Steering wheel resto

Discussion in 'Cosmetic & Restoration' started by tbirdsps, Jul 21, 2008.

  1. wagonmaster

    wagonmaster Administrator Staff Member Moderator

    Joined:
    May 6, 2006
    Messages:
    12,286
    Likes Received:
    1,928
    Trophy Points:
    1,122
    Wagon Garage:
    2
  2. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 30, 2007
    Messages:
    19,635
    Likes Received:
    32
    Trophy Points:
    813
    Wagon Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
    Well, now we have alternatives.
     
  3. tbirdsps

    tbirdsps New Member Charter Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2006
    Messages:
    5,341
    Likes Received:
    6
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Ridgecrest, Ca.
    Reinstalled

    I reinstall the steering wheel this last weekend. It turned out good but not perfect. Much better than before. I'm more worried about the cold weather recracking it than the hot weather.

    We'll just have to wait and see.
     
  4. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 30, 2007
    Messages:
    19,635
    Likes Received:
    32
    Trophy Points:
    813
    Wagon Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
    Well, what do you call cold? :evilsmile:

    :ttiwwp:

    Had to do that. :biglaugh:
     
  5. tbirdsps

    tbirdsps New Member Charter Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2006
    Messages:
    5,341
    Likes Received:
    6
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Ridgecrest, Ca.
    A small bit below freezing. No more than -4C.

    No pics yet.
     
  6. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 30, 2007
    Messages:
    19,635
    Likes Received:
    32
    Trophy Points:
    813
    Wagon Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
    Huh, I thought the desert might get cooler. Here, water pipes and hoses are ok to -6C or -7C. But that's pushing it. You should be fine, because it's inert material and should expand/contract evenly with the styrene cruise parts. The wheel is a urethane material so it should be ok too, unless you beat it up. :D
     
  7. $arge

    $arge New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2007
    Messages:
    445
    Likes Received:
    5
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Wagon Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Valdosta GA
    you know that mighty putty is nothing but JB weld putty, some of the auto parts stores carry it. we use similar product that we call "pig putty". and we use it to seal leaking fasteners on the topsides/bottom sides of airplane wings. and that stuff never shrinks and we usually have to hammer it off. its the grey stuff. One day when we were bored, we did a comparison in chemicals, and its virtually identical to the crap they sell at the auto parts store. if i get cracks in the steering wheel, thats what im using.
     
  8. tbirdsps

    tbirdsps New Member Charter Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2006
    Messages:
    5,341
    Likes Received:
    6
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Ridgecrest, Ca.
    So, I don't know if it was fault with the Mighty Putty or my methods but there are some hairline cracks showing now. They showed up after the first below 40* weather here.

    Oh well, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

    It still looks good.:lolup:
     
  9. silverfox

    silverfox New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2009
    Messages:
    16,780
    Likes Received:
    12
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Wagon Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Wisconsin
    That "Mighty Putty" is a product made here in Wisconsin. Great stuff. You can get it in building supply stores (usually near the plumbing supplies) too. It comes in a roll like a large Tootsie roll and is grey on the inside with a green "wrap" around it. You cut off what you need and knead it in your hands a few minutes and then use it. Can be used for just about anything. Billy Mays...the screamer on TV, (can't stand that guy) calls it "Mighty Putty" but it's been around a long time and it's one product that I have found that really works for leaks, filler...anything. You can mold it, sand it, paint it.
     
  10. CapriceEstate

    CapriceEstate Yacht Captain

    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2008
    Messages:
    3,669
    Likes Received:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Wagon Garage:
    2
    Location:
    Pardeeville/ Portage, Wisconsin.
    Mighty Putty is made here in Wisconsin? I did not know that! And Billy Mays is the man! My dad calls him Billy Amazing LOL.
     
  11. silverfox

    silverfox New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2009
    Messages:
    16,780
    Likes Received:
    12
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Wagon Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Wisconsin
    Yeah CapriceEstate...I forget just where right now. If you go to Menards you can buy a small roll and it says where it's made on the pakage. I called and talked to the guy that invented it after I used it to tell him that he should go on TV with the stuff because it's a great product. 2 months later Billy Mays was screaming about Mighty Putty on TV. It's not called that in Menards...I'm sure Mays just calls it that for his infomercial. Billy can thank me for this account. And I don't even LIKE him.
     
    Last edited: Mar 20, 2009
  12. Blackfoot

    Blackfoot Wagonless Soul

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2009
    Messages:
    2,177
    Likes Received:
    8
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Wagon Garage:
    2
    Location:
    Clymer, NY
    Like most puttys, they will shrink and shrink then shrink somemore. Might have had better luck with Fiberglass filled body filler, aka Duraglass. It would have been a bear to sand down, but it would have lasted forever.
     
  13. tbirdsps

    tbirdsps New Member Charter Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2006
    Messages:
    5,341
    Likes Received:
    6
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Ridgecrest, Ca.
    After a year the very hairline cracks are no bigger. This will fix very well.
     
  14. Bob Scott

    Bob Scott New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2009
    Messages:
    214
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    St. Louis Missouri
    I realize this is/was an old post in the beginning but Ditto with Norman on making a plaster mold for the clear. Got to a good art supply house and you can get some clear acrilic resin to mix and make the parts you need.
    fiber glass resin will amber.
     
  15. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 30, 2007
    Messages:
    19,635
    Likes Received:
    32
    Trophy Points:
    813
    Wagon Garage:
    1
    Location:
    Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
    I have to throw this in, before I forget.

    New steering wheel DIY, but not for the newer, textured, molded wheels. More for the smooth pre-1965 steering wheels. They were usually a black epoxy-type plastic with a sort of pearlized finish. It would work on the smoother, newer wheels, like my 1979 had, but not the textured ones.

    The Beetles shared that kind of wheel and this guy did a fine page on the process and materials:
    http://www.thebugshop.org/bsfqstrg.htm

    He also did a nice write-up on car paints (body and other parts)
    http://www.thebugshop.org/bsfqpnt.htm

    And this one (pearlized):
    http://www.classictrucks.com/tech/0705ct_steering_wheel_restoration/index.html
     

Share This Page