Hello everyone, I am building my sled project and got a hold a nice 52' Mercury Steering Wheel which I want to use in my car. This wheel is typical of early wheels and it bolts on to the original steering column's tapered splined shaft with a nut. I purchased one of the new style generic Tilt Wheel Columns which too has a splined shaft for mounting but for either newer wheels or wheels with an adapter like a 3, 5 or 9 bolt wheel. The splined shaft on the new column is larger than the spline hole pattern in my 52' wheel. Does anyone know if there are adapters to attach original steering wheels with splined shafts to the new style Tilt Columns? If not, any ideas on how to machine my original wheel to fit the new column shaft? I really do not want to try to take the new column apart and machine down the shaft it has now. I cannot be the only one who has had this problem and I am calling on my HAMB brethren for some answers please!
I put a tapered shaft '51 Merc accessory wheel on an aftermarket splined shaft column with minimal work and no adapter. The splined shaft fit inside the tapered hole on my wheel and would tighten down. So, I just cut a keyway in the splined shaft, used a key and tightened down the wheel. Has worked great for 3 years and nearly 10k miles. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Dr. Dave to the rescue again, thank you for replying to this and the headliner post I had. I really appreciate the ideas. May I ask if you have any pics of this setup? I think I can visualize it but would like to make sure especially since it has worked so well for you. By the way, did you fab a "collar" to cover up the possible space between the stock steering wheel and the new column or did the wheel original wheel you have slip on far enough to look like it belongs?
Well,, actually, yes, I did do a write up on it in my thread, but I see all the pics are gone. I guess they did not make the transition to the new format. Here is the link to the write up anyhow: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-un-dork-ifying-of-a-merc.678319/page-6 The pictures are still in my profile and look to start about page 7…link…: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/media/users/drdave.10767/?page=7 If I get a chance, I'll see if I can edit all the dead links and get the pictures back in there, but for now, it will get you started. I now my explanation of the horn ring adapter is a bit wordy, so if it doesn't make sense, let me know and I can try to walk you through it. The pictures should help make it a bit more clear. The wheel fit right down against the column, so I did not need a ring.
OK, I got all the pictures back into that post and tried to clean up the descriptions a bit to be more clear. Hopefully it will be of help to you. I look forward to seeing the pics of your project when you get them up.
Nice work! i just had been working on this and your thread pops up, instant solution as i just bought a 50 mercury and am keeping stock wheel but with tilt. just scored chevy van column today for $50 and it's going in mercury! what did you use to carve keyway?
I used a cut off disc on my dremel tool. I may have used a stone disc, too, to help smooth it out. Of course, I made triple sure I had the steering absolutely dead center before I cut the keyway. Glad it's been a help to you! Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
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