Steering wheel restore ?'s

For the do-it-yourself crowd, what repair kit's or materials are you using to repair the solid plastic style steering wheels? And recommendations or tips? Also, what paints are you using that last the longest? Thanks

 

Nobody here has repaired/restored their steering wheel? Anyone have any good links? thanks

 

pm sent

 

Tim, I need to do the same thing. Please, if you get some good info about something that really works, let me know --- I am very interested. You know that Eastwood has a steering wheel repair kit? I haven't used it though. I read on another board that "plumbers epoxy" works well to fill the cracks. I'm thinking I'll use that, then spray with a primer/sealer, then several coats of acrylic urethane.

 

http://www.kbs-coatings.com/

2 vids on that sight explain the process

 

Thanks for the info. Anyone have any preferences as far as which material they prefer? I like the fact that the NU-METAL comes in different colors, but whether or not that is helpful????

 

Ames (Classic Pontiac parts) site:



Nice catalog with some interchangable items...

http://www.amesperf.com/

 

I bought the Eastwood kit (without puller). It comes with two cans and a book. The instructions in the book are well detailed. You have to prepare the steering wheel first (clean it, open the cracks a bit, etc, all detailed in the book). Then, the epoxy is mixed. Equal parts of "goo" from each can, then mix well. It really stinks! Do it with good ventilation or even outside! It is a very, very thick mixture and is pretty sticky. I used a small putty knife to press it into the cracks and to smear it around my steering wheel.

After an hour, I came back and smoothed the high spots by hand. I let it dry 36 hours and then started to work it. I've started shaping using a round file and a course half-round. The epoxy is very hard. In the places on the steering wheel where I didn't rough the surface, it did not stick well. However, it filled all the cracks and holes very nicely. I had some CHUNKS missing from the outer ring, the center 3 "spokes" had pulled entirely away from the outer ring and the center "cap" was split into 3 pieces with a 1/4" gap between the sections. ALL is repaired. VERY nice. I can't speak for how how durable the stuff is, but I'm very impressed to this point.

I'm still working the wheel, but I'll post some pics in a few days. I can tell you, though, it's going to take HOURS to sand it smooth. This stuff is hard as nails!
David

 

I found a pretty decent 67 Skylark steering wheel, just a few cracks and had a local body shop do it for $50. Filled in the cracks, sanded, primed and painted gloss black. Turned out pretty nice! Just a thought.

 

Todd - How long ago did they do the work? Do you know what they used for the filler?

- Bill

 

Can't wait to see those pictures David!

 

Bill, I just got it back and put it on my car. Not sure what they used for a filler, but I inspected the whole process. They grooved out the cracked areas into a v and filled, then gray primered and black gloss and alot of hand buffing (so he told me). Probably turned out better than NOS. About 3 months so far, and no cracks, I don't expect any. ray:

 

Now we are 3 years down the road. Any issues yet?

 

ive done 4 pontiac wheels and used Pc-7 however in the future im using KBS as listed above .I am currently using there products on a frame off and it is much better than por 15 products .The trick is in the staining it takes some pratice if you are doing a wood look wheel

 

Looks decent. Do you have any close up pics of the finished wheel? When you say "staining", is that how you are recoloring the wheel after repair, or something you are doing to the epoxy mix? Thanks

 

i would mix the unmixed pigment of the stain into the epoxy then use a piece of wadded up paper to restain the wheel.I used duplicolor Wheel argent silver on the spokes (has alot of metallic in it) then i would have to let the wheel set a week at a time between stains to let it dry.restain and after about a month it would be complete i would clear the whole thing.What kind of wheel are you doing ?I just redid a 65 wheel repop and leather covered it

 

I'm looking at buying a 68 "wood" wheel and re-doing it, plus I have a couple of the base 3 spoke wheels I need to fix the cracks in.

Did you re-coat the whole wheel with the stain/epoxy mix? Is that easier than just repairing the cracks, then re-staining it?


What kind of stain?

I just had wheelskins make me a custom leather cover for the 16" wheel.

 

no i just ground out the cracks with a drimmel and filled the spots as little as possible .The KBS comes tinted already from what ive read.i just mixed the differant stains i had laying around.On my GP i wanted it darker to match the shifter knob the repop looked like hell so i sold it.I have a differant wheel on it now as i got better at it as i did more wheels