and striking the pulled into a column while a buddy pulled up. Was a pita