Fiddy B2C Posted March 14, 2020 Report Share Posted March 14, 2020 Hello folks. I wanted to share my experience in removing the steering wheel from a 1950 B2C. Not sure this will help anyone, but it may shed some light on what to expect when removing the wheel. I originally wired the horn with a solid wire from the horn button directly through the column to the horn when I got the truck. I left enough room to splice a connector, so I cut the wire, installed the quick disconnect connector and was ready to remove the horn button (Push down and turn clockwise, and the button will release). I removed the entire horn assembly leaving the wheel, the copper ring where the horn button attaches and the nut that holds the ring and wheel to the column. A 15/16” wrench removed the nut and the copper ring slides off the column. This was my first bit of trouble...the 5/8” - 18 nut split and monkied up the column threads a little, but nothing a jeweler’s file or a thread file won’t take care of. Brent sent me a spare nut that he had so he saved me there. Thanks Brent, you are the man, I got the nut today! I had no wheel puller, however I had a couple bearing pullers, one small and one a bit bigger. With the bigger one turned upside down, and the flat part of the puller making contact with the wheel, there still wasn’t enough clearance to get the puller bolts around the hub of the wheel. I tried pulling the wheel off by soaking the column with Power Blaster, but it still required a mechanical force to break 70 yrs of attachment. I took the small puller and hand tightened it to the base of the wheel. (There is a metal part of the wheel hub that allows for a puller to contact metal instead of the plastic). With the small puller attached hand snugged to this metal band in between the wheel hub and the column, I put the larger puller behind the smaller one and just tightened the large puller enough to get a couple threads keeping the 2 puller plates of the larger puller together. This gave me enough clearance to get around the hub. After juggling both pullers and extension bolts, I tightened this contraption down, only to get the business bolt of the puller close enough to the column to understand that I needed something for the puller to contact so the column shaft would not be damaged. I found a bolt that would fit in the column shaft along with a washer and placed them in the shaft to give the puller something to pull against. Snugged it up and made sure the puller was centered on the bolt, then tightened it up, then wrenched it up. Man, that thing was on there! I began to think that on my truck, someone just welded the wheel to the column...I got frustrated and went in the house to grab a refreshing adult beverage...My wife went to get the mail, and she came back in the house and told me “there was a loud pop in the garage, you’d better not be burning down the house or anything!” I went out to find the wheel hanging off the column. Anyway, it had finally broken free... So the reason for taking the wheel off in the first place, was to restore it. It has over 50 cracks in the plastic. I ground out the cracks so I could get enough epoxy in them, then filled them with POR 15 epoxy. Easy to use and tough as steel when cured. (Also guaranteed not to split or crack...we’ll see about that!) I’m still working on sanding and getting all the blemishes out of the wheel, but it’s coming along. Once I get it sanded as smooth as I can I’ll spray it with primer, sand again, spray with primer, sand again...then spray with primer and sand again until it is where I am comfortable to look at it for another 70 yrs. Then it’s paint, clear coat, and re-install. Not sure all this is worth it, when I can buy a slightly smaller (17” vs 18”) brand new wheel for $195...but it gives me something to do. Andy Bernbaum has a 18” NOS wheel also, but they want $395 for it...the wheel part number for my truck is 1195 035, and can be found on the back side of the wheel on one of the spokes. I didn’t cover up the PN with epoxy, as it has the DPCD logo on it and identifies it as original, at least in my mind. Sorry for the long post. Hope this may help someone. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brent B3B Posted March 14, 2020 Report Share Posted March 14, 2020 Right on, glad it made it Steve! also glad you kept the original, I think in the long term you’ll be happier. a few years back, another member was looking for an original wheel to replace a smaller one he had put on his B3B. he said it was more work, trying to steer the truck with a smaller one. Keep on truckin’ ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooljunkie Posted March 14, 2020 Report Share Posted March 14, 2020 Guess i got lucky. I doubled up the nuts on the shaft And set a socket on them. While lifting on wheel i smacked the socket with a hammer. The penetrating oil may have helped some too. it came off quite easy. same,my wheel is cracked all over as well. Epoxy and time. Put a plastic bag on a barstool and that is my work platform. 