Here’s the stock steering...
Here’s the stock steering wheel and column on my ’68. The wheel, not only too large, has definitely been spun ’round and ’round many times over the years. Also note the rather lackluster stock Chevy horn button.
If you’re building a classic truck with a certain period in mind, it’s hard to argue the styling cues of a stock steering wheel. Back before they contained airbags shod in a giant rubber box, steering wheels had a sort of “je ne sais quoi” about them. If you’re drinking a Molson and swinging a hockey stick as you’re reading this on a frozen lake, chances are you know what that means. If, like me, you skipped French class altogether in high school, that translates loosely to, “I don’t know what” in English. Allow me to use it in a sentence. “That girl over there with the flat feet and overbite sure is cute. She just has a certain je ne sais quoi about her.”
But enough with the French lesson. The point is OEM steering wheels are cool. However, oftentimes their styling suits our purpose, but the size does not. Most of the truck wheels were designed back when power steering meant you had forearms like a lumberjack and a 17-inch steering wheel to give you a little added “umph.” Today, with most of us adding power steering to our haulers, that giant steering wheel is not just unnecessary; it’s just plain in the way. But what of those cool, old wheels that would look great, but perhaps reduced by an inch or so?
That’s where I found myself as I started to drive my ’68 Chevy around a few months back. The suspension was now dialed, thanks to Classic Performance Products, but I still had the stock steering wheel bolted up to the original column. It worked, but when we swung the truck through the slalom a few weeks back (see my editorial in the June issue for a pic), it was obvious that the larger diameter 17-inch steering wheel and manual steering box needed some lovin’. It took a full half sweep of the wheel to get the truck to move enough to dodge the cones, which I have to say was a bit comical watching from the sidelines!
This is the eBay score ’68 Chevy CST steering wheel. Although it’s still a 17-inch wheel, it’s in better shape than my original wheel and has the much sought-after custom horn button.
That’s when I knew something needed to be done. I dug the original steering wheel design of the ’67-68 trucks, but my only option was to replace it with a reproduction wheel of the same size or to install an aftermarket wheel with a reduced diameter. Not wanting to change the OEM look of my interior, I opted to do the next best thing; reduce and restore the stock wheel.
I did a little detective work and found that most original steering wheels have a steel core with a cast plastic exterior. What I pass as common sense said that I could cut the wheel apart, weld up the steel cores, and remold the wheel back to stock guise, reducing the diameter in the process. It sounded like a good challenge, so I called up our buddies at Eastwood to see if this was something that was even possible, and as it turns out, I wasn’t the only guy who wanted to retain his stock steering wheel. As you could imagine, it’s fairly common in the restoration business to refurb an original wheel and Eastwood had just the kit to do so.
While known as a 17-inch wheel,...
While known as a 17-inch wheel, it actually measures out to 16� inches. I have to admit that a simple 1-inch reduction doesn’t seem like much, but it will be all the difference between a wheel that’s too large and one that’s just right.
The first step in making the...
The first step in making the reduction is to remove the center three-spoke hub from the rim. I used an angle grinder to cut the spokes apart as close as possible to the rim.
Here’s what you’re left with...
Here’s what you’re left with after the separation. Also, note that I split the rim at the very bottom as well.
To ensure that the new rim...
To ensure that the new rim stays round, I made a jig using plywood and glue blocks laid out in a 15�-inch diameter. Here you can see the difference as the finished wheel will actually fit inside the diameter of the stock wheel.
Calculating the height of...
Calculating the height of the stock steering wheel’s hub in relation to the rim, I was able to space the hub appropriately. This ensures that the stock depth does not get altered.
Bent to the 15 1/2-inch spec,...
Bent to the 15 1/2-inch spec, the difference in rim circumference is noticeable.
With the rim in the jig, it’s...
With the rim in the jig, it’s possible to establish the amount that needs to be removed to reduce its diameter.
Here, the rim’s been cut to...
Here, the rim’s been cut to size.