how to remove a steering wheel?

[Curtoise]

hi guys i have got a astra gte wheel to go on instead of my povo 1.2 one, whats the easiest way to take the old one off? without a wheel pull, as i dont have one?:thumb:

thanks

[CoolTiger]

search lots of threads about this,

wind nut off and then put in back on 3-4 turns and then pull hit kick swear cry give up and then it will pop off on its own, well mine did lol

[Curtoise]

lol thanks cool tiger, i cant search for the life of me lol i couldnt find it

[Nova_Tek]

It's not hard but it's tiring. Remove the horn push on the pov wheel, undo the centre wheel bolt but not all the way, this will stop the wheel from smacking you in the face when the wheel is released by the column, bend the tabs on the washer up. I sprayed a bit of WD40 around the nut area. Now grab the wheel either side and try jog the wheel. I personally pulled and yanked either side of the wheel for about 10 mins, getting more forceful as time wnet by. It will eventually free but it's spring loaded and is tough to remove.

[Graeme]

I find hitting it with a hammer normally works but it can quiet easily go wrong

[novasrikev]

go and buy the proper tool it is so much easer than messing about for a hour or so tring to get the old one off there not that expensive

[Curtoise]

thanks nova tek what about putting the new one on ? like lining it up straight

[Curtoise]

go and buy the proper tool it is so much easer than messing about for a hour or so tring to get the old one off there not that expensive


its today or next month and i have no money at all, as i said:thumb:

[Nova_Tek]

thanks nova tek what about putting the new one on ? like lining it up straight

Before removing the original wheel centre it and mark the centre of the column with something i.e the bit that the nut screws onto.

Fitting the wheel is easy just make sure the wheel is dead centre and lines up with the mark you made. Push it down firmly and replace the washer and nut doing it up nice and tight. That's how I did it and have had no issues. Im sure they would have noticed when the car was tracked.

[Curtoise]

noticed that its not straight that would reaalyy pee me off lol

[Nova_Tek]

Just don't rush fitting it back on so you fit it properly. When taking it off force is needed but don't go ape on it otherwise you might bend the column.

[Pistol Pete]

I made a wheel puller. Steel plate, hole and a long nut/bolt combo. Took abit of work but got the job done. The hammer method does work, BUT if you are not careful you can damage the threads and it will be a royal PITA to get the nut back on.

[Plug]

grinder removal FTW :d

[brainsnova]

slacken the nut then push the bottom of the wheel up with your knees and pull the left and right and top with your hands and its off in about 15 secs or less. you need to jerk it as it on a taper.

[Curtoise]

LMFAO at all these differnt ways, differnt nova owners had, iv done it, wasnt tooo hard,
i took the nut off, took clip off,
put nut back on a little bit, got a hammer and a bit metal rod thing (pin push)
and tapped the inside of the wheel down to break the seal.
then yanked twice and it came off, with wd40 on the splines also.
put new one on where marked
wired in horn, and its on perfect,
also put the clip back on before lol.
i took it for a spin and its lined up well, i forgot how much i love driving it just for a drive lol, i havn't been driving it much lately but i loved it!
sooo fun i love novas!!
thanks for your help!

[Curtoise]

oh yeh also, can you adjust how much it sticks out on the spring? or is it best to do it up fully? because i have noticed its flatter than the pov one, oh yeh and i am now sitting at an angle ! lol

[Paul]

undo the nut a few turns, leave the socket on there, get a long extension on the socket and **** it with a hammer, it will come staright off, 100%

[Curtoise]

undo the nut a few turns, leave the socket on there, get a long extension on the socket and **** it with a hammer, it will come staright off, 100%

already done it, but pretty much with this technique lol

[Nova_Tek]

Glad you got it all done in the end, wasn'T too hard was it? What wheel id you put on there? Pics or it never happened lol

[Curtoise]

lmfao, i put a astra gte one, kk ile get pics now stay tuned, thanks for your help nova tek

[Nova_Tek]

I stuck the leather trimmed Astra Champion wheel on (has GTE 16V centre)
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/4083/050520080041qy3.jpg

[Curtoise]

wow man that looks really neat, thats the same wheel as mine, just without leather lol, im uploading pics now lol have you got a WIP?

im really not happy with my nova atm its a state, thinking of giving up on her but i dont want to :'(

i need to get some serious money together to get it resprayed and welding done, but it might be cheaper to buy another altho i've had this one 15 years :(

[Graeme]

Don't give up just be gutted like the rest of us when you have a morgage deposit tied up in her lmfao

[Curtoise]

yeh lmao, its going to happen because im attached to her lol!
ile save her, need to work loads to get moneys lol

[Nova_Tek]

No WIP just yet matey although I am really planning to start my LET conversion in January (if all goes to plan) so there will be one then.

