Anyone swap out their steering wheel?

[Pointman0853]

I don't recall seeing a cut out or cam cut into the bottom of the hub. I will look when I get my old steering wheel off and report back.
One could adapt a timer to the current setup, but I kinda like the basic mechanical nature of the thing.

Pointman

 

[BuiltMFG]

Here is the thread about cancelling turn signals with the steering wheel..
https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?174172-LMTV-self-cancelling-turn-signal-adjustment

 

[Pointman0853]

I would imagine with raising the seats a higher steering wheel would be good for your back.

I have a brief meeting with my fabricator. He will be giving me the rough 'draft' of the parts in the next week or so.

Once finalized he will be making 10 complete adapters which will be for sale. Please be patient as he fits this project in with his other business interests.

Pointman

 

[19Detail]

FMTV Truck Sales, it looks like you did a little more than swap out the steering wheel.

 

[Pointman0853]

I did get a up close look at the steering wheel in the Acela 6X6 on display at OE. Airbag, buttons, etc.. There was a lot going on there!

Pointman

 

[Ohiobenz]

So, just some FYI to share...
I screen shot this off a YouTube video.



Which looks like:

https://www.vipwheels.com/sites/default/files/product-photos/V4 Leather Non Podded_2.jpg

And their hub specs:

https://www.vipwheels.com/sites/default/files/uploads/pdfs/Application Guide 20150429a.pdf

Which, from a prior post, would indicate the Bluebird Bus, or Eagle Bus 1965-1987 are possible hubs.

Of course their steering wheel options are pretty varied from there.

 

[Third From Texas]

Yep, that is the wheel they've shown before.

And the old "we can't sell you one" always leads to "oh yeah, well here's how they make 'em".

Once you look at your hub and their wheel there really isn't much left to the imagination.

Sort of like the "custom seats and dash". I mean, come on...my neighbor's 5 yo can fiberglass some fleece that looks more "custom" than slapping some black paint on stock sheet metal and then bolt in a 3rd-party dash panel.

Not saying that their stuff isn't worth the asking price. Just saying that once companies like this stop paying top-dollar for trucks they will fall back into the means of the average person.

Good god I can't wait until the rest of the LMTV/FMT stock floods the market in a couple years.

 

[Ohiobenz]

Yep, that is the wheel they've shown before.

And the old "we can't sell you one" always leads to "oh yeah, well here's how they make 'em".

Once you look at your hub and their wheel there really isn't much left to the imagination.

Sort of like the "custom seats and dash". I mean, come on...my neighbor's 5 yo can fiberglass some fleece that looks more "custom" than slapping some black paint on stock sheet metal and then bolt in a 3rd-party dash panel.

Not saying that their stuff isn't worth the asking price. Just saying that once companies like this stop paying top-dollar for trucks they will fall back into the means of the average person.

Good god I can't wait until the rest of the LMTV/FMT stock floods the market in a couple years.

So my answer to all that is for average guys who find these upgrades to post them like I did... Instead of marketing and promoting these "custom" items to our pages with links to said 3rd party in exchange for??? A discount the rest of us won't get????

 

[aleigh]

To be honest it's never occurred to me to change the stock steering wheel. it works fine, even when wheeling. I mean. It's a wheel. You turn it. I have been thinking about 3D printing up a new batch of emblems for guys that are missing theirs though. I've got mine, luckily, but it hurts my soul when i see them missing.

 

[dronsen]

So my answer to all that is for average guys who find these upgrades to post them like I did... Instead of marketing and promoting these "custom" items to our pages with links to said 3rd party in exchange for??? A discount the rest of us won't get????

Ohiobenz...what are you referring to? who is marketing what that we can't get?? thanks

 

[snowtrac nome]

I have the button but have never seen where there is a badge

 

[Ohiobenz]

Never said we couldn't get...

 

[FMTV Truck Sales]

Never said we couldn't get...

I don't understand your post...I thought it was about steering wheels...

 

[Pointman0853]

Progress!
After meeting with my new local fabricator, my adapter project is finally moving forward. I expect it back in two weeks and then we can mount up my 18" Forever Sharp steering wheel shown in previous posts.

I also found this on Pintrest in regards to spline sizing on steering shafts. If anyone has an old wheel or exposed shaft, and can take these measurements, Forever Sharp may be able to tell us which of their adapters may fit..



Here is the hub after being returned from the first fabricator.



After machining off the spokes, he welded a steel ring to the remaining steel bits. Our new fabricator plans to create a piece about 3" high to press over this and weld on. The 5 6x1.0 mm bolts
for the new wheel and finisher will screw into this. 3" added to this will give the correct height and with the wheel mounted, I will still have enough clearance down to the turn signal.

Seriously though. If we can determine the spline size, then the adapter will be a piece of cake. Yes, these are old according to our friends at Acela, but we know it is common with something!
Pointman

 

[wandering neurons]

I have an old LMTV steering wheel that I've stripped down to just the hub. I've already cut the spokes and rubber off of it. I'll take a look shortly and get some measurements and counts. Maybe someone can do the cross-reference to find out just what our steering shaft is based off of.

 

[BuiltMFG]

Pointman, I actually reached out to the same folks with the number of splines and rough measurements and they suggested the A01 adapter.

 

[wandering neurons]

From my chopped-down hub:
Back-side (closer to column) diameter: 25mm
Total hub depth: 35mm
Depth of splines: 18mm
Outside diameter of splines (measured between notches): 24.5mm
Spline count: 36
And pics:
Side facing driver:

Side facing floor:

 

[Andyrv6av8r]

After reading this thread, it motivated me to swap out mine since I've never liked the original. It was a bit of work locating material to modify my hub but it turned out great.


After trimming down the hub:


I cleaned it up in the lathe:


Then I found a 2.5 x 1.25 NPT reducer bushing to modify


I then pressed and pinned the 2 pieces together


I then welded a .25 plate on top to tap for the steering wheel bolts



Finished product!

 

[Coffey1]

Racing stripes and slicks next week lol.

 

[charlesrg]

Dorman provided this info:
Dorman 924-5234 Specs
36 spline, 23.62mm OD

This is the steering that Sean has on his truck Abel.