*HOW TO* Remove a gm steering wheel properly

[mowgli]

The steering wheel is the single most important control on a car.

The original Nova one is fairly big & ugly & needs swapping.

This crops up regularly in mechanical & always gets flooded with replies involving mates & large hammers. This method can result in damage to the steering column, which has a special deformable section which is designed to collapse the column into the dash in an accident.

Here is the correct method of removing a gm steering wheel:

1. Purchase a gm steering wheel removal puller, this one was about £11+vat
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/mowglinova/P2150037.jpg?t=1235261084

2. Locate steering wheel, remove ignition key & lock the steering, making note of the position of the wheel.
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/mowglinova/P2150033.jpg?t=1235260976
3. Pull off the horn switch, use a flat blade screwdriver to flatten the two locktabs on the special washer. Then using a 22mm socket, loosen the centre nut but only unwind it to the end of the threaded section of the column.
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/mowglinova/P2150034.jpg?t=1235261040
4. Fit the puller according to the manufacturers instructions, basically fit the two silver pins into the oval holes in the wheel boss & rotate them 90 degrees. Then by hand, wind the centre bolt until it is hand tight onto the centre of the column (there is a locating hole).
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/mowglinova/P2150035.jpg?t=1235261182
5. Using a 17mm socket, extension & ratchet, wind the bolt clockwise & the steering wheel will pop loose, it has a spring behind it, stopping when it hits the centre nut. Note, the splines can get very tight with age & it may take a lot of force, if it still won't undo then wrap some old towels round the wheel, boil the kettle & pour some boiling water on the centre. The Ally boss will expand quicker than the steel shaft & loosen it.
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/mowglinova/P2150036.jpg?t=1235261220
7. Undo the puller bolt, twist the silver pins back to their original positions, remove the puller. push slightly in on the wheel & undo the centre nut & washer, then remove the wheel. (I put the nut & washer back on to save them getting lost.) To refit the wheel, or a new one, simply put it back on the column in the same position as the original, push in & refit the washer & nut. tighten the nut & using a plier, put the lock tabs back in place. this is extremely important as a loose nut will cause the wheel to come loose. trust me, it has happened on the move before.....
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/mowglinova/P2150038.jpg?t=1235261261

[novalicous]

wheres the best place to purchase the remover?
good guide btw :thumb:

[Bubba]

i got mine from mill auto. but u can get them cheap on ebay i think

[KPautomotive]

To be honest shaking the steerign wheel like a bloody nutter possessed is more fun!

haha

[John]

To be honest shaking the steerign wheel like a bloody nutter possessed is more fun!

haha

Lol, till you lose teethlol

[KPautomotive]

Almost done that before... forgot to leave the nut on a few threads! lol

[John]

Almost done that before... forgot to leave the nut on a few threads! lol

My quote was from experience too lol . have since bought a kent moore puller.

[Benn]

I have a draper puller and it doesnt fit, the legs arnt long enough and the ends does fit thru the holes. Guess i got the wrong one.

If you leave the nut on a turn or two you wont lose a tooth.

Good write up dude.

[7ova]

Almost done that before... forgot to leave the nut on a few threads! lol

i think most nova owners have been close to a good smack
in the chops, when removing a nova steering wheel for the first time :mad:

you only do it once

[Plug]

i took the grinder to mine and in the middle of buying a new coloum lol

[Mike]

I bought the exact same pully from eBay the other day lol works a treat with proper tools :thumb:

[Stanley]

Good guide:thumb:

Orrrr........slacken off bolt, get out of car, and follow up with a series of rugby kicks to the wheel.

[mowgli]

Good guide:thumb:

Orrrr........slacken off bolt, get out of car, and follow up with a series of rugby kicks to the wheel.

columns will get rarer & rarer so I am trying to get people to stop being so rough with them.....

[Stanley]

columns will get rarer & rarer so I am trying to get people to stop being so rough with them.....

I know mate. It was mean in jest - kindalol

[Ernie]

I fully agree with this method of removing the wheel.
Apart from me and pete were at the breakers yard with no pully and needed the wheel of.
Undo 22mm nut a few turns get big hammer whack the centre nut a few times and the wheel came off.
Job done.
At home i would use a pully tho.
Nice write up.

[loggyboy]

The hammer method is fine if you want the steering wheel and not the column. The novas have a colapsable column, which can be damaged by hammering the hell out of it.

[14nv of pure power]

humm mill auto is not a bad motor factors been in there before well the one in wadebridge

[ck]

if done properly with 2people and a hammer no damage at all will ocour to the collumn

[loggyboy]

Its only some injected plastic that creates the collapsable column, its easy to sheer. Its 10times easier with the puller.

[mowgli]

if done properly with 2people and a hammer no damage at all will ocour to the collumn

IF DONE PROPERLY has no place in the above sentence....

I am still astounded that people will try such an incredible bodge on the single most safety critical part of a car, then try and pass it on on as advice in the advice section on this forum.

I even predicted this method in my actual how to post..:( :( :(

[TeddyThom]

Does anyone have one of these?? They are like just over 15 quid on ebay, and I don't want to spend that on a highly possible one time use... I live in maidstone and would be greatly appreciated if someone who lives near by and has one if I could borrow it??

[mowgli]

you buy it, do the job & then put it on eBay or in the for sale section here... you will get maybe a tenner back for it