Steering wheel question

By the look of it, will this DJ steering wheel (year unknown) fit my 74 CJ5?
http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/h461/dakwag/cj_dj_steering_wheel.jpg

 

Yeah, should. Good luck getting it off.

 

What engine does the DJ have?

 

Thanks, don't know about the engine, in fact, all I know about the vehicle is that it's sitting in the woods some place in north Georgia! I'll ask and post back.

 

BTW, can the paint on an old steering wheel like this one be redone with a plastic/vinyl paint like SEMs?

 

it will wear off where you touch it

 

After repairs and light sanding, I sprayed mine with Black epoxy appliance enamel and seems to be holding up good. Got the paint at Home Depot.

 

Long ago, I sprayed a wheel with plain spray bomb enamel. It left a black stripe on my shirt in damp weather.

I'd think you could use a catalyzed automotive enamel and it would hold up fine. Look at the paints they use to repaint plastic bumpers. Materials may end up costing more than the price of a new wheel though - the bus wheels are available as repops.

 

it will peel off where you rub it with enough time, been doing this for over 20 years and have yet to see anything stay on a wheel for any length o time Walt,im glad the epoxy is holding up but it will eventually flake,rub off,fade or peel with enough use but take my advise for what it is.....free

 

Prophetic.

The center nut is off now what's the trick to seperating the wheel from the columb?

 

A proper puller, PB Blaster, and time.Also protect the steering tube (shaft) with a large bolt inserted into the hollow shaft.

A properly prepped wheel should take paint and not peel or wear too quickly. I remember the 60's GM wheels that were painted metallic colors from the factory, they usually wore down to the black base on the backside of the wheel in a few years.. Our jeeps tend to hang aropund in the sun and weather with the wheels exposed, which speeds up the process by a factor of two or more.

 

(BTW if that jeep has 15 inch 4 lug wheels I'd be interested in them.. I need 4. PM me if so.)

And you will probably need to move or remove the turn signal switch to get a puller behind the wheel. I am thinking of something like a large bearing splitter with a puller....Or I can link you to a post on the 2A page showing pullers if it is OK..

 

I will ask about the wheels. Did the DJs use 4 lug? And yes, please send me the 2A link that you were refering to. I'm buying the stuck steering wheel and columb as one piece from the guy because it's cheap and I like a challenge! I've had luck with the puller, PB Blaster and impact hammer combo on stuck pitman arms so we'll see how it goes.

 

Member UncleBill posted some pictures a couple years ago of his removal method. He used a scissors jack to push on the steering column hub, and ran nylon webbing from the steering wheel arms to the jack. Likely he does not read the intermediate forum - maybe you could search for his old posts, or send him a PM and ask about his method.

 

I'd love to see pictures of that set up even if I wasn't going to be pulling a steering wheel! lol

 

Last couple I pulled off I used a bearing splitter behind the wheel, flat side against the back of the wheel,'and a puller against the end of the shaft. I think I left the nut on the shaft to protect the threads from damage and put a bolt in the center of the shaft with the underside against the nut. The wheels came off pretty easy with soaking with pbmblaster, some taps on the puller, and patience.

 

oddly enough.
i read this thread.
ok
first put that nut back on but not all the way.
soak the splines with pb blaster
stack washers on top of the nut.
then put the jack on like so.








tighten and wait.
every once in a while tighten it a bit more.

eventually you will hear a loud crack/pop and the wheel will be loose.

mine took a few hours.
i was inside eating lunch when i heard a noise like a bullwhip.
went outside and it was loose.

 

when i 1st put the jack on i didnt have the block of wood.
there is so much force involved that it bent the base of the jack!


the unclebill's wheel puller PAT.PEND. looks goofy and works great.
it wont damage the wheel either.

 

Ingenious! ... and the Pull-A-Part jack is the icing on the cake! lol Thanks for posting this

 

i hope it helps.


and momma said i'd never amount ta nuthin.....