What's the main issues with your Nova. I (we (family)) have had this Nova for about 14 years. Needs some body work rear wings and door bottoms have just started to bubble but underneath is very clean.

If you have had that Nova for 15 years then that's an advantage as you know the cars history, whats been done, whats left to do and its weaknesses. Gettin another Nova could mean you running into some surpises as you don't know what its like as you do with yours. If it only needs some body panels then do it. If it needs major sorting and chassis is rotten then you need to think about it.

[Curtoise]

heres the wheel.
http://i551.photobucket.com/albums/ii448/curtreid8/144.jpg

yeh likewise my familys had it for 15 years, and it was very bad when i got it, i have put new doors on, new arches, wing and other things, new interior
it needs some welding in the bay, new arch as when it got repaired it went wrong with filler and is wavey and blothchy, i resprayed it myself and it looks better then pink now, but the finish isnt great. needs a hole welding in in the sill, behind back bumper, so not too much and can be done, i think im going to buy a crapo cheap car, and take her off the road to fix up over a few months

[Curtoise]

just realised its black and white lol

[Nova_Tek]

Yeah was about to say lol

The wheels looks nice, beats the pov 2 spoke bus wheel, absolute huge. Dunno about you but I find it easier to steer with this wheel as its thicker and nicer to grab.

That's exactly what you need to do, get her off the road to get her sorted. Mine has been off the road for a good year now, garaged which means she has dried out and is in a good position to start stripping and taking time on it so it gets done properly.

[Curtoise]

yeh, its loads better, yeh its like power steering i said lol, much easier, its softer aswell incase you smack your head on it, yeh my family have a garage need to get it cleared lol

[Nova_Tek]

Yeah exactly, honestly thought I had power steering :tard: lol

Like you said softer and a tad smaller too.

[Curtoise]

yeh i have noticed it sits flatter so further towards the dash rather than in your chest lol, can you move it foward and back on the spring?

[Nova_Tek]

TBH I don't know but I wouldn't have thought so. I personally wouldn't want a slack steering wheel.

[Curtoise]

yeh me neither so i did it up tight lol!
but someone was telling me as you have a spring behind it it could be further out on the splines, i think not!
lol
dont you think its at a proper angle now tho! lol

[Nova_Tek]

Yeah it's much more comfortable now. I had been used to that steering wheel as I used to drive my Dads MK3 Cav quite often and he has the exact same wheel as you, so I knew it was going to feel nice. Mind you he has height adjustable steering.

[Curtoise]

Yeah it's much more comfortable now. I had been used to that steering wheel as I used to drive my Dads MK3 Cav quite often and he has the exact same wheel as you, so I knew it was going to feel nice. Mind you he has height adjustable steering.

yeh height adjust would be good, what would be better is angle adjustment lol

[Nova_Tek]

That's what I meant its got rake adjustment i.e wheel up and down adjustment but it doesn't have reach adjustment i.e in towards the dash or out towards the driver.

TBH cars with both adjustments, I push the wheel far in as poss and lower it a bit. Don't like the wheel in my face.

[Curtoise]

yeh that would be immence im sure someone could make somethinglol

[Nova_Tek]

Anything is possible, someone just needs to be botehred to do it, then someone else be bothered to make and sell the parts off the shelf so it can be done easier lol

[Bubba]

i got a wheel puller for £8 new, is worth it, especailly on scrapyard rambles.

[mowgli]

i have put all the info into the how to guide........ please think hard before taking a hammer or several friends to your steering wheel. if you knacker the column, it is undriveable until you get a new one fitted, at much more cost than a puller

[azza__nova]

pull n tug till ure balls drop off then it will jus come off nicely i neva left the nut on mine n i payed the price :)

[fordy0494]

buy a tool....................