filling cracks in steering wheel

[vegas paul]

I'm thinking about trying to restore/repair a few dings & cracks in my steering wheel (then painting it). I've heard about different fillers that can be used, everything from epoxies to bowling ball hole-filler!

Any success stories out there? And then, what kind of paint do you recommend following repairs?

Las Vegas, NV
'51 Champion Business Coupe G899965 10G-Q4-1434

[marty]

I've heard of using the "flash" from model kits (the plastic Trees that hold the models parts together). You know, the model cars and airplanes you built as a kid. Clean the area to be filled, melt the plastic into the void, let if harden, sand and paint.

Marty
1949 Champion 4 dr.
Ohio

[garyash]

Use files or hacksaw blades to open the cracks to 1/8" or bigger. Abrasive cord is good for cleaning deep down in the cracks. Fill with PC7 epoxy, let it get hard, use rasps and abrasive to sand it down to the contours of the finger grips. Fill it and sand it again and again until it is smooth and flush to the wheel shape. Prime and paint with acrylic enamel with clear overcoat. Lots of labor, low bucks.

[img=left]http://www.studegarage.com/images/gary_ash_m5_sm.jpg[/img=left] Gary Ash
Dartmouth, Mass.
'48 M5
'65 Wagonaire Commander
'63 Wagonaire Standard
web site at http://www.studegarage.com

[Guest]

Try a bowling ball repair material, or a 2 part epoxy from 3M, as Gary indicated make the cracks bigger with either a hacksaw blade or a rat tail file, once epoxied up, use a 2 part seam seal, (easy sanding) and dial into shape. then an epoxy primer, and paint.

Jim

[Mark57]

quote:Originally posted by garyash

Use files or hacksaw blades to open the cracks to 1/8" or bigger. Abrasive cord is good for cleaning deep down in the cracks. Fill with PC7 epoxy, let it get hard, use rasps and abrasive to sand it down to the contours of the finger grips. Fill it and sand it again and again until it is smooth and flush to the wheel shape. Prime and paint with acrylic enamel with clear overcoat. Lots of labor, low bucks.
Gary Ash
Dartmouth, Mass.

Now that's a true "Studebaker" fix!

<h5>Mark
'57 Transtar
3E-6/7-122 </h5>

[Cravin]

I was going to do this repair on my steering wheel but I got lucky and found a crack free on on ebay for 25 bucks last week.

I was going to use epoxy and microballons as a filler. You can get both at any hobbyshop.

[60Lark]

The steering wheel on my 56 Hawk was in extremely poor shape it had cracks about every 2 to 3 inches. I rebuilt it using JB Weld thinned with water. I brushed the soupy mix into the cracks with a cheap little paint brush, after the JB weld had set-up (24 hours) I filed and sanded the excess. After 4 or 5 of applications it was ready for paint.
This is not a very good picture, but this is the rebuilt wheel



Studebaker Fever
60 Lark
56 Power Hawk
Phil
Arnold, Missouri

[Harvey]

I am surprised that the JB weld would even mix with water. Is that what the company recommends to to use as a thinner?

[60Lark]

Clean up prior to setting up is with water. After thinning with the water it takes longer to cure but after 24 hours it sets up as if it had never seen water.


Studebaker Fever
60 Lark
56 Power Hawk
Phil
Arnold, Missouri

[Harvey]

To 60 lark.I like the water mix idea. Will have to try

[jlmccuan]

The thinning with water got me thinking. I wonder if you could thin it to a sprayable consistency? Shape some foam, spray on epoxy, build up to a shell, dissolve the foam with laquer thinner, resulting in an exact mold. Hmmm...

Jim

_________1966 Avanti II RQA 0088______________Rabid Snail Racing

[Harvey]

Sounds interesting, but you may find the epoxy rather brittle without the foam backing or using some kind of filler to support it.