I'm tired of having to reach down to my dash to honk the horn, tired of the cracks in my oem wheel. I'm getting ready to replace the instrument panel and gauges too, and want a nice wheel to complement the dash. Can someone point me in the right direction? Someone had passed along a link to a vendor, but it got lost in my link shuffle. Thank you for the help.

 

My new DC reproduction looks great and the horn works. only way to go IMO.

 

I bought a new Grant (#332) 14 3/4" Diameter wheel (with 4" dish) wheel and used an adapter with horn 7 years ago, it looked great, but it was smaller so not so handy if resting the left elbow area on the door arm rest and the left fingers on the wheel to keep steady as I actually steer with my right usually, but in time the alloy adapter worked it's way down on the splines from wear, relaxed torque on the nut, so it moved more I guess, & then it got to where it wouldn't tighten enough to eliminate play. I put the OEM 16.5" OD wheel back on with it's steel splined hub, no more slack, feels good too. I dressed it up with two chrome accents which also covered the worst cracks, then I added a new wrap too (used a lace on wrap but put it over top the old laced on wrap, it's cushy now). The Grant wheel hangs in the basement. If I buy another one if this one cracks more, it'll be a reproduction like 440-6pk mentioned. The plasic is molded around a steel welded frame work, rim, hub ... very stout.



My floor mat gotg skewed by my foot I see.

 

X2 on the DC repro. Put a Grant wheel on my truck and has been a real hassle. Horn has never worked right, and it's a real pain when I need to take it off and put it back on. Have a new DC one ready to put on. Seems real nice and no weird adapters, horn etc.

 

I hadn't thought about what putting a smaller wheel on meant as far as comfort of driving. Thanks for that. That info made me reconsider the whole swap thing.

 

Have a look at these guys, I had some trouble with my Grant wheel simply due to the cartoon "universal instructions" for every application. I figgered it out and of course the horn works. I went with a slightly smaller radius because after new seat foam and reinforcing the springs my thighs seemed a little to close to the larger diameter wheel. Made it harder to get in the truck. Anyhow the below link is from Forever Sharp on youtube and they have some very cool selections and offer better instructions as well

 

I bought a GT Performance steering wheel, horn button, and mounting kit from Jeg's. Looks great, fits perfectly, and no problems with the turn signal cancelling function. Thick, padded rim offers a comfortable grip.

 

I'm wondering if steering wheels from newer trucks are a direct bolt-in? I know Econoline-series vans share a lot of the same parts as our trucks. I think it would be nice to have a factory original Ford steering wheel, but a newer "fatter" one from just before airbags were installed. The thin wheels of our trucks aren't fun to hold on to on long drives, in my opinion. Has anyone tried installing a steering wheel from an 80's or 90's truck or van?

 

I believe you can go up to mid 80's in the vans. Think my truck has one from the mid 80's and it has a fatter padded outer ring. My horn and cruise fit right on.

 

Depends on what year you want to swap the wheel into. 78-79 are no problem, you can use the later wheel. 77 & earlier are more difficult. There is a difference in the way the turn signal cancels, although I saw someone had posed a workaround a while back. Sorry, I don't remember the details. The diameter of the steering column where it meets the wheel is also different, so there is a mismatch where they meet. Also, some of the later wheels have a small flat spot in the splines, the 79 & earlier columns don't have a corresponding flat spot. You can use a small round file to remove the flat spot & the wheel will fit fine.

I agree, the fatter wheels are much more comfortable. The best is the fat genuine leather grip Sport wheel.

 

Don't be fooled by the 79 and up Mustang 3 spoke wheels, they have no horn contact ring on the backside. Also no cruise control on 3 spokes. My 78 Bronco had wrapped wheel and cruise but was 2 spoke. The only sport wheels with horn that I can think of came on Mustang II, Pinto, Torino and Pace trucks. May have been in a Granada ESS, but they ain't falling out of the trees either. The van wheel I use is not wrapped, just has a thick rubbery textured surface. Works for me. A big yes to Scottscott, definite break off point on column diameter pre and post 78 on trucks.

 

I ordered this repro steering wheel with horn button from Dennis Carpenter.
Original was cracked and half of the horn button was missing.

It's not possible to get anything here in Germany... hope parts will look like original and fit.

ps: i didn't receive it yet... so i can't tell anything for sure.

 

We went with a Grant steering wheel on an Ididit column, and a set of Speedhut gauges set in real walnut burl veneer. (The veneer is all cracked and kind of sketchy looking, but it has actually aged a lot better than the replacement repop dash insert!) I really like how our truck looks like complete crap on the outside, but it has a recent inspection sticker, and everything works, except the fast idle cam business at startup, and the wipers don't park most of the time. Everything else works. Windshield washer, horn, no stupid jerry rigged crapola. She's a respectable truck, even if she is old, fat, toothless, and has ***** hanging to her ankles.


Dash with custom gauges, steering column, and wheel

 

Thanks one and all for the great information and photos. When one of the members mentioned that he liked the smaller diameter steering wheel because after his restoration in his seat set higher and that his OEM steering wheel hit his legs, that got me thinking. My legs rest or rub on the bottom of the steering wheel. That means when I'm making a turn my hands are on the wheel and they come around and hit my legs. I think it'll help a lot to have a smaller wheel to give a little more room to maneuver. Also, I don't know how many times during a normal day in LA traffic I reached for my horn, and the switch that I rigged up is on the dash, and by the time I reach it the person I really wanted to give an ear full to his coming on. So installing a new steering wheel with the functioning horn in the center will be an added bonus. I think I'll be going with one of the grant wheels, but that will be determined in the near future. Thanks for all the information, guys. Keep on trucking.

Random note: I have a fairly good two-tone paint job on my truck and I always thought that it looked presentable. Yet, when I'm driving down the street or highway, a daily notice that people will swerve to the far side of their leaning away from me as they pass me. I'm wondering if others who drive these trucks have noticed the same thing. What the hell is wrong with people? Do they think we because we drive an older vehicle that were unsafe for drunk or out to get them? I guess if IA and telling the full truth I have to say that having observed that behavior so often has made me start trapping people when I see them coming. For example, when I look in my rearview mirror and see some hotshot coming up fast and loud behind me, I'll speed up to the car traveling in the next lane and come close to him so that the hotshot behind me is nowhere to get by. Maybe I have a perverse sense of humor, but I have to admit that gives me loads and loads of amusement and pleasure. Anybody else following the same route?

 

After years with a stock wheel and my '86 Mercury seats, I rarely drove the '77 in the cold, so no bother, but then I retired from the state LE, gave up my assigned car ... and soon took a part time job and would often drive my '77 to work, and noticed a thick leather jacket with gloves in pockets and my Mercury seats and stock F-150 wheel did not all fit well, so Ibought a smaller Grant wheel, but just recently found the aluminum adapter hub had worn ... so back to stock wheel, but I find