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Crown Replacement Steering Wheel With Pics And Questions

Discussion in 'Intermediate CJ-5/6/7/8' started by PGHCJ5, Aug 3, 2016.

  1. Aug 8, 2016
    Beach66Bum

    Beach66Bum 1966 Tuxedo Park Mark IV 2024 Sponsor

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    The wheel hasn't arrived yet but I will definitely let you know. Great info about the wheel, thanks. :)
     
  2. Aug 11, 2016
    Beach66Bum

    Beach66Bum 1966 Tuxedo Park Mark IV 2024 Sponsor

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    @PGHCJ5
    My Crown steering wheel came in :) I will be installing it this weekend. It does not have the groove in it for the rubber horn button, but the horn button is a snug fit into the opening, and stays firmly in place. Must be a modification (It has a metal retaining ring on the inside) It does not have those 3 raised bumps like in your picture, it is all flush and smooth. The quality is nice and KaiserWillys really packs their parts well for shipping.
    Pic's coming...!
     
  3. Aug 11, 2016
    PGHCJ5

    PGHCJ5 I smell something broken...

    'yinzertahn
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    Good Stuff! Thanks for the update. Please let me know how your install goes. Based on your findings I wonder if mine was an older/newer production run (no raised bumps, metal retaining ring, etc), or, perhaps Crown allows slight manufacturing tweaks to their larger customer orders. I'd be very interested in seeing the pics......

    Nothing new yet from my end. Haven't heard back from Crown on my message and will be getting into my install after labor day. Just been lubricating the steering column hoping it will pay off.

    I'm also considering repairing my OEM wheel once it's off but still using the Crown for now. Decisions, Decisions......
     
    Beach66Bum likes this.
  4. Aug 14, 2016
    Beach66Bum

    Beach66Bum 1966 Tuxedo Park Mark IV 2024 Sponsor

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    @PGHCJ5 Well, I put on the Crown steering wheel this morning. I didn't hook up the horn for factory though (I have a horn button on the lower left of the dash that is kinda neat, and harder to reach so I won't toot the horn so much, hahaha!) I will hook it up properly later. One nice thing is that the Sparton turn signal self cancelling works perfect!! Sure is different driving around with the "bus" wheel, I really like it :)
    I guess I'll try and sell the Grant steering wheel now for a few bucks. Can you believe I never took any pics :oops: was so excited to get it on that I drove around all day :D

    Oh, man is it a tight fit sliding on the splines! Won't be coming off for 50 years, lol!
     
  5. Aug 16, 2016
    PGHCJ5

    PGHCJ5 I smell something broken...

    'yinzertahn
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    Glad to hear all worked well with your install!! Also nice to hear the Spartan turn signal works with the new wheel. What method did you use to take the old wheel off? Did that part go fairly straight forward?
     
  6. Aug 17, 2016
    Beach66Bum

    Beach66Bum 1966 Tuxedo Park Mark IV 2024 Sponsor

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    Because the steering wheel I removed was not the original, the Grant wheel came off easily with light tapping. It was hard to put on the new on though. I should have cleaned the paint out of the inside of the steering wheel splines.
    I will post a pic. ( sorry, been a bit busy)
     
  7. Aug 17, 2016
    PGHCJ5

    PGHCJ5 I smell something broken...

    'yinzertahn
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    Understood about the non-original wheel removal. Good tip on the paint removal. Thanks!
     
  8. Aug 18, 2016
    TroyGT

    TroyGT Member

    High Point, NC
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    Got my new Walck's OEM wheel put on this evening. It is very high quality, but it has no indention for the rubber horn ring or the protrusions from the bottom base as you guys have mentioned. It's on an looks good, but I have no idea how to cut the ring on the inside for the horn cap. If I put it on right now, it just makes contact and the horn goes off until I pry the cap back out. You guys have any tips on how to make this work, aside from mounting an aux button?

    -Troy
     
  9. Aug 19, 2016
    PGHCJ5

    PGHCJ5 I smell something broken...

    'yinzertahn
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    Ugh. I was wondering if that was going to happen. I've been debating about using a flat washer I found to fit in the wheel as a guide/height template. From there I'm considering finding a Dremel attachment and giving that a shot. But hopefully the raised areas inside my wheel will help avoid the constant "horn on" situation.

    Did you ensure the copper disc in the horn button is secured in the rubber itself? On my factory button, and the Crown replacement button, there is a groove that the disc has to be captured in. Also, even though the button groove is not on the wheel, there is a factory expansion ring that you may want to keep in. Not sure if it will help but it seems to give some rigidity for the button to rebound.

    Let me know how things go. Appreciate the input! (y)

    I'll be installing mine soon. Still lubricating the 43 year old wheel for now.
     
