FR500 Steering wheel Install

lxsteed

Founding Member
Aug 12, 2002
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Melbourne
Ok, I'm in the middle of doing this. I've got everything out except the old wheel. The steering wheel puller didn't work, and now I'm trying to get a 2 jaw puller to work, but am very concerned about messing up the threads for the center screw. Has anyone had this problem? The factory wheel just does not want to budge no matter how much penitrating lube I put on it.
 
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I used a conventional puller to pull mine. There are indentations on the stock wheel allowed me to thread the three bolts in to hold the puller to the steering wheel. I put a washer over the end so the puller was shoving down on that and not the threaded hole.
 
I had this problem on my car, I finally resorted to getting a hammer and hitting it from the backside. Spray a little WD-40 on the shaft. Some people say to just grab the wheel @ the 9 and 3 o'clock and 11-5 o'clock positions and yank on it but that did not work for me. When I used a hammer ( maybe try a mallet first) just be patient, it will eventually work loose.
 
Well, one of the bolts pulled out on me too, but one slightly larger didn't. Have patience young jedi, it will work, that's the way the Ford mechanice told me they pull them off. Of course you could use the mallet method too. The shaft isn't threaded on the outside so you don't have to worry about messing up those threads. Good luck
 
With the puller tool turned down to give pull on the steering wheel, have somebody pull on the steering wheel while you hit the center of the puller tool (end of threaded bolt of the puller). This will jerk the wheel enough to snap it loose.
 
Str8Pimp'n said:
I had this problem on my car, I finally resorted to getting a hammer and hitting it from the backside. Spray a little WD-40 on the shaft. Some people say to just grab the wheel @ the 9 and 3 o'clock and 11-5 o'clock positions and yank on it but that did not work for me. When I used a hammer ( maybe try a mallet first) just be patient, it will eventually work loose.


How did you hit it with a hammer from the back side if the wheel is still on the car?
 
Ok, I'm open for any more ideas. The two jaw puller is cracking the wheel and I'm afraid it'll come completely though

crack.jpg


The wheel itself is aluminum, but I think its a steel insert that goes onto the shaft. I don't want it to break and then just leave the steel insert there.