GTV6 steering wheel removal

[Fast Eddie]

I am trying to swap over the steering wheel on my 86 GTV6.

The factory wheel has 2 x 6mm dia holes to attach a wheel puller to for removal.

But the longest M6 bolt i can locate is only 100mm long and i need at least 110 - 120mm due to the depth of the factory hub.
1/4" x 4" will probably work but it should be metric given it is an Alfa.

Any suggestions?  Most puller kits and harmonic balancer kits on the www are either imperial or too short in length and a larger diameter.

The old 'hold it and bash it with a hammer trick' isnt working.

[Sheldon McIntosh]

Did you try the 'undo the nut and drive it around the block' trick yet?

I borrowed the Alfa tool from my local friendly Alfa mechanic.

[alfa duk]

 I remember having the same issue a while ago, i think the threaded rods that hold the battery down are the same size as the threads in the hub. Try it

[Fast Eddie]

nice one, i will try that Alfa Duk.
As for your idea Sheldonator, will you pay what my insurance wont when the wheel comes off mid drive?

I am not in the same suburb as my friendly Alfa mechanic 

[john m]

Carefull not to screw down the M6 bolts past the boss because you will damage the brass horn ring on the other side.
Are you swapping it over to preserve the original wheel?

[colcol]

If it is anything like a 33 steering wheel, and it looks the same, then, you undo the nut and there should be room for a 50mm wide plate, about 20mm wide and about 6mm thick, drill 2 holes in the plate, the same centre distances as the 2 tapped 6 mm holes, place plate over splined shaft, put 2 cap screws through plate, and do up cap screws, length to be determined by you, for the 33, they are about 25mm long, and do up cap screws and steering wheel should come off, make sure steering wheel is straight before you pull it off, so you can put it back on straight, DON'T use a hammer as it will bend steering wheel, as it is designed to bend, [rather than you] in an accident, Colin.

[Fast Eddie]

Carefull not to screw down the M6 bolts past the boss because you will damage the brass horn ring on the other side.
Are you swapping it over to preserve the original wheel?

thanks John,
point noted about the horn ring.  i am swapping it out for 2 x reasons - 1 the original wheel is perishing so needs replacement or repair anyway and 2, i have a Stig Blomqvist signed (of all people) SS wheel and matched boss from an 83 GTV6 to replace it with that has a nicer look in my opinion and feel than the original.

[Fast Eddie]

If it is anything like a 33 steering wheel, and it looks the same, then, you undo the nut and there should be room for a 50mm wide plate, about 20mm wide and about 6mm thick, drill 2 holes in the plate, the same centre distances as the 2 tapped 6 mm holes, place plate over splined shaft, put 2 cap screws through plate, and do up cap screws, length to be determined by you, for the 33, they are about 25mm long, and do up cap screws and steering wheel should come off, make sure steering wheel is straight before you pull it off, so you can put it back on straight, DON'T use a hammer as it will bend steering wheel, as it is designed to bend, [rather than you] in an accident, Colin.

Thanks Col,
i've already got the removal tool but needed the 6mm dia bolts instead which i have now sourced.  Wheel and steering column are all marked up ready to all allow me to refit good and straight.

[Craig C]

You can buy long threaded rods from Hardware stores like Bunnings and just cut the length you need rather than hunt around for premade bolts of the right size.

[Fast Eddie]

not in m6 you cant, but i have sourced elsewhere, so all good.

[Sheldon McIntosh]

As for your idea Sheldonator, will you pay what my insurance wont when the wheel comes off mid drive?

If you're gonna be a girl about it, you can always just loosen the nut but leave it on the threads so the wheel doesn't come off.....  (I've actually never tried this technique myself, just heard that it can work)

Ready to sell that GTV6 yet?  I'm surprised you've had it this long, you've already cost me $10.

[colcol]

I made the little wheel removal plate about 1986 to remove the steering wheel after a wheel alignment, plate took about 10 minutes to make, [one of the most used and handy tools i have made], just measure or guesstimate the M6 hole centres, drill em, stick bits of wire or whatever to work out your M6 cap screw lengths, and go to an Engineering supply place and get a few cap screws, cap screws are more compact than set screws, with smaller heads and are able fit at the bottom of the steering wheel, whatever DON'T use a Hammer, take some time to think about it so you won't have to replace a broken steering assembly, Colin.