Nathans F15A Resto

[Nathan O'Malley]

silly question

The steering wheel, how do you get the bugger off? we have been poking and prodding at it for a while now and it seems firmly attached, have removed the nut but nothing it budging.

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Nathen


What ever you do loosen but DO NOT remove the nut all the way while you attempt to remove the wheel. Have seen many steering wheels and steering shafts totally ruined by having the top of the shaft spread from use of a puller.


I would start with using your favorite penetrating solution, I like acetone mixed 50/50 with automatic transmission fluid. Just keep squirting the nut threads and after you have backed the nut off a couple of turns under the nut.


If the wheel is fitted with puller bolt holes then use a puller. With a puller cap spreading the push on the top of the shaft and nut. Tighten the puller up reasonably don't over due it. Then give the puller screw a sharp tap with a hammer. I have also vibrated it gently with an air chisels with a flat punch tool.


If the wheel doesn't have puller bolt locations, I have made a wood collar to go under the wheel, good snug fit around the hub not on the spokes seem work best. When we did this last on a Model A we made it up out of 2 inch thick oak unit was made in 2 halves that bolted together. Couple of long bolts and flat plate on the top side with a spacer to push on the end of the shaft and the nut. Then hit the center of the plate over the shaft a couple of smart hits.


Cheers Phil

[Jacques Reed]

Hi Nathan,

Ditto everything Phil said.

Unfortunately there are no puller bolt holes on the Ford F15-A steering wheel so any pulling has to be done from the bottom of the wheel hub. As shown in the photo the steel insert is recessed into the plastic (Bakelite?) of the hub. For this reason to avoid damage to the plastic hub the pulling force must be spread over the largest area possible.

I recreated, as best I can remember, the setup I used on my gear puller. I reversed the bottom plates so that I would be pulling on the steering wheel hub on a flat surface.

I must confess I didn't leave the nut on, but I was lucky. The flat rotating pilot on the screw spread the load out evenly on the steering shaft so no damage occurred. To do it again I would leave the nut on too.

I did as Phil mentioned and took just a small strain on the hub then gave the screw shaft a tap. I think it popped off on the first tap. Maybe I was lucky.

Another handy hint: if you lose, or want to replace the key they are often available at mower repair shops. Small motors use them. Local shop had drawers of all different sizes.

Hope this is of some help.

Cheers

[Nathan O'Malley]

Thanks for the advice fellas we will give that a go.

[Nathan O'Malley]

Was a busy weekend, got the cab right off now and chopped the abomination of a home made towbar off the truck.

with the cab off it was time to open the engine up and find out if it did indeed have a cracked sleeve as its previous owner had suggested, In a massive stroke of luck the only thing that is wrong with it is that it has spent too much time without an air cleaner on the carby and this has allowed water in to a couple of cylinders through open valves, still needs a clean up and a machinist over it but at least its not cracked!

[Nathan O'Malley]

okay long time between updates but I've had a few things happening brand new job on a huge solar farm project has me quite busy at the moment which is brilliant for Oddball because I've finally got a decent pay cheque to sink in to it

So a few things have been happening mainly in the field of sandblasting, I managed to find a good little sandblasting kit at the local Auto parts store which works on a siphon hose marry that up with some garnet and I was in business!

[Nathan O'Malley]

So ive been poking away with the sandblaster when I've had time doing a section and priming it.

Ive also robbed the dog of his outside hut as it makes a brilliant blasting booth he's not very impressed and took to sulking under the Blitz

so the loose rim is cleaned primed and the nuts painted up just waiting on the Khaki no.3 to arrive