50 cracks is a lot of work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiddy B2C Posted March 14, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2020 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiddy B2C Posted March 14, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2020 Is it worth it? I think so... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggdad1951 Posted March 14, 2020 Report Share Posted March 14, 2020 Wow, that's some cracks! I used the POR product as well. Works well so far...a few cracks back at the root of the spokes back at the hub, but hard to see, just because its the high stress area. I look forward to your end product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiddy B2C Posted March 14, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2020 2 hours ago, ggdad1951 said: Wow, that's some cracks! I used the POR product as well. Works well so far...a few cracks back at the root of the spokes back at the hub, but hard to see, just because its the high stress area. I look forward to your end product. Actually, those are the cracks after removing the loose stuff around them. While grinding the cracks, a piece came off of the hub area. It looks worse than it really is. I cemented the piece back in place and filled in the cracks around it. Making progress... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CO54 Posted March 14, 2020 Report Share Posted March 14, 2020 Looks great, keep up the diligence..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooljunkie Posted March 14, 2020 Report Share Posted March 14, 2020 Wow! It does look good! wish i could get back to mine. guess i need to pull it off and fet to it. No work this week so i may tackle it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiddy B2C Posted March 15, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2020 So, when I re-install the wheel, how are the spokes positioned when going straight? Is there a spoke pointing up or are there spokes at the 10 and 2 position? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd B Posted March 15, 2020 Report Share Posted March 15, 2020 If it’s at 10/2 you have someplace to hold your beer against when you shift. ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBNeal Posted March 15, 2020 Report Share Posted March 15, 2020 (edited) in Bunn's books, some factory photos show spokes oriented at 10-2, and other factory photos show a spoke at 9 o'clock...both my '48 and '49 have the latter, though it's your truck and ya know how to install it, so try out which way you like...I like the 9 o'clock because I can have my arm on the window sill and that spoke is right there to grab hold of Edited March 15, 2020 by JBNeal English is hard 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merle Coggins Posted March 15, 2020 Report Share Posted March 15, 2020 As I recall, I have mine set with one spoke straight up (12:00 position), which puts the other 2 at 4:00 and 8:00. This gives me the best view of the speedo, and with my elbow in the open window I can hold the wheel at the 8:00 spoke. If you have one at 6:00, with the others at 10:00 and 2:00, you fill find that the 2:00 spoke can block the view to the speedo. I would recommend sitting in the seat and try the wheel at different positions to see what works for you. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted March 15, 2020 Report Share Posted March 15, 2020 10 hours ago, JBNeal said: in Bunn's books, factory photos show spokes at 10-2 and at 9 o'clock...both my '48 and '49 have the latter, though it's your truck and ya know how to install it, so try out which way you like...I like the 9 o'clock because I can have my arm on the window sill and that spoke is right there to grab hold of is that a typo? 10-2 and 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted March 15, 2020 Report Share Posted March 15, 2020 Wheel repair gets time consuming but pays off big with finished look of the interior....while my recent build is not a Dodge truck it is a light utility vehicle with a commercial van box..the wheel on it is 12 - 4 - 8 and it is such that it did not interfere with gauges as they are centered to the dash....but with the personalization with added gauges and the fact that I care not for a spoke sticking straight up..(gun sight not needed)..I have positioned mine for 10-2 and 6. This was not that invasive of a fix as most I had to do was put another small index in the horn button to keep it aligned. Spoke position is a personal choice most of the time....in later years, they dropped the third spoke and stayed with two at approx. 8-4 positions...but the wheel is no longer banjo style. Banjo is my choice and is shown modified spoke position...I have since repaired the cracks and have it in primer awaiting time till I mix some catalyzed paint in the chosen color. I used PC-7 as my fill media...the one in the middle is the stock wheel I repaired earlier before a friend gave me a banjo wheel...it is shown in primer... