How to remove steer. Wheel '36/'37 car

[FORTY]

hi--'40 fords have tapped thread inserts where you use wheel puller. '37 does not have that, how do you remove ?
thanks, Bruce (410) 879 8039H; (410) 456 3784C
simplexBM@aol.com

 

[37 Coupe]

To get my 37 Ford standard wheel off I carefully drilled and tapped the two holes that lined up from a wheel puller that I used years before on a 1946,think 5/16 -24 threads. KR Wilson supplied a wheel puller early on that gripped around the hub or spoke but I have never seen one outside of pictures.

 

[PeteVS]

For a '32, I drilled and tapped two 5/16-18 holes in the wheel and used a regular puller...

 

[flatheadfan]

Fordy-

Ford did not put any puller holes in the wheel until about 1940, which can make things challenging. However, the wheel can be removed without damaging anything, if you follow a few simple guidelines.

1. DO NOT beat on the backside of the steering wheel to get it off. The best way I have found, is to loosen the clamp on the bottom of the column (near the gear box) and remove the two bolts of the column then slide the entire column down. It should go down about 3/4" which in turn gives you a 3/4" gap between the steering wheel hub and the steering column flare. Put some masking tape around the lower hub surface and the flare of the steering tube to prevent scratching.

2. Remove the steering nut. Use a pin punch and tap on the bottom of the hub in the "gap" you created on the previous step.

3. The wheel may take some "coaxing" but it WILL pop-off. Once off give some serious consideration to drilling and tapping a couple of threaded 5/16 -18 holes in the hub to allow for the use of a common wheel puller if the steering wheel ever needs to be removed again.

If this whole process of removing the steering wheel seems kinda "scary", Brattons ( the Model A folks) are now selling a wheel puller for the Model A that might work on early flatheads. Item 05705 http://www.brattons.com/product.asp...artPosition=1&strSearchCriteria=any&PT_ID=all

Hope this helps.

Tom

 

[JM 35 Sedan]

After once damaging a nice original '35 steering wheel, I took the approach of making my own steering wheel puller. This puller has worked well on '35, '36 banjo, '37 and '38 banjo steering wheels. All the parts/pieces and hardware were made from materials I had in my shop. Here are some pics.

 

[Andy]

Buy a bearing seperator from Harbour Freight. FYI, It is two pieces that bolt together with C notches in the middle. I put it under the wheel and use a rag for cushioning. I then put a 3/8 bolt in the end of the shaft, and use a two jaw puller to remove the wheel. I have never damaged a wheel. It is handy when going to a junk yard also.