What's the secret? Steering wheel cap...

Dangerous Doug · #1 (**permalink**) 05-06-2009, 08:08 PM

Okay, I tried WD-40, chilling in ice water for ten minutes, and brute force. Nothing seems to prep the steering wheel cap so I can install it and have it stay in place. It "kind of" goes in, but pops loose if I look at it cross-eyed or sneeze. I contemplated sacrificing a goat to the Cobra gods during a full moon, but before I go to all that messy trouble, I thought I'd ask here first.

What's the secret to getting the original style steering wheel cap to stay on the wood steering wheel?

DD

rokndad · #2 (**permalink**) 05-06-2009, 08:16 PM

I uniformly sanded down the O-ring that holds it in place until it just squeezed in and stayed. WD-40 will make things too slippery to stay. A slight rotation with pressure downward also helped.

Dangerous Doug · #3 (**permalink**) 05-06-2009, 08:24 PM

That's worth a shot. I keep trying to push it in straight. I wonder if I could find a thinner o-ring at the local hardware store.

DD

ekrupa2 · #4 (**permalink**) 05-06-2009, 08:31 PM

Doug - it might take some experimentation with o-rings...i was having the same issue with my knock-off wheel caps. I changed to a thinner o-ring and wrapped the o-ring with one revolution of common plumbers teflon tape. Now my spinner caps went in with a "snap" and they dont seem to be popping out on their own. I wonder if the same trick might work with the steering wheel cap?

Dangerous Doug · #5 (**permalink**) 05-06-2009, 08:35 PM

I'll be down at my local Ace Hardware with a pair of calipers, measuring 0-ring tube diameters...

Teflon tape. Hadn't thought of that...

DD

FWB · #6 (**permalink**) 05-06-2009, 11:14 PM

uh....glue?

danc30 · #7 (**permalink**) 05-07-2009, 08:50 AM

Make sure the center bolt holding tthe wheel on isn't interfereing with it going all the way in.

I had to grind mine down slightly and then I used a dremel to open up the hole in the steering wheel just a "little" where the O-rings seat. (Couple quick passes)

HTH

Dangerous Doug · #8 (**permalink**) 05-07-2009, 09:26 AM

Checked the steering wheel bolt already. No interference. I think I'll try to find a different o-ring today during my lunch.

DD

jhv48 · #9 (**permalink**) 05-07-2009, 09:59 AM

It's the tight seal that is causing it to pop off (air pressure that can't escape). Drill a tiny hole either on the side of the lip or in a part of the cap that you can later seal and paint if it bothers you.

I drilled a tiny hole in the black part of the emblem and you can't even see it. Its the size of a pin.

PFSlim · #10 (**permalink**) 05-07-2009, 11:27 AM

I am looking for a cap and (6) screws. I noticed that a vendor carries them. Anyone else got one?

Thanks in advance

Paul

Ronbo · #11 (**permalink**) 05-07-2009, 11:57 AM

Take a bar of hand soap and rub it on the o ring and around the inside.

Oil won't work.

Bobcat · #12 (**permalink**) 05-07-2009, 12:11 PM

A "secret" we used in rebuilding hydraulic valves when installing the static seal O rings was to use a light film of liquid soap on the O ring . It gave it lubricity and would stick the O ring to the metal as it dried out .... plus it was compatible with the hydraulic oils we used . Even works great as a bead lube when mounting a tire .
Some of those O rings can be a bear to get where they are supposed to be.

Mdman352 · #13 (**permalink**) 05-07-2009, 01:37 PM

Mine has clips and i missing one so the cap won't stay on. any ideas?
david

Ronbo · #14 (**permalink**) 05-07-2009, 01:44 PM

Dot of RTV in a couple spots, not too much.

Dangerous Doug · #15 (**permalink**) 05-07-2009, 01:50 PM

Bought various sizes of o-rings. First, I think I'll try the soap bar trick first, then try changing the o-ring out.

It's nice to get to a place with my Cobra build that my biggest concern is getting the steering wheel cap to stay in place!

DD

lemans24 · #16 (**permalink**) 05-07-2009, 03:37 PM

I had my machine shop guy put it on a mill/lathe and take off a little bit of the back, so it slides deeper into the steering wheel. worked perfect.

Dangerous Doug · #17 (**permalink**) 05-07-2009, 10:36 PM

Thank for the advice. After experiementing with soap and the original o-ring, along with soap with some smaller o-rings, here is what worked for me:

The diameter of the original o-ring is 0.135". This pops loose, even with soap. I purchased a handful of smaller diameter o-rings. 0.100" falls in---and subsequently, falls out. In my collection of o-rings was a 0.075" diameter o-ring, with a smaller overall diameter than the original. I put this one on first, stretching it to get it over the cap mount. Then, I added on top of it the 0.100" o-ring---properly soaped up, of course.

This pushed in, and then with a twist I could hear a light sucking sound, and in she went. Seems stabile, but I'm sure I'll find out tomorrow when I get in.

In terms of the soap, what I used was some glycerin soap from the house. Not sure if that was the right kind to use, but I wet it and rubbed it all over my hand. Then, I squished the loose o-ring around in my hand until it was soapy.

Anyhow, it's on. I'm happy.
DD

xracerbob · #18 (**permalink**) 05-08-2009, 05:47 AM

I used dry spray lubricant and it worked great. Beware of WD-40 or other oils, they can cause the o-ring to swell and make it impossible.

Dominik · #19 (**permalink**) 05-08-2009, 06:02 AM

"It's nice to get to a place with my Cobra build that my biggest concern is getting the steering wheel cap to stay in place!"

:-) no comment!

Dom

rokndad · #20 (**permalink**) 05-08-2009, 08:40 PM

Doug,

One other thing you might try if for some reason it comes out too easily again. Use the smaller O-ring you last put on, but before you put it on, and without using a second O-ring, cut some thin (the thickness of the groove that the O-ring fits in) strips of electrical tape and wrap that around the cap's groove before you put the O-ring on. This pushes outward the thinner O-ring and gives you control over exactly how big an outside diameter you end up with. This is a trick I used on the cone shaped neoprene ring on my distributor shaft and it now it doesn't leak a drop. And the cap comes off and on easily every time. Cheers.

Tom