Banjo Steering Wheel Question

[Steve in Denver]

So I have a banjo steering wheel which is correct for my '36 deluxe. The spacers are not all in the same place. A quick look on line tells me they should all be centered. None of mine are. I tried tapping them, they will not move. On the back, there is a pin in the middle of the spacer. Do I need to drill that out before the spacer will move? I'm sure it did not come this way from the factory.

I just noticed a similar one on ebay # 265416709845 Why would Ford make them this way?

 

[V8COOPMAN]

So I have a banjo steering wheel which is correct for my '36 deluxe. The spacers are not all in the same place. A quick look on line tells me they should all be centered. None of mine are. I tried tapping them, they will not move. On the back, there is a pin in the middle of the spacer. Do I need to drill that out before the spacer will move? I'm sure it did not come this way from the factory.

I just noticed a similar one on ebay # 265416709845 Why would Ford make them this way?

Steve .....MAYBE take financial and creative advantage by looking at it like a rare anomaly, not unlike a few rare 1955 "Double Die Obverse" pennies that are worth the 'big bucks' to collectors....just for being different! DD

.

 

[blucar]

I seem to recall that the spokes on the '36 Ford banjo steering wheels were well known for coming loose, after many years of beating across the bad roads of the time. There are many variables why the spacer is off-set. The most likely is a factory reject, that sat in inventory for many years, then was sold as NOS for big bucks. Most true NOS parts have serious and/or minor defects. Think of it as a reminder that the wheel is centered.
I'll bet that the Dbl-Penny was in circulation before the anomaly was noted.

 

[DavidG]

It is highly unlikely that Sheller Globe (probably Ford's supplier of those steering wheels) made them that way. I think that blucar's idea as to the source of the bars' movement over the years is spot on.

 

[Steve in Denver]

It is just interesting that two steering wheels would have identical defects. Mine is on the left.

 

[petehoovie]

It is just interesting that two steering wheels would have identical defects. Mine is top photo.

 

[aandkt]

Having worked with injection molding machines at one time, I recall that when items are molded, they are punched out of a mold with small round pins. They sometimes leave a dent similar to what you are seeing if the pin is incorrectly sized or shimmed.
This could be the issue here. By the way, two of the "frets" on the back of my '36 wheel have three small round dents on the back and one has one dent. Go figure.

 

[Ricardo39]

Hi, just fixed mine today. It´s a 39, each spacer have the three round dents and the two outer and center spokes have a V shape dent too. Drilled a 1,5 mm diameter ( sorry, i´m metric ) hole to each spacer dent aligned with the spokes ones and drived pins press fit to each. If your spokes don´t have the dents do them first with a file, align the spacers and drill them later, You´ll feel when the drill break through. Hope this helps

 

[Steve in Denver]

Thanks, I will take another look at it. I just painted it, so I'm not sure I want to mess with it. Oh, if anyone is painting their wheel, I cleaned out all the cracks with a Dremmel, used Por 15 to to patch the cracks, sanded it. First I primed it, let it sit for a day or two, sanded, another coat of primer, light sanding, paint, another day, more paint, another day, clear. Should have worked, but what a mess. The paint crinkled. Took it all off. Checked with a paint supplier. He recommended, prime, wait 15 minutes, prime, wait an hour, color, wait 15 minutes, color, wait an hour, clear, 15 minutes, clear, and it looks great. I will post pictures when I get some in the sunlight tomorrow.