Topic: need a tool for steering wheel removal ?

[pittsburghfan87]

i heard that i need a tool from a auto store that i can rent or buy for removing my stock steering wheel in my 80 firebird,  do i need one, and how would i go about removing it ?  any info would help alot

[RENOVATIONS]

The steering wheel will come off by just removing small hex head screws holding it to the hub...you will need to buy or rent a puller to remove the hub however

[79ban1]

There isn't any special tool needed for the steering wheel removal just a puller now there is a special tool to remove the steering lock plate if you ever want to replace the ignition lock cylinder or turn switch.

[Grand73Am]

If you have a Firebird, and not a TA, you probably have a different style steering wheel than a TA has. A Firebird wheel won't have a separate hub. Yours is probably the one piece plastic steering wheel with 3 spokes. So, remove the horn button pad first. It's held on by 3 screws, one each from behind each wheel spoke. Disconnect the horn wire from the wheel as you lift the horn pad off. Remove that large nut you'll see. There will be 2 screw holes on each side of the center of the wheel. Those are puller holes. The steering wheel puller comes with a variety of bolts. Use the 2 bolts that fit those holes and use them with the tool to pull the wheel. A steering wheel puller tool is not expensive, and if you think you'll need to pull the wheel again in the future, it's worth buying a tool for yourself to add to your tool collection, so you'll have it when you need it.

Pay attention to the position of the steering wheel before you pull it. There should be a mark on the center of the wheel that lines up with a mark on the end of the steering shaft. Make sure you can see the marks so you can line it back up when you put the wheel back on. If you can't see the marks, make your own marks before you pull the wheel so you can put it back on in the same position. Using a hammer and a small sharp chisel is good for making marks on the wheel and shaft end.

[jtwoodro007]

Thanks for the useful information Grand I have an Esprit model and want to put a trans am steering wheel on it.  This was the information I was looking for in order to remove the stock wheel.  Guess I need to order a wheel puller now!

[Grand73Am]

Glad it helped you!

[NOT A TA]

Steering wheel pullers are cheap and available at local parts stores like NAPA.

[jtwoodro007]

Thanks for the additional info Not TA.  Got a napa on my way to work.

[jtwoodro007]

One more question guys. Want to be prepared for next Friday when I "attempt" to change the steering wheel out.

Like I said above I have a Esprit with the 3 spoke steering wheel.  I will pick up a wheel puller this week. Once the original wheel is off, I'm concerned about the assembly of the trans am wheel.  Especially the horn contact, switch and adapter.  On my steering wheel the horn cable runs from the string column out to each button on the wheel.  Maybe I should just wait and see what it looks like once I have the first wheel off.  I don't want to damage anything because I plan on restoring the stock wheel eventually.

I have searched the forum to find a write up on installing a new steering wheel assembly but can't seem to find anything.  I have hitmans manual set but if it has this kind of assembly details I'm not looking in the right place.

Any help is much appreciated as always guys!

[Grand73Am]

Here's a write-up I did at www.transamcountry.com , which tell about everything you need to know. Your Esprit wheel should come off with all the horn stuff attached to it. You won't use anything from the Esprit wheel with the TA wheel. Underneath the wheel, on the steering column you should have the plastic stalk with the horn contact and spring, as shown in the pictures below. So you align the TA hub with the horn contact, and the marks (in red) on the hub and steering shaft tip. When you get it all together, you can just tighten the nut tightly and be done. If you want to be particular and torque the nut, the torque spec is 35 ft/lbs.

These are the horn contact parts you need. The spring goes in the turn signal canceller plastic stalk first, then the pin with the plastic part on it locks into the notch in the stalk.

This is how it looks assembled

Slide the hub on the steering shaft, aligning the mark on the hub with the mark on the shaft. The marks(highlighted in red), which are lines stamped on the top end of the steering shaft and the other on the raised perimeter around the hub hole, need to be in alignment so your steering wheel will be straight. Also, line up and put the plastic stalk in the hole in the hub at the same time. You will probably have to rotate the plastic stalk to line it up with the hole. The plastic stalk is part of the turn signal canceller ring and can be rotated to the position needed to go in the hub hole when the alignment marks are lined up.

Drop in the horn blowing mechanism and put the steering shaft nut on and tighten.


That's it, other than attaching the wheel and push the horn button onto the horn blowing mechanism.

[jtwoodro007]

AWESOME WRITE UP GRAND! That is exactly what I'm looking for.  Only think I don't really understand is how the horn switch (the round disk shaped part) that goes in before the horn adapter (the tripod peg) is mounted.  Does is go on before the shaft nut then the adapter just sits on top of it once its bolted down, like what's in your last picture?  Also is the shaft bolt your referring to that requires 35 ft/lb?

[Grand73Am]

Not really sure what round disc shaped part you're referring to. That may be something you had with the Esprit wheel, but is not used with the TA wheel setup.  With the TA hub, you just put it on like in the 3rd pic down. Then just drop in the TA's tall horn blowing mechanism(it's all one piece), like in the last pic. When you're dropping the horn blowing mechanism in, turn it so the metal tab that sticks out the side of it lines up with the notch in the hub so it will drop down inside the hub. That also puts it in proper alignment. Maneuver the big nut onto the steering shaft threads and tighten to 35 ft/lbs.

[jtwoodro007]

Grand I'm pretty sure I figure out how the wheel kit assembles once I start to install it.  I believe I found your write up on trans am country.  I was  reading through it and the only concern I have is the canceling cam plastic stock.  The guy in the forum states he as a 70 esprit but it doesn't have the canceling cam.

My esprit wheel has on a single wire running into the steering column (see picture) that connect to the horn buttons on the wheel.  Do you know if I will need to purchase a canceling cam stock in order to mount the pin and spring?  I have a 1974 esprit.

Thanks for all the help!

[Grand73Am]

Looks like you have the "stalk". You will probably only need the parts shown in my top picture, the contact pin, plastic keeper thing, and the spring. Those are sold together in a little kit. Here's one on eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chevy-Pontiac-Corvette-Camaro-Firebird-Horn-Contact-Kit-OEM-GM-C46-3z-Qty-1-/200657640368?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2eb8209bb0&vxp=mtr

You'll be able to tell more when you get the wheel off. I'd be surprised if you would need a different cancelling cam, which has the stalk on it. Your stalk will have to have the notch in it like in my 2nd pic.

[jtwoodro007]

I'm sure your right. I'll just find out Friday once I go work on it. I'll let you know how it goes!

Really do appreciate all the good advice!