Steering wheel hub slop

[Jon Miller]

I just tried to install my steering wheel and there is a ton of slop in the splined hub adaptor when I put it on the shaft. I would think that this should be a nice tight fit.......

I've got a VW bug column and a Grant hub kit. The shaft spline looks good, but the spline on the hub looks like it was cast rather than cut, and is not very good quality.

Is this ok??? Is there a better way?? I was thinking about turning a billet hub on my lathe and having a machine shop spline it for me. Any idea how much metric spline cutting costs?

-Jon

[KobraKarl]

Jon,

With manual steering I would NOT use it. You should need everything short of a mallette to install.. maybe your adapter is incorrect ??

KK

[strictlypersonl]

I've never used a Grant kit, but every other removable steering wheel setup that I've used has some play. Otherwise, it would be almost impossible to remove or replace the wheel.

It's all a bad compromise. The hex design makes it easy to put the wheel back on but seems to be the loosest. The finer the spline, the most likely the fit will be tight - but it's a real PITA to get the wheel back on in the same place.

[Jose]

I too have been searching for a Grant hub and a 15" steering wheel for my '65 Jag, no such luck. But while searching, I have read some pretty disgusting opinions about their steering wheels and hubs, which in essence say they are unsafe products. I do not know if that is true, so I will not make any accusations against Grant Corp., but I do know that every Grant steering wheel that I tried to order has been discontinued, even though it still shows in different websites as "available". Worse, when I called Grant through their toll-free number, the person answering
the phone doesn't know what, who, or when and her attitude is questionable, kind of unhelpful.

I don't know how Hub Adapters are made, especially the "spline" or "threaded" hole that mates with the shaft. I've been checking locally and I found a machine shop willing to "try", also found a Steering Wheels company willing to make a hub adapter as long as I provide them with the original steering wheel and shaft from my car so they can make molds. Removing the Steering wheel is no problem, but removing the inner column shaft?

I've also been advised to just cut the hub fom the original steering wheel and adapt a wheel to it, but destroying a 1965 Jaguar wheel is not my way to do things. I still have every steering wheel from every car I have ever owned since 1967 hanging on my wall like trophies. I'm just not going to destroy that "school bus" steering wheel.

Certainly, I'm puzzled at the state of confusion in the steering wheel industry.

[Jack21]

Need to look in less obvious places for steering wheels, columns, shafting, all the stuff from your hands to the steering rack.

Looked at both Grant, and LeCarra for wheel and hub. LeCarra wins hands down!

Go to Ididit (.com) for the best columns on the market.

Arguably, Borgeson (and possibly Flaming River) make the best shafting and coupling components.

There is absolutely no slop or play from the steering wheels to the road wheels with these components.

Hate to say this, but Grant steering wheel, and VW Bug steering column do not belong on a Cobra.

[Jon Miller]

Never thought I'd see this thread again.......almost a year old now.

Once I got done with the hub and tightened everything up all the slop went away. There is a slight taper on the grant adaptor that was not evident on the first fitting.

I went with a 6 bolt MotoLita wood wheel, and Flaming River splined shafts and joints to complete the install.

I've got to disagree with Mr. 21 about the VW column. It looks identical to the original 60's vintage Cobra piece and is much less costly than the Ididit part. They were also used on Contemporary cars.

-Jon

Don't tell anyone, but my seat adjuster tracks came out of a Honda Civic......