Finds: Steering Wheel Puller
By Sean O'Hara
With the right tools, pulling a steering wheel’s like petting a goat at the petting zoo. Without, well… It’s more like slaying a seven-headed hydra. (Read: Impossible.)
A steering wheel puller kit works a lot like any other puller — harmonic balancer, pulley, etc. — applying slow, steady force via mechanical advantage. Two bolts slide through a metal plate then screw into holes on the steering wheel. A third bolt goes through the center of the metal plate and pushes on the center of the axle of the wheel when tightened; it’s this action that pops the wheel off its splined home.
Our steering wheel puller lay dormant for 16 years until we dug it out this week; after it accomplished its mission we remembered why there really isn’t a better tool for it. It’s cheap, simple to operate and almost indestructible.
Note to new purchasers: There’s no reason to buy an expensive kit, even though only the expensive ones come with cases. Just put all the parts in a nice Ziploc bag and label it so you won’t find yourself (ahem) fishing in drawers 16 years later looking for a bolt or two.
Street pricing starts at $9.
Street Pricing [Froogle]