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiddy B2C Posted March 15, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2020 1 hour ago, Merle Coggins said: As I recall, I have mine set with one spoke straight up (12:00 position), which puts the other 2 at 4:00 and 8:00. This gives me the best view of the speedo, and with my elbow in the open window I can hold the wheel at the 8:00 spoke. If you have one at 6:00, with the others at 10:00 and 2:00, you fill find that the 2:00 spoke can block the view to the speedo. I would recommend sitting in the seat and try the wheel at different positions to see what works for you. I’m kind of a symmetrical guy, you know, ex-military. The 12:00 position made sense to me, so if the 10 and 2 block the speedo, I think I’ll do the noon thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Los_Control Posted March 15, 2020 Report Share Posted March 15, 2020 Curious what others think about this product to repair the steering wheel. it is a multi purpose product, so when you have it around the shop you never know what you might use it on. Oil pans, gas tanks, radiators, rust holes in sheet metal Wallmart sells it online, 8 0z cans for $14 .... I assume 2 parts = 16oz? No idea what por 15 product wants for theirs. $14 seems cheap to me. There is also pc 11, is a slightly better product, Walmart sells for $15, you can repair fiberglass boats under water, cracks in swimming pools, cracked plumbing drains, one advertiser claims steering wheels. Either way, pc 7 is often compared to jb weld, and jb works on steering wheels, I like that you can buy it in a can at a reasonable price, and not price gouged by little tubes of jb. 1 hour ago, Plymouthy Adams said: I used PC-7 as my fill media.. oops .... I just saw this ..... carry on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiddy B2C Posted March 15, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2020 Ok, still going. This is after the 80 and 150 grit sandings. Next up, 320, then primer! Then 600, then more primer and keep going as needed. Very time consuming... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggdad1951 Posted March 16, 2020 Report Share Posted March 16, 2020 As others have said, 12 straight up gives the best view. Also where I remember it as a kid and how it was when I tore down. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiddy B2C Posted March 16, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2020 Ok, so what type primer and paint should I use? I don’t have access to a paint booth or sprayer. Any recommendations? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted March 16, 2020 Report Share Posted March 16, 2020 22 hours ago, Fiddy B2C said: I’m kind of a symmetrical guy, you know, ex-military. The 12:00 position made sense to me, so if the 10 and 2 block the speedo, I think I’ll do the noon thing. 6 is symmetrical...….but maybe in dysfunctional way....? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiddy B2C Posted March 16, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2020 28 minutes ago, Plymouthy Adams said: 6 is symmetrical...….but maybe in dysfunctional way....? Right, for me it was either 12 or 6, and since 6 may block some gauge views, I’ll do 12. The wheel must have been off at one point because it was at 1:30 or 2 ish... ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiddy B2C Posted March 16, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2020 The other reason for going with 12 o’clock is this. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted March 16, 2020 Report Share Posted March 16, 2020 folks at Mazda thought it was a tip off of the rotary engine being developed by Dodge and jumped on the bandwagon and well, you know the rest of the story....(the truth as distorted by Tim) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiddy B2C Posted March 16, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2020 On 3/15/2020 at 10:20 AM, Plymouthy Adams said: Wheel repair gets time consuming but pays off big with finished look of the interior....while my recent build is not a Dodge truck it is a light utility vehicle with a commercial van box..the wheel on it is 12 - 4 - 8 and it is such that it did not interfere with gauges as they are centered to the dash....but with the personalization with added gauges and the fact that I care not for a spoke sticking straight up..(gun sight not needed)..I have positioned mine for 10-2 and 6. This was not that invasive of a fix as most I had to do was put another small index in the horn button to keep it aligned. Spoke position is a personal choice most of the time....in later years, they dropped the third spoke and stayed with two at approx. 8-4 positions...but the wheel is no longer banjo style. Banjo is my choice and is shown modified spoke position...I have since repaired the cracks and have it in primer awaiting time till I mix some catalyzed paint in the chosen color. I used PC-7 as my fill media...the one in the middle is the stock wheel I repaired earlier before a friend gave me a banjo wheel...it is shown in primer... What Primer did you use, and what top coat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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