  10. Aug 19, 2016
    TroyGT

    TroyGT Member

    High Point, NC
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    Yes, my copper disc is secured into the horn button by the little rubber channel at the top. I did swap the new disc for the old original disc because the new one was thinner and actually would kind of pop the other way when pressed... convex to concave shape I think. I could pull it out and pop it back, but very annoying.

    I'm thinking if I could somehow spin the wheel in something like a lathe, I could carve that channel out in short order. Not sure how just yet.

    -Troy
     
  11. Aug 19, 2016
    PGHCJ5

    PGHCJ5 I smell something broken...

    'yinzertahn
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    As far as the spinning of the wheel part, I was thinking of using all thread and a vice. Lock the all thread vertically into the vice and use a double nut with another washer under the wheel (placed horizontally). May have to use something in the splined area to take up some slack....but....just a thought for now. At least the wheel can be spun under control.
     
  12. Sep 19, 2016
    PGHCJ5

    PGHCJ5 I smell something broken...

    'yinzertahn
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    Well I've started to tear into my steering project. Knocked apart the u-joint on the shaft, identified a replacement part. One part done...

    ....Next up....the wheel. I pulled the steering column out and made a first attempt at removing the wheel. This isn't looking like it will be simple. The hammer route failed to produce the desired result.

    Question for someone.....how can I disconnect the horn wire? I would like to remove it so I can try to use a puller I have. Below is an image out of the FSM as aid.

    11-Steering 4.jpg
     
  13. Sep 19, 2016
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

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    Just from memory - the wire is soldered to the contact. You can see the contact through the window in the column where the brush is attached. You may be able to de-solder the wire to the button from the contact and pull it out through the end of the column.
     
  14. Sep 19, 2016
    PGHCJ5

    PGHCJ5 I smell something broken...

    'yinzertahn
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    Thanks for the tip Tim! Here is a photo of the contact I think you are referring to. Is this what you are thinking?

    IMG_0123.JPG
     
  15. Sep 19, 2016
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
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    Yes. If this were me, I'd use an iron pipe cap or something similar between the puller and the column so I did not have to remove the button. Put the nut on loose and push against that.
     
  16. Sep 20, 2016
    PGHCJ5

    PGHCJ5 I smell something broken...

    'yinzertahn
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    Appreciate the input Tim! I tried using a socket over the button when using the hammer initially. When I went to try the puller, I learned that I do not have the correct style needed. I guess today's mission will be to either find the correct one or find someone who has the correct one. Hopefully this do the trick....
     
  17. Sep 22, 2016
    PGHCJ5

    PGHCJ5 I smell something broken...

    'yinzertahn
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    Update on progress. I went in search for a puller or someone who had one by stopping up to my local NAPA. Since my column was out I figured it might be good to take it with me figuring I could test pullers or at least have it handy for conversations. Well it turns out the NAPA I went to has a full machine shop downstairs. They looked at the column and said they could remove the wheel for $10. Good deal.....I let them have at it. The wheel popped off pretty easily. So now I've moved onto servicing the steering column and its universal joint.

    I noticed a squeak in my column towards the top while driving it recently. So I pulled the top bearing out and serviced it. Good thing I did too....there was all kind of crusty and flaky stuff in there and very dry. There is some of the red crusty stuff in the photo below. It's located about the 1 o'clock location in the image. It wasn't really rust, but similar in consistency. 43 year old grease I suppose. I'm hoping this will solve the squeak.

    IMG_0125.JPG

    From there I moved on to the universal joint. I broke it down and replaced it with a Spicer 5-170X. There is a slight difference in the cup length over the factory unit. But overall it fit in pretty well. I did manage to keep most of the original parts. :D

    IMG_0127.JPG

    After that I cleaned up the column parts and gave them a quick coat of paint.

    IMG_0128.JPG

    Now I'm back on hold for the upper and lower steering boots to arrive before I can reassemble and finally get the new wheel installed. (y)
     
  18. Sep 26, 2016
    PGHCJ5

    PGHCJ5 I smell something broken...

    'yinzertahn
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    All Done!! Even the horn button works (fingers crossed!)

    IMG_0131.JPG
     
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  19. Sep 26, 2016
    Chilly

    Chilly Active Member

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    You managed to get the C-clips onto the cups of the u-joint?
     
  20. Sep 27, 2016
    PGHCJ5

    PGHCJ5 I smell something broken...

    'yinzertahn
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    No. I had to modify them a little bit due to the cup length being slightly longer. I went with two little welds on each cap. You should be able to see them in the photo in my previous post. The other option would have been to grind the c-clips thinner but I felt that might weaken their integrity too much.
     
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