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Recently I thought I was gonna be maybe replacing some bearings, but in steps and with help, I found that what I thought was a bad steering collumn bearing or bearings was actually rooted in the aluminum steering wheel hub of an aftermarket steering wheel I put on a few years back. It wouldn't fit tightly to the shaft even after tightening the nut more. The nut was suprizingly not tight, perhaps a result of the rocking on loose splines? Much of this was in that other thread, but I thought might get some more input as to refurbish options this way, experiences, etc.
I just put that wheel on a few years ago, it's got a 15" OD thick padded rim with black steel spokes, looks racy. I was going to make a loop of 12 ga copper to squeese down between the wheel's center hole and the collumn shaft with the nut, but then I saw the OEM steering wheel hanging up still on that nail. It's about 16-1/2" OD, the rim covering is a lace on old Superior brand cover, both spokes are cracked about half way out ... near the screw holes in back due to the plastic swelling and shrinking at a different rate that the all steel frame & hoop it is molded around. I tried it on the shaft with it's steel hub, the splines tighten up on the shaft and it does NOT wobble. They melded as if two olf friends. All noise is gone, my collumn bearings are not worn out, not worn at all that I can detect actually. I also reduced steering wheel play measured out at the rim by half. I know it sounds like a scarry bunch, it was in no danger of total control loss. I shut my door, assumed a driving attitude, and fondly recalled how the slightly larger 16-1/2" OD does let me hold it with my left fingers as my left arm rests on the door's arm rest. The smaller wheel was not so close.
I know that about All these wheels will crack in time, maybe I'll try a filler of black something not hard like, I might even come up with a covering merthod to hide the cracks, and I'll put a new cover on the rim portion, but that fixed my issue. The cracking does not weaken the OEM steering wheel, I've seen wrecker operators drop a hook through the busted windshield of a flood vehicle stuck in raging stream waters at a bridge, hook the wheel, and pull it up to the roadway in a dead lift, it does straighten out the steering wheel rim though.
Now I'm gonna shop for a steering wheel rim cover, maybe a wood grain type center horn button / switch insert too. I am happy, a little surprised, & some good bit embarassed even ... but I'll recover.
I have seen a lot of these wheels cracked a bit worse than mine which has just the two cracks seen. Since I know strength is not affected, I may look for something to wrap the two spokes with and tuck under the horn button insert. I may find I'm just happy with the wheel cover too. This lace on old Superior lace -on cover is well polished in spots from 27 years use, may just wrap it too for extra cushion, was May 1994 I drove 1600 miles round trip to Vermont to get a Triumph Trident, up on Monday, back on Tuesday, wore sores on my fingers holding the plastic wheel on those concrete interste highways so I wrapped it pretty soon afterwards.
Anyways ... I saw a thread about a product called PC-7 epoxy and painting, I might give that a shot, not sure if JBWeld would work very well here, too hard I think ... but I might give the JBW a go as even if it did develope a subsequent crack, such would be hairline compared to these "ravines".
I seen too that I could maybe clean this better after it's hanging on that rafter nail all these years ... so I did after this pic. I had forgotten that the whole horn insert is a button, not just the two end most thumb striations. Neighbor's daughter thought I was blowing the horn at her. I do know now tonot puncture it for emblem pins.
I can sew, I have the tools, I might fashion a cover or covers for the cross bar part. I did once make a leatherette pebble grain dash cover for a '67 Chevelle that looked factory to cover it's cracks (2).
The new DC ones are the way to go. I've restored several wheels that are not reproduced with PC-7 and had another done by a professional for big bucks. THEY ALWAYS CRACK AGAIN and usually in a year or so.
I'm sure the DC will crack in time as well that's what happens when you put steel in plastic.
JB weld is no good. It takes to long to set up and will run out before it sets up causing a mess. 5min epoxy works fairly well and you can mix a color into it. I did my outer ring with a wheel cover from K-Mart and sewed it on.
JB weld is no good. It takes to long to set up and will run out before it sets up causing a mess. 5min epoxy works fairly well and you can mix a color into it. I did my outer ring with a wheel cover from K-Mart and sewed it on.
Yeah, JBWeld would take a good while to set up enough to "tool" without sagging, I've done some things with it, but JBQuickWeld is better, but takes attention too. Perhaps taping the plastic to the edge, then every few minutes after the first 6 or 10 hours ... "tool it" until it looks right, then paint. Nothing I can think of is gonna permanently fix it without cracking again, and like we know, it's not structural.
I do want to ask, where did you find that "Mile-O-Meter" like Vacuum gauge? I love it! I had one but it got broke
Today, just tinkering in the basement shop, I came across a partial roll of Cowles "Protecto Trim" #37-530 7/16" wide sortof flat half round chrome trim I had used to replace some old cracked stuff on the rear bumper of a car I used to have, it' durable, easy to bend too. I was struck with an idea. I pulled the '77 around tgo take the all black steering wheel off, went in the basement and after done, below is the result. The stuff has real stickum stuff, it's intended for exterior trim work. I did find my old srteering wheel had some more harline cracks, so I drilled a few holes for zip ties, but then didn't use them, gonna see how well this sticks. I very well may get the same profile in black if I find I like it enough, but I'll see how well thiis holds up. My new cover will cover the ends differently I'm sure. I kind of like it, it also draws the eye away from the huge cracks where still visable ... I think.
It does nothing for the back side, but I don't see the backside. I also needed my steering wheel puller to get this OEM wheel off where as that aftermarket just pulled off with out much effort. I might even look for the wood grain insert horn button, but I still think a 2" long 7/8" wide Ford Blue Oval would be "the bomb". I had forgotten also how much visability of the speedo and stuff was lost with the smaller 3 spoke Grant wheel, but it is a nice looking wheel.
About those zip tie holes, they are hidden until you look closer on the back side, but if I ever do need them, I'll use thin zip ties and may need to notch reliefs where they would come out between the horn button insert and the plastic wheel body. I sort of hope they are not needed, but the holes are there now if needed so unless the wheel falls apart, it's on for a long haul now.
Edited 09-01-21 ealy AM : To say I was looking for some other stuff, opened a cabinet, there hidden was an unopened box with 20 foot roll of #37-423 Protecto-Trim which is 1/2" wide half round like the above chrome, just 1/16" wider and a hair thicker at 1/4" ... it's gloss black. Not gonna do anything until I get a new wrap on steering wheel rim cover, but if I get tired of the chrome above, I haver a backup on hand. I also have some several feet of fender opening trim that's chrome with a black raised lip that is to protect the chrome part, it was for a trike's rear fenders, don't think it'll help here.
I do know now to not puncture it for emblem pins. 
