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Wheel Removal FAQ |
This is a quickly-put-together description, which I'll have to update as time goes on. It covers the 911 steering wheel, but most are similar, with variations mainly on how to remove the horn pad (which at some point I'll get specifics on for you):
- First, remove the horn pad. On the 3-spoke and modern 4-spoke wheels, this is basically a matter of applying pressure outwards on the pad until the little plastic connector tabs pop loose. Cautions: note the 'plastic' part of connector tabs - be gentle - they will make a nasty pop when they come loose, which is okay, but if you try to remove it Conan-style, they'll come off in pieces. Also, cradle your fingers against the back of the wheel while pulling forwards so that it doesn't pop a foot off when it comes loose - that would probably break the little connector tab for the horn wire on the back.
- Disconnect the horn wire from the connector on the back of the horn pad. Note that if you didn't disconnect the battery, this loose wire will now be a source of constant amusement for your neighbors, as any metal piece it touches inside the wheel/hub/column will cause your horn to give out a joyous barking!
- use a 27mm socket to remove the nut from the steering column, inside the recessed area. There should also be a wavy washer under it. At this point, you might want to make some sort of mark that will indicate how to get the wheel back into the proper alignment when you replace it. Otherwise, you'll have the fun of practicing the removal/replacement procedure a couple of times before you get it back on straight - note that if you don't mark it, at least straighten the front wheels out before removing it so the eyeball technique will work better. One other caveat: when removing the nut, place your wrench on the left side and press down while holding the wheel steady (don't use the wheel lock as a fulcrum, bubba), don't place it on the right side pressing up, or you MIGHT a) slip when the nut breaks loose, hitting your arm/wrench on the rearview mirror, which for this procedure will be FIRMLY glued to the windshield, causing it to b) shatter. Don't ask any more about this, let's just say it was the first time I ever removed a steering wheel, and be thankful for glass replacement coverage!
- Pull the sucker off. I think that's it, but if I think of the steps I probably am forgetting, I'll get back to you.
Yes, with qualifications. Sometime, I believe around the mid-80's (please help me here, I need more precise data), the wheels became interchangeable. Before that, the 924/944/928 wheels had a smaller spline area where the wheel hub meets the steering column. If you have your wheel off, here's how to tell:
Here's a quickie description: in the 911-style wheel, the splines start directly at the edge of the hub in a diameter of about 1". In the early 944-style wheel, the splines are recessed back into the hub (if you remove the steering wheel and are looking at the back of it), with the initial 1" opening closing to a diameter of about 5/8". (Again, if any of you can get me proper metric measurements, spline count, etc. I'd be grateful, and I'll even offer you a little discount on your next purchase for exact measurements!)
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Last Update: September 13, 2010 06:25 PM -0400