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MG MGB Technical - Steering Wheel Removal

On my 1979 MGB, the turn signal / dimmer switch seems to be bad as now it has no spring back and will light the bright lights unless I manually push it back towards the dash. I have removed the plastic housing around the steering column but it appears that you have to remove the steering wheel in order to remove the switch.

I removed the nut and then put it back on so that I could use it to absorb a few blows to the shaft but I have only got the wheel about halfway off. I do not want to damage the threads so I was wondering how to get the wheel off. I tried some WD-40 but it really didn’t help. It does not look like a steering wheel puller would work but I don’t know.

Any suggestions? I tried a search in the forum but found no real information.

Thanks,

Scot Stern

Scot Stern

Scot:


Convince the San Diego MG club to go in and buy this puller, or fabricate one similar.

http://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=51102


It was designed by a long time MG mechanic and is a simple way to put load on the spline without damaging the rubber face of the wheel.

Kelvin Dodd
KJ Dodd

Do you need to remove the steering wheel in order to replace the turn signal / light dimmer switch?

Scot Stern
Scot Stern

Scott, if I remember correctly the turn signal switch is held on the column by clamping along with the wiper switch. You should find a couple of screws in the housing of the switch which go through into the switch on the other side. I can't remember if the screws are accessable with the wheel in place, but I believe they are. Can't remember which side they go in from for sure, think it's the wiper side.
Bill Young

Late cars have a different design of switch that requires the steering wheel to be removed.
Chris at Octarine Services

Scot,
I attended a MG mechanical seminar at University Motors last week. One afternoon, during a break, John Twist demonstrated his method for easy steering wheel removal (on a '80 LE) and it might work for you. Basically, John sat in the driver's seat (front edge) and applied forceful pulling pressure on the wheel using both knees (at approx. 5 and 8) and gripping the wheel with both hands (at approx. 3 and 11). With the wheel nut loose and its top surface even with the very end of the steering shaft, he had a coworker (kneeling in the passenger seat) strike the shaft nut hard with a big heavy hammer (brass I think). The wheel came free on the first strike.
Just an option to consider.
Steve Buchina

Scot. You need to become a member of the site, easy to do and does not cost anything, and search the archives. Great deal of information on this subject over the years. That being said, Kelvin's suggestion is about as good as it gets. It has the least chance of damage to the wheel and column.

WD-40 is a poor penetrating lubricant. Zep 45 and PB Blaster are much better. When you re-install the wheel, use some anti-seize on the splines of the steering column, it will make the removal easier in the future. (The original turn signal switches used to break about every three years. The new ones seem to hold up somewhat longer.)

There is a plastic collar, blue as I remember it, with two slots to engage the projections on the back side of the steering wheel. This is the self cancelling mechanism and it needs to be adjusted to the new switch. After the switch is installed, but before putting the wheel back on, turn the switch to the left turn position, turn the plastic collar 90 degrees, then bring it back to the upright (slots in top and bottom) position. It should cancel the turn signal. Then, do the same procedure to the right. If, from its current position, it will not cancel both signals, rotate the collar 180 degrees and try again. You will reach a position where it should self cancel on both sides. Sometimes, this seems to take a little fiddling before the correct orientation is found.

Les
Les Bengtson

The later switch gear comes on a single metal plate for both sides rather than two separate switches clamping onto the coloum. I'm surprised it came off half-way and not all the way, I thought it was usually the taper which stuck, and suddenly comes free, which is why you should always leave the nut on several turns. I've always got mine off by bracing my knees behind the wheel rim to apply pressure in an 'offward' direction, then holding a ball-pein hammer on the end of the shaft, and hitting that with another hammer. Wear eye protection. The 'offward' pressure before hitting means that there is no damage to the collapsible column as you are only imparting shock and very little movement.
Paul Hunt 2

This thread was discussed between 11/02/2006 and 12/02/2006

MG MGB Technical index

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