| ersatz | -- 09-04-2013 @ 1:57 PM |
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The steering wheel on my '46 Ford Pickup gets tacky & grungy feeling in humid weather. It seems like little balls of stuff come off on your hands and is annoying. What can I seal it with and not worry about it being overly slippery? I'd like to be safe and not lose control.
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| supereal | -- 09-04-2013 @ 2:23 PM |
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Short of replacement, the best remedy is to have the wheel repainted, as it was originally. Steering wheels are made of a steel core covered with hard rubber or plastic. When the painted cover wears away, you get the grunge you mention. Most good auto body shops can apply a color and clear coat that will return the wheel to its original feel. Trying solvents and cleaning products usually make the problem worse. Good vendors sell replacements, but most have to painted before use. I paid over five hundred dollars for a NOS wheel when cracks reappeared in the original, so be sure your wheel isn't cracked before painting. Some have good luck grinding and filling the cracks, but I didn't.
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| Old Henry | -- 09-04-2013 @ 4:35 PM |
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I've repainted my steering wheel several times with spray cans. Sand, fill cracks and holes, sand, prime, paint several coats sanding between, then clear coat several coats sanding between.(The color I wanted was only flat. I'd recommend it anyway as extra wear layers.) Old Henry (The older I get, the better old looks.)
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| supereal | -- 09-04-2013 @ 5:26 PM |
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You are better than I am at that, OH. The basic problem with resurfacing steering wheels is that the hard rubber shrinks as it ages. This is why it inevitably cracks. For a "driver", I'd try filling and painting. For those who want a better outcome for the most prominent part of the interior, I'd spring for a repro wheel and a professional finish. I've tried both. The pro painting isn't cheap, so chose the base carefully.
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| kubes40 | -- 09-04-2013 @ 6:23 PM |
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Super, Once again you have offered sound advice. I have restored numerous wheels and have had good fortune. Any sign of a crack whatsoever and I "V" it out. I used to use a two part epoxy for to fill these areas but have found that the new fillers designed for plastic bumper covers works very well and is easier to use. It is designed to withstand the flexing on covers that occurs from normal driving as well as heat fluctuations (expanding / contraction). Once I have done the necessary repairs, I clean the wheel VERY thoroughly and apply a self etching / flexible primer. I then top with base acrylic / clear. The paints chosen, having been designed for modern bumpers, etc. will wear for years. The repop wheels for a 46 pickup look nice. It has been my experience with a number of them that NONE fit correctly. The taper is of the correct angle. However, it is obvious whomever produces these knows little about DEPTH. A couple of the wheels were not taper reamed deep enough and required grinding to allow them to go on the shaft far enough. Others were reamed too deep and had to be shimmed so as not to go on the shaft too far. I am not 100% against a repop wheel in a situation as Ersatz has encountered. However, I would strong suggest the wheel be fitted and any necessary modifications to the taper be completed prior to painting. Mike "Kube" Kubarth
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| carson nv | -- 09-04-2013 @ 7:10 PM |
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kubes40 is 100% right. I did the same thing with my '40. 2 part bumper repair material for the cracks, Then a good primer and paint. I used 2 stage paint on mine because of the 2 colors. Its easier to mask off and the clear is VERY durable. Any good body shop can do this for you. The cost may vary of course. My wheel had the little grooves all worn away on the cross bars so I had to re-cut them with wire and small files and anything else I could find. Turned out great! See the pic
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| kubes40 | -- 09-05-2013 @ 6:28 AM |
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Hey "Carson". Yep, you got it! I am just finishing a '40 deluxe wheel. Recently did a '40 V8 (std.) wheel. I use a small jewelers file to cut the grooves.
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| TomO | -- 09-05-2013 @ 7:08 AM |
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I restored my steering wheel twice. The first time I just cut v grooves where the cracks were and filled them with PC7 epoxy. The cracks reappeared in a couple of years. The second time I cut the grooves and drilled holes in the sides of the groove to anchor the filler. I used the flexible filler available at body shop supply houses. I also used a flex additive in the acrylic primer and top coats. This was done in 2004 and my wheel still looks like new. Tom
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| kubes40 | -- 09-05-2013 @ 7:40 AM |
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Hey Tom, That's the stuff, PC7. I could no longer recall the name. I used that stuff for years with fairly good results. Jack Turpin, the famous steering wheel restorer recommended that stuff in his book. Times have changed obviously and new materials have come upon the market. Like you, the modern flex fillers utilized in body shops is the seemingly best way to go at this time.
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| supereal | -- 09-05-2013 @ 2:47 PM |
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If I was going to attempt to fix cracks before painting, I'd use JB Weld as a filler. That stuff sticks to almost anything. I tried PC7 epoxy without success.
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| jal9846 | -- 09-10-2013 @ 3:26 PM |
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All, I have had good luck with re-conditioning of Ford V8 steering wheels, with a few very key points to follow. First, always V-out the crack all the way down to the steel core....and taper it out very wide. Second, fill with PC7 two part epoxy...or similar epoxy filler with hardener that can withstand expansion. Third, take care to sand and feather out the epoxy filler well and prime with a good epoxy primer base, follower by flexible filler primer. Finally, apply topcoat either as base/clear or single stage flexible paint. I recently restored a 46 pickup and used black PPG DP90 Epoxy primer as a sealer and final color after all primer and sanding was complete and clear-coated it with PPG DCU2060 Flex n Flat Clear. It resulted in the correct matte to semi-gloss finish, as original for that wheel...with no need to add flex addititive or flatteners to my clearcoat.
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| supereal | -- 09-11-2013 @ 2:22 PM |
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From the looks of the results, I think you ought to go into the business of steering wheel restoration. For many years. the late Munif Alwan did that work, and always had a backlog of jobs.
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| transbytip | -- 09-16-2013 @ 7:40 PM |
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My 36 left a residue like you are describing cheap fix go to Tractor Supply purchace a can of Bag Balm rub it on wheel then wipe off will last for quite a while then reapply.Any thing with lanolin will work. with reguards Cliff. Tipton
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| bbook | -- 10-01-2013 @ 7:56 PM |
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Here are the "before" pictures from an ebay purchase and my "after" pictures from using NuMetal epoxy and Krlyon Fusion spray can paint on the wheel for my 1936 1.5 ton. The wheel currently on my truck is much worse than the purchase, so I had little to lose. I was going to clear coat it, but liked the look and feel after I used 0000 steel wool on the Krylon. It is clearly not show quality, but ok for a first try and for use on this "parade truck" for our farm. This message was edited by bbook on 10-1-13 @ 7:58 PM
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| bbook | -- 10-01-2013 @ 8:02 PM |
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I messed up trying to attach 4 pictures. Here is the "before" for the front side "after" shown in the prior message.
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| bbook | -- 10-01-2013 @ 8:48 PM |
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One more try for the "before".
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| ersatz | -- 10-03-2013 @ 11:39 AM |
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Sorry for the delay in getting back, but wife had some health issues. Many thanks for everyone's input! I will certainly repaint the steering wheel first chance I get. I was under the impression that the wheel would be slippery if painted.
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