Redoing an old steering wheel
Printed From: Unofficial Allis
Category: Allis Chalmers
Forum Name: Farm Equipment
Forum Description: everything about Allis-Chalmers farm equipment
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=127190
Printed Date: 29 Jun 2025 at 2:14pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Redoing an old steering wheel
Posted By: WF owner
Subject: Redoing an old steering wheel
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2016 at 11:14am
What do you do with the steering wheel when you're doing a restoration?
My steering wheel is in pretty good shape (minor cracks, but no chunks out of it), but every time you touch it, you end up with black hands. Is there any kind of epoxy or sealer to seal up these old steering wheels? I really don't want to replace it with a new reproduction steering wheel.
Any ideas?
|
Replies:
Posted By: shameless (ne)
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2016 at 11:19am
|
I have the same problem on my 180. I've tried different spray coatings, and they are good for about 1 day only. some will make the wheel sticky and that sucks! i'm gonna try that "flex seal" stuff next. they have different coatings for different applications.
|
Posted By: CrestonM
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2016 at 11:32am
|
I've heard of guys wrapping them in electrical tape.
|
Posted By: Dick L
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2016 at 11:39am
|
I have cleaned them well and painted them with enamel. My tractors set out all the time and one that was painted several years ago still looks good but has not been used much. The Farmall C I have painted every two or three years needs painted again but I use it quite a bit. I would bet the flex seal liquid would do great. Hadn't thought of it but might try it on the Farmall C.
|
Posted By: FloydKS
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2016 at 12:25pm
Let us know how it works...I have a 1951 International 3/4 ton with the "black hands after I use it" problem
-------------
Holding a grudge is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die
|
Posted By: Clay
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2016 at 1:04pm
|
I fix the cracks with Belzona 1111 Super Metal. Sand them down and then paint with primer and good coat of epoxy paint.
|
Posted By: shameless (ne)
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2016 at 4:45pm
|
Creston....your hands will come out slimey from the electrical tape. tried that once too. the heat from your hands will make it that way from the sticky on the tape.
|
Posted By: jaybmiller
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2016 at 4:49pm
wear gloves ???
Hay, I couldn't resist !
YUCK to black tape.....
I'm thinking 'Black Baron' spray epoxy from a 'hobby shop' would work nice. Used in on RC airplanes 2 decades ago.....
Jay
-------------
3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112
Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor)
Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water
|
Posted By: bauerd44
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2016 at 7:44pm
Clay, where do you get your
Belzona 1111 Super Metal from?
Dale
-------------
Missouri Allis-Chalmers Club
CA Allis, 175 Allis, 185 Allis
|
Posted By: j.w.freck
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2016 at 7:46pm
|
I have redone 3 with bondo,build it up and if you have access to a lathe.you can complete it all but the figure purchaces.paint and like new.....
|
Posted By: Rog(NCWI)
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2016 at 9:33pm
|
I used JB weld and then sand it down. May take a couple of coats and then paint it. I did it 6 or 7 years ago and it still looks good. My tractors are not outside very much except at shows. Stored inside.
|
Posted By: shameless (ne)
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2016 at 10:26pm
|
on an old IH 460 I used to have, I did put a steering wheel cover on it that you buy at wally world or any parts store, lasted about 1 year, but it say outside a lot and I think the sun ate most of it up!
|
Posted By: cottonpatch
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2016 at 10:59pm
I second the Belzona 1111 super metal as a repair remedy. JBweld isn't even in the same zip code as a repair epoxy. JBWeld is 2600 psi compressive strength vs. 13200 with super metal. I sell Belzona in Vitginia, Maryland and WV.
-------------
'52 CA, '61 D10 II, ‘61 D15, '66 D15II, '63 D17D III, ‘69 170, '73 185 Crop Hustler, '79 185, '79 7000, '77 7040
|
Posted By: Dave H
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2016 at 8:15am
I uses a rattle can of the stuff that is sposed to adhere to plastic.
Been years now and the steering wheel is stil slick and glossy. But it is kept in the barn.
|
Posted By: SteveM C/IL
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2016 at 4:40pm
|
Hang on to yer shorts when buying Belzona.4-5yr ago it was in the neighborhood of $600 for a quart plus hardner.Didn't appear to sell smaller quanities.It is GOOD stuff.Fixed spindle wear on the 8070.
|
Posted By: Thad in AR.
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2016 at 4:50pm
|
I've tried several types of epoxy. I did my Wc which was missing half the coating in very large chunks. I used Devcon Plasti-weld. When I had it final sanded I painted 2 coats of fiberglass resin on it sanding between coats. I painted it with 4 coats o black enamel. It was 4 years ago and still looks good. It never stays outside and hasn't seen much use. I've filled cracks with bondo and a year later they show back up.
|
Posted By: Clay
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2016 at 11:33pm
|
Not all epoxies are created equal.
|
Posted By: Play Farmer
Date Posted: 15 Aug 2016 at 5:22am
|
Why not just buy a new one? They're normally all over Ebay and priced decent.
|
Posted By: oldways
Date Posted: 15 Aug 2016 at 7:59am
On my wc I took a piece of 3/4 black iron pipe Down to the local welding shop they rolled it into a circle. I welded it in place painted it black and put a steering wheel cove on it from a truck stop. I'm very pleased with it.
-------------
1 Corinthians 1:18 1969-190xt-III. 1966 190xt gas. 1966 190xt Cab. 1948-G. 1937-WC unstyled. 1950-B. 1951-CA. 1966-D17-IV
|
Posted By: HudCo
Date Posted: 15 Aug 2016 at 9:02am
|
we use autobody spot putty on the cracks, sands very easy , spray painted with rustolim satin black. we do almost every older tractor that comes here the paint really soaks in the old dry oxidized wheel very fast so it will take a few coats . trust me if you do it with the wheel on the tractor, throw a tarp over evey thing on and around the tractor steering wheel and colum, allot of over spray . resaults are allways very good
|
Posted By: pete386
Date Posted: 15 Aug 2016 at 9:10am
|
Steering Wheel Bob in New jersey does a wonderful job of restoring wheels. He did one for me off an IHC PU. Excellent work. Google is how I found him.
|
|