Little help (steering wheel removal)

[Jgordon]

I'm trying to remove my steering wheel (four spoke carrera) to do the high beam fix. I got the horn pad off, and I'm faced with a metal plate with three contacts for the horn and four of what appear to be silver rivets. This is connected to the hub via a honeycomb (round holes) sleeve about 4 inches long. I can see the steering wheel nut, but access to it is blocked by the metal piece holding the horn contacts. I'm wondering how to either get directly to the nut or how to detach the wheel from the sleeve.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks.

J

[cowtown]

When you pulled the horn pad off, it should have exposed a big enough hole to get your big socket and extension down onto the nut that holds on the wheel.

Without a picture, I can only guess that the underside of the pad separated from the top when you pulled it off?

The horn pad is held on by snaps, and there is a quick-connect wire that you disconnect as well. Is this what you saw when you pulled off the pad?

[Jgordon]

I appreciate the thoughts -- I'm suffering for lack of a digital camera -- actually, for lack of the cable to upload the pics to my computer.

Here's a professional diagram of my wheel.

The black plate in the middle appears to be both a part of the steering wheel and unremovable -- riveted to the collar connecting the actual wheel to the hub. the piece in the center, with the top horn contact, blocks access to the nut. there's also a piece of black molded foam around the sleeve connecting the wheel to the hub.

If this helps at all, let me know. Otherwise, I'll wait to get some pics to illustrate the situation.

Thanks again.

Jared

[rick-l]

Does your wheel look like the one in the picture at the top of the page at
http://www.steeringwheelrestoration.com/p/porsche.html

What does the horn pad look like? Do you see a way to put it back on?

On my 88 the pad (with considerable force) popped off in one piece and exposed the nut. Any chance that is an aftermarket steering wheel?

[Rot 911]

Mine looked like that. I was still able to get the nut off using a socket and long extension.

[GrindingGears]

Yep, a 27mm nut, an extension and a little oomph should do the trick. Don't turn the wheel all the way in one direction to lock it up to get more leverage. Hold it with a hand and your knees or get someone to help, then grunt.

[Jgordon]

Rick -- that's my wheel. I don't believe it's aftermarket -- there are porsche and FD part numbers all over the thing. The pad itself can go back on pretty easily -- around each horn contact, there's a little plastic tube with a ridge near the top -- each corresponding contact on the pad itself has three plastic tabs which lock onto and around the tubes extending from the metal plate.

Kurt -- do you think there's a way to get that plate off, or is it just a question of angling the socket and finessing it?

I'll go buy the 27 mm socket and see if I can do some damage.

Thanks again.

[Rot 911]

Originally posted by Jgordon
Kurt -- do you think there's a way to get that plate off, or is it just a question of angling the socket and finessing it?

That is exactly what you do. Use a 3/8" extension if you can. Gives you more room to manuver the socket. Or you can use an elbow short extension at the end of the long extension.

[porschenut]

Looks to me like an open end wrench angled in there would do the trick, wouldn't it? Or if using a socket, a U-joint should help.

[Rot 911]

Originally posted by porschenut
Looks to me like an open end wrench angled in there would do the trick, wouldn't it? Or if using a socket, a U-joint should help.

The drawing is misleading, the nut is recessed.

[Amac]

I had the same problem with the same wheel.
The only way without cuting that piece out is a
short 27mm socket with a u joint.
I was changing to a Momo, I cut mine out.
(Your horn will work without it.)

[Jgordon]

Ok, I got it off -- I bought a universal joint, but that didn't allow me to focus enough force on the nut. It turned out to be much simpler with a 5" extension -- the nut is available enough to be turned without resorting to the u-joint. Thanks for the advice -- I'm about to post another question on the intermittent high beam problem and fix, so please take a look at that one as well.

Thanks again.