What is the best way to repair the cracks?? Once the cracks are fixed... do you just paint it? What do you guys recommend... lol and no smart A. remarks about just buy a new one! Maybe for christmas??
no problems adhering to the plastics? I checked out the website.. it said wouldnt bond to Polypropylene plastic Polyethylene plastic Dont know what type of plastic is on the steering wheel...anyone know?
I vaguely remember watching stacey david on Gearz repair a wheels with a 2 part epoxy... dont remember which.
pc 7 .. 2 part epoxy. ( guess i was think of the later part of the convience store) thanks unkl got it at home depot used it on my banjo wheel painted with no problems.
http://www.marinetex.com/ I have used Marine Tex before for steering wheel repair worked great! Check out your local marine supply shop. Speaking of which I need to get some for my current project. Non Hamb oldschool VW trike. It is great for fixing small holes in fiberglass. Johnboy
I've heard of using epoxy, JB Weld, bondo, pretty much anything of that sort. Not sure about the long term potential for the cracks to return, but I think if they do, try something different. I've got the same problem on an identical mercury wheel.
i second the pc 7, it's kinda hard to work into small cracks so you need to open them up. jb weld works good but it's runny.
Eastwood sells a steering wheel repair kit, Haven't tried it. I have used por15's epoxy putty which is great stuff to have around for steering wheel repair and all kinds of other things too.
I used a 2 part epoxy on an old Galaxie wheel about 6 years ago, and it's fine. Clean out the cracks - like they say, 'V' it with a Dremel, and then build it up in layers and sand it down. I also used Bondo on a VW Wheel once - same process, but the stuff cracked and fell out after about a month.
I did this one in the early 90s with PC-7. It still looks good but it does not sit in the sun for days at a time.I use the high tech hacksaw blade to clean out and undercut the cracks and replace lost pieces. It sands just like the Ford wheel material so it's very easy to feather edge the repairs. You can order higher priced kits and wait for them to come or you can go to the Home Depot and do it this afternoon. They do provide you with cute popsicle sticks and paper cups for mixing. I've done 6 or 7 over the years with PC-7 and no failures yet. Real parts stores had one of these on the counter back in the 60s-70s. The sales pitch was to tell the customer to put it on the floor and stand on the wood shelf that was just epoxied to the side of the glass bottle. I wonder how many people stood on this shelf. Mine still has the water in the bottle but the sun has faded the food coloring. We called it golf ball glue for obvious reasons.
I remember that display at the local hardware store in the 80s, didn't realize that stuff had been around for so long. Never stood on it, however.
PASS on the POR15 kit. PC7 is easily found locally, and cheaper, and most importantly, better. I used the POR15 epoxy putty. Used it, used it properly, and weeks later, it shrunk ever so slightly in a few areas. Being a white painted wheel, no one but me will probably ever see, but after spending a week working on that wheel, getting it perfect, so it looked like original plastic, I was a bit upset.
There are several posts on this topic. Just do a search and you'll find them. I repaired the big ones with POR15 putty and the tiny, hairline cracks with glaze coat filler
Most of the repair kits use the same epoxy, just marketed under different names. The cheapest/easiest thing to do is go to your local Bowling Alley and get the stuff they use to fill bowling ball holes when you want them re-drilled. It is the same epoxy - They gave me some for free, and I did mine. Just be prepared for lots of sanding and shaping after it dries. It takes paint great.
Try Eastwood. They have a kit for about $50. It worked well on my and my father's steering wheels http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=2571&itemType=PRODUCT
It's been a few years since I bought the Eastwood Kit but, at that time, the epoxy in the kit was PC7
Whats in thet kit that makes buying a kit worth it? I have a dremel tool, Im sure Ive got some thing to apply it with. So as far as the putty goes... whats the vote... pc7 or jb weld?... If Im guessing right the pc7 is the more popular..
Yep yep, marinetex is the shizzle. I used it because of it's UV resistance and restored a stock Mustang steering wheel, worked great.
When I purchased the kit in june of 2000, it was $34.99 and consisted of the restoration booklet, PC7 epoxy and a steering wheel puller. Overpriced, but I was a noobie. I wouldn't buy it today. The new kit is even less of a deal. They've deleted the puller and added a can of primer and pre paint prep. Not worth $50 IMHO. The booklet pretty much gives the same good info you've already gotten in this thread.
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