removing the steering wheel

[maddawg308]

Is there a trick to removing the M37's steering wheel? I took the nut off, pulled and beat on it with a hammer until I was blue in the face, nothing. Went to Advance Auto Parts and borrowed a steering wheel puller, but it looks more like a collection of bolts than anything. Looking at the pics in the manual for the puller, it doesn't look like it was designed for steering wheels like are on the M37.

Any hints?

 

[Mike_L]

Either of the military steering wheel pullers will work. The earlier one is the two-piece puller; a C shaped ring that sits behind the wheel with a 3 arm "gear" puller hooked to it pushing against the threaded end of the steering shaft. The later one is the larger (and heavier) one-piece puller that has a sized bushing that fits behind the wheel hub, around the column, and a bushing that sits in the threaded end of the column shaft that the puller's screw pushes against. Overall, it looks like a large C-clamp. There maybe other ways to get them off but my wheel fits so tight that it pops when it lets loose and I can't imagine another way except for the military pullers.

A lot of us find someone nearby that has a puller and borrow it. Maybe someone near you has one to loan. Be careful when you use the larger C-clamp type puller. I used one once and dinged up the bottom "cup" of the wheel and mushroomed the top of the shaft because I was in too big a hurry to take it off and didn't use the correct bushings.

 

[maddawg308]

I'll ask around, don't know more than 1 or 2 M37 owners in my area.

Do you think the standard gear puller would work? It's a three-armed tool with a bolt that you turn, pushes on the center nut, I can get that at Advance as well...

 

[mhassett]

I pulled my with the military wheel puller. Worked very well.
If you were closer, you could borrow mine.
MHassett
Bush, LA

 

[deathrowdave]

Military Steering Wheel Puller , I wish you lived close I have one I would hook a brother up with !!!

 

[maddawg308]

Any way you can mail it to me, and I could mail it back? I'd pay for the ride each way.

 

[zak]

However you do it protect the threads or you'll be looking for a new shaft. The military puller is the easiest way to go and will not damage the wheel. While your waiting for the mail, use penetrating oil every day.

 

[nattieleather]

I used penetrating oil and a BFH on mine....did I mentioned I'm looking for a new wheel?

If you got some metal laying around you could fab up your own puller. Basically the C shapped cup that goes under the wheel hub and a gear puller to hook onto it. The idea is you pull from the back of the hub while you tighten down on the center shaft of the column. Good luck.

 

[Bill W]

I had to cut off the steering wheel on my 37., On my deuce steering wheel I used what I had availible and this setup worked just fine.

 

[135gmc]

When I pulled my wheel, I used a torch-cut chunk of 3/8 steel that was C-shaped behind the spokes, and a 3 armed gear puller. The steel C was padded where it hit the spokes with some split chunks of heater hose. It took about 1/2 hour to burn the plate and clean it up, then about 5 minutes to pop the wheel.

 

[WCRiot]

I like what Bill W did. Off the shelf tools and clever thinking. Good luck. I have broken several steering wheels in my life trying to remove them.

 

[RAYZER]

Here's what i did. http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce/50783-home-made-steering-wheel-puller.html

 

[neverfinished]

I used the bolt type puller described in the first post. I just drilled and tapped 2 holes 180 degrees apart and it came off pretty easily, but I had sprayed penetrant on it several times for about a week. As mentioned, be sure to put the nut on to protect the shaft threads.

 

[Mohawkcharlie]

Ok, so I read as many posts on this subject as I could. Searched the internet for videos and did everything to prepare my brain for pulling the steering wheel off of my M35A2. So, I will try to go through this step by step. I live in Phoenix, Az. so my steering wheel was falling apart. I removed the three Phillips screws that secured the horn. Then I unhooked the horn and set it aside. I took a hammer a tapped the base of the steering wheel by the shaft and it just came apart exposing the inside. I removed the nut from the shaft, and because I have massive biceps, I tried to pull the steering wheel off old school. Nope, did not work and I felt like I was going to blow an 0 ring! I went down to my mechanics and they all had different steering wheel pullers. I found one that looked perfect and used it to pull the wheel. It only took about two solid turns and the wheel popped off. Then I had to fix some hillbilly connections for the horn by soldering it back together. Snapped on the horn and everything worked great. By the way, I am no mechanic, but I am mechanical. I usually have to watch and read what other have done to complete these tasks. I took pictures but this site will not let me load them.

 

[brianp454]

Trying to pull M35A2 steering wheel

Another Oregonian, hello! I'm trying to pull my wheel and fabricated my own puller. I have the nut out about 1/4 inch and a 1 inch or so socket on it in the center. I put penetrating oil on it a week ago and I still cannot get it off (I've tightened the bolts as harder than would typically pull a steering wheel). So, I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong. Looking at the back (see pics) there seems to be two steel collars. I made my puller so that it has a small clearance fit with the outer shaft of 1.8 inches. Should I open the slot up to about 1.9 inches so that I'm pulling on the outer collar rather than the inner one? What am I doing wrong?

I used the bolt type puller described in the first post. I just drilled and tapped 2 holes 180 degrees apart and it came off pretty easily, but I had sprayed penetrant on it several times for about a week. As mentioned, be sure to put the nut on to protect the shaft threads.

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

Another Oregonian, hello! I'm trying to pull my wheel and fabricated my own puller. I have the nut out about 1/4 inch and a 1 inch or so socket on it in the center. I put penetrating oil on it a week ago and I still cannot get it off (I've tightened the bolts as harder than would typically pull a steering wheel). So, I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong. Looking at the back (see pics) there seems to be two steel collars. I made my puller so that it has a small clearance fit with the outer shaft of 1.8 inches. Should I open the slot up to about 1.9 inches so that I'm pulling on the outer collar rather than the inner one? What am I doing wrong?

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It should eventually come off just like that, there shouldn't be any thing other than straight column on an m35. Now on an m151a2 there is a collar on the column that will bend a military wheel puller, a friend of mine did that until I pointed it out.
I once had to cut apart an m37 wheel to remove it, it just wouldn't go. I'd keep the puller on it and keep adding oil and a turn or so once in a while.

 

[PACIFIC1]

Hi deathrowdave: Any possibility of borrowing your Military Steering Wheel Puller so I can get me HMMWV wheel replaced? I will pay the freight both ways....

 

[GUNNY 155]

I used what Bill W used. A bearing spliter, jaw puller and a bolt drilled with a centering hole. It worked fi
ne just takes a little time.

 

[70deuce]

Here is what I did on my M37.

https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showt...ler-That-Worked-and-Did-Not-Destroy-the-Wheel

 

[CombatJack]

Anyone know of a commercial replacement for the M37 steering wheel? I do not want to pay $200 for a steering wheel on a non-show vehicle. Thanks in advance!