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48 Champion Steering Wheel Removal

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  • Steering: 48 Champion Steering Wheel Removal

    Can't find anything on search, and I don't have a service manual. The horn ring has a plastic center cap, and there are no visible fasteners. I am very concerned about the horn ring, which appears to be pot metal. What is the magic secret to removal? Any special tool needed?
    Trying to build a 48 Studebaker for the 21st century.
    See more of my projects at stilettoman.info

  • #2
    On a '51 Champion, which looks similar to my eye, the center plastic cap is held in the pot metal horn ring with an O-ring. The plastic cap must be pulled out very carefully. I nicked ours badly using a knife to lift it out. Use the widest softest blade you can find, if you have to use a wedge to lift it out. The plastic cap hides the nut holding the wheel to the shaft.

    On my Champion, my steering wheel puller would not fit between the collar around the shaft and the wheel, so I built a puller that did fit. My steering wheel is on so tight, I ended up bending the puller that could fit, and the wheel never did release. See jclary's post for something that might work for you. http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...aring+splitter

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    • #3
      I built the bearing-puller based remover and it works extra special nice. My wheel is different from yours but the basic concepts are similar. My website has a lot of pictures showing how it goes together:
      1/16/2013 – 2/13/2013 The steering wheel on my car is the so-called “banjo” wheel. Studebaker called it a “Phantom Wheel” and it was an upgrade from the stock plastic …
      _______________
      http://stude.vonadatech.com
      https://jeepster.vonadatech.com

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      • #4
        For 1948, there are two different styles of steering wheels. Mine has the standard wheel with only a horn "button." On the button style, the horn button is rotated to remove it. However, if you have a "chrome horn ring" you have the deluxe steering wheel. Those plastic center caps are held on with an "O" ring and must be pried out. If you have particularly strong fingernails, sometimes they can be pried out that way. However, I've not been lucky enough to get one to come off that easy. What I have done is to improvise a pry tool. I use an old tooth brush. What you do is cut off the head of an old plastic tooth brush and grind it down to a fine flat wedge and use it to persuade the horn cap off. You have to use some finesse to keep from cracking the plastic, but it can be done. Once the plastic cap is off, you will see probably three screws that hold the horn ring in place. When removing them, be sure to keep all the parts in order. Those screws go through plastic insulators and a rubber donut that make up your "stand-off" mechanism that keeps your horn ring from grounding and blowing the horn when you don't want to. Good luck with the project. Let us know how you make out.

        Oh, by the way...buy a manual. You won't regret that.
        John Clary
        Greer, SC

        SDC member since 1975

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        • #5
          One thing I forgot to mention...if you can't get a toe hold to pry the cap loose with the plastic tooth brush tool...try DENTAL FLOSS. Any thing that you can wedge between the chrome horn ring and the plastic cap that will provide enough of a gap to get the process started.
          John Clary
          Greer, SC

          SDC member since 1975

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          • #6
            DENTAL FLOSS!!!!!

            What a great idea. A few wraps and you might even be able to start rotating it.

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            • #7
              Thanks for the help, especially John. The cap came right off, and the wheel was pretty easy also. I was not so concerned about the plastic cap, as we may be replacing it with a custom machined part. Once I decided to use a different wheel on my Studebaker, I was offered a pretty good price for the Stude wheel to go on a really over-the-top 57 Willys wagon that my friend Sean is building, radical custom chassis, big wheels, and Ford 429 - not your average grocery getter. He may make a custom machined center cap with a Willys stylized "W" engraved.

              I cannot think of any other use for a Studebaker manual except possibly if have trouble disassembling the doors and window mechanism. Everything else mechanical or electronic I can think of is being replaced with modern machinery. I will use the Stude mechanical oil pressure gage, still not sure about the temp gage.
              Last edited by 48skyliner; 04-30-2014, 07:41 PM.
              Trying to build a 48 Studebaker for the 21st century.
              See more of my projects at stilettoman.info

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