TheSamba.com :: View topic - 356 Pre-A Steering wheel removal info needed

Fri Mar 24, 2006 8:04 am

HEy Gang,

Does anyone know the step-by-step procedure on how to remove the horn button, ring, and steering wheel on a '55 356? I don't want to shatter the Porsche crest, or ruin the ring around it. I haven't a clue as to how to get everything off.

The wheel and ring and button all seem to be fit tightly together with no large gaps to fit anything into. The very back side of the steering wheel/boss seems to have a tiny hole or two, but . . . ? All sealed up tight!

Any help. please ! ? !

Thanks !

TC

Fri Mar 24, 2006 12:41 pm

Right the horn push is pushed out from the rear of the Steering wheel If you have a look you will see two small holes.

Just go very careful. Use some thing blunt and use some WD40 to help it on the way..

As for the ring

that's even more easy when you get the horn push out you will see 3 screews in the hub undo these and the ring will come out..

easy!!

BUT!!! when you take the ring out also what follows is all the crap gaskets that have now fallen apart in your hands.. ops I have not looked in to replacing these seels yet if they are even available.. :?

Mark UK

www.classic356.co.uk 8)

Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:12 pm

WOW ! ! Thanks Mark! ! ! !

No wonder I couldn't find my way in. I NEVER would have thought to lubricate AND push the crest out through those tiny holes. I'm lucky that I even NOTICED them!

I'll give it a try tomorrow, betcha that I end up having to replace the crest. I'm kinda all thunbs with the little stuff.

Thanks again,

TC

Sun Oct 26, 2008 4:06 pm

Tried this method and it wasn't working.
Can anyone confirm this method or got another way to get it apart?

Sat Nov 01, 2008 1:19 pm

Tried it again, this time a little more agressively and got it apart.
If you are trying this, beware, you are pushing against 50 year old bake-o-lite. I was lucky, mine didn't break.

The chrome ring around the center button is a friction fit on it's OD to the steering wheel or horn ring. Start tapping. When you see it move a little bit, go over to the other hole. This will help the thing come out straight.

Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:03 pm

glad you got it sorted.. I did say about the WD40 to help smooth it's release...

every trick helps :wink:

Thu Jan 01, 2009 1:17 am

Somehow I forgot about the WD-40. Good tip.

On another forum, one guy posted that the bake-o-lite backer shattered when he tried to push it out. I consider myself lucky. I used a steel flat punch. Thinking back, a wooden dowel would be better, no sharp edges to chip into the bake-o-lite. Unfortunately, the access holes in the steering wheel are not square to the backer.

My horn push's chrome ring is at the platers right now. The guy said the tabs will break off on reassembly. Is this true in your experience? My idea is to use a thin cutoff wheel in the Dremel to make a new tab beside any that break off. The guy at the plater said I should glue it back together. I'm not thrilled about that idea.

Thu Jan 01, 2009 2:40 am

Bruce I have not got to putting it all back yet.. but with old chrome I have had to get very little replated as you can buff the old chrome right back..95% of the time..

Plus if it does have a few marks on there still after the polish that's pattena You can't buy pattena... :wink:

Some restored cars are TOO perfect..

Thu Jan 01, 2009 1:50 pm

If you're not gonna replate the ring, why take it all apart?

The ring around my horn button had very little chrome left on it. I guess the PO used to honk the horn a lot.

Thu Jan 01, 2009 3:52 pm

A NEW dilemma . . . which component is worth the least.

I ran into another early 356 wheel, this time I got the entire steering shaft with it. It's still attached, the guy didn't want to ruin anything by separating them.

What's worth less—a decent but crazed original 356 horn button. Crazed but not cracked/broken. Or the bakelite insert that almost always breaks.

Do I punch through from the back or smash in from the front? Either way, there's certain damage, I just wanna know which costs the least to replace.

Thanks !

TC

Thu Jan 01, 2009 10:48 pm

Obviously saving all the parts would be the best.
Here's an idea. Take a drill and make the two access holes larger, and more square to the horn backer. Then get a wood dowel like I suggested above. You could also try to cut a bevel on the end so the area of contact is maximum. Then use some kind of lube to aid the removal.

When I put mine back together, I'm gonna epoxy a dime at each location where the punch pushes on the bake-o-lite backer.

Here is a pic showing the hole's angle with a steel rod through it: