Steering wheel won't come off

[Bill Robertson's Sock Puppet #1]

Just rent one from Autozone or Advance (you buy the tool, then get your money back when you return it, so net rental cost is zero). Kit won't come with bolts long enough for a DeLorean steering wheel -- you'll need to provide your own. Autozone calls their puller a "Harmonic Balancer Puller" (works fine on steering wheels too).

[Henrik]

Just rent one from Autozone or Advance (you buy the tool, then get your money back when you return it, so net rental cost is zero). Kit won't come with bolts long enough for a DeLorean steering wheel -- you'll need to provide your own. Autozone calls their puller a "Harmonic Balancer Puller" (works fine on steering wheels too).

Thanks - before I posted I had just been at O'Reilly Auto Parts. The have loaner tools but the steering puller kit they carry will not work on a D, that's why I figured I'd check with the D community, but I will try Autozone and Advance as well.

[Nicholas R]

Though either will work, a harmonic balancer pulled is not the same as a steering wheel puller. Same idea but just a different layout. The autozones near me have both harmonic balancer pullers and steering wheel pullers. Harbor freight also has them.

What about the kits near you makes them unusable on the DeLorean? I've never had any trouble before. I've never found anything exotic about our steering wheel. Just curious.

Also, because of the smaller bolts, I recommend anyone with an aftermarket steering wheel and the adapter only use a harmonic balancer puller to remove it. That way you're distributing the load over 3 bolts instead of 2. This is what I do.

[ssr60]

Thanks - before I posted I had just been at O'Reilly Auto Parts. The have loaner tools but the steering puller kit they carry will not work on a D, that's why I figured I'd check with the D community, but I will try Autozone and Advance as well.

I used the one from O'Reilly's last week. I had to get longer bolts but it worked.

[Henrik]

I used the one from O'Reilly's last week. I had to get longer bolts but it worked.

Yes, technically the O'Reilly would work but it requires 3" long bolts. And, yes, the kit came with a lot of different bolt sizes of which M6 was not one of them. The chances of finding two M6 x 75mm are pretty slim in my area so I will make a puller.

[Bill Robertson's Sock Puppet #1]

Just buy a stick of M6 threaded rod (Autozone sells it) and cut two pieces to length.

[DMC5180]

Just buy a stick of M6 threaded rod (Autozone sells it) and cut two pieces to length.

This is an excellent alternative. You will need M6x 1.00 nuts and a couple large area fender washers M6 or 1/4 inch to go with the rods. Be sure to engage the threaded wholes in the Wheel a Minimum of .5 inches. More is better though.

[Henrik]

This is an excellent alternative. You will need M6x 1.00 nuts and a couple large area fender washers M6 or 1/4 inch to go with the rods. Be sure to engage the threaded wholes in the Wheel a Minimum of .5 inches. More is better though.

Yeah, that's a good idea. Thanks y'all!

[Kenny_Z]

I'm going through this right now. That wheel doesn't want to come loose. I've got a harmonic puller, 6mm bolts, a generous amount of penetrate spray, and a ball pein hammer. Should I be worried about how hard I hit this thing? Right now I've only been giving it firm taps. I don't want to break something by hitting it too hard. I've put enough tension on the puller that my last of many strikes actually caused one of the 6mm bolts to pull the threads out of the wheel. I'm going to have to redrill and tap them. Tomorrow after work I might try the air hammer suggestion if I can find a small enough scrap block of steel to put between the nut and a chisel bit. I don't have a flat faced bit. Maybe a broken socket will work.

I've taken off 40 year old steering wheels that were less of a pain in the ass than this one.

[Nicholas R]

I'm going through this right now. That wheel doesn't want to come loose. I've got a harmonic puller, 6mm bolts, a generous amount of penetrate spray, and a ball pein hammer. Should I be worried about how hard I hit this thing? Right now I've only been giving it firm taps. I don't want to break something by hitting it too hard. I've put enough tension on the puller that my last of many strikes actually caused one of the 6mm bolts to pull the threads out of the wheel. I'm going to have to redrill and tap them. Tomorrow after work I might try the air hammer suggestion if I can find a small enough scrap block of steel to put between the nut and a chisel bit. I don't have a flat faced bit. Maybe a broken socket will work.

I've taken off 40 year old steering wheels that were less of a pain in the ass than this one.

You said you were using a harmonic balancer puller right? As shown here:



Where/what are you hitting with a hammer? Are you hitting the wrench with the hammer or the column or the main screw or what?

Damn, if you're stripping out the M6 holes, it seems like something is not right. I guess it could just be too tight. Unfortunately That aluminum in the center of the wheel is pretty soft