TheSamba.com :: View topic - Need opinion on safety of big splines in steering wheel

Fri Dec 12, 2025 8:55 am

I am interested in purchasing a rare steering wheel for my oval BUT before I do I would like to know if the splines in the wheel are safe or not as they look very worn to me in the pics so if anyone can give me an honest opinion as I don't want to purchase it and not be able to use it or buy it and have a serious accident if the splines are bad.

Fri Dec 12, 2025 9:39 am

Sorry man. They look EXCESSIVELY worn. I am no expert regarding steering wheel splines, but those look less then okay. Make it VW wall art!

Fri Dec 12, 2025 10:15 am

Are we certain that's just not a bunch of old grease, dirt & debris clogging up those splines? Not the clearest photos. Jeepers! How the heck would splines get worn out? We all know how tight the fit is with the column.
I assume the seller sent you those images. I'd ask for clearer photos and also ask that he scrub and clean the splines - maybe with a small wire brush? Gotta know what you're buying. Best of luck.

Fri Dec 12, 2025 10:25 am

Can't tell from those fuzzy pics. Could just be crud in the grooves, making some of them appear shallow. Suggest cleaning and better pictures to boost confidence, most likely OK.

Steering wheel splines don't normally wear, but could strip out from mounting in a non-stock situation, or from abuse. The mounting nut normally keeps things from moving and beginning any wear pattern. Normal steering forces are minimal, especially at higher speed. Any unlikely problem should show up first in a high-torque situation, like turning the wheel when the car is not moving. Looks like 24 splines, so pre-Oct '56 design, good luck.

Fri Dec 12, 2025 1:47 pm

Yeah, it's gonna be an online purchase. These are the pictures he had posted. I will ask him for better pics. I had asked him if it was worn, but he didn't reply back to that question but he definitely look worn to me and I really don't know how they could be worn as I've never seen any like that before on a steering wheel thank you all for your info and opinion I'll see if I can get better pics.

Fri Dec 12, 2025 4:23 pm

That hole so worn out it's like a yo momma joke waiting to happen.

Fri Dec 12, 2025 9:59 pm

For desktop comparison, here's an original VW hub:

From the colour of the splines of the wheel you're looking at, it's my guess that there's a steel insert and it's a bit rusty.

Fri Dec 12, 2025 10:30 pm

banana split wrote: Jeepers! How the heck would splines get worn out? We all know how tight the fit is with the column.

Whacky Baha/sandrail owner that stuck it on a later shaft & torqued it down with an impact gun. Then it started to spin around while making turns, lol

Fri Dec 12, 2025 10:38 pm

Consider the way the clutch arm transmits torque to the cross shaft every time you push the pedal. There's only 4.

When I was travelling in Guatemala years ago, I met up with the local VW people in Guatemala City. One of the cars needed a new clutch. Ruined parts included the cross shaft. The cross shaft was difficult to find since it was for the early TO bearing. The only one we could find was a POS China one. We quickly found out the splines cut into it were clocked about 1 spline off. To make it work, my new friend Jose used a thin cutoff wheel in a die grinder to cut another groove beside the existing ones. That groove was quite wide, so it didn't contact the splines in the clutch arm. In other words, only 3 teeth were doing the job. It worked fine!

If that steering wheel fits tight to the splines of the column, I think it will be ok. Just make sure the nut is torqued to what VW says, 36 ft-lbs.

Sat Dec 13, 2025 8:20 am

Just a thought...
Splines often get crud like this when they sit in a damp environment. A little condensation collects and sits in the corners of the splines, a little oxidation starts, and then the sharp inside corner is no longer visible.. usually a pass with a wire brush cleans it up.
I'd ask the seller to scrub the splines clean and take a better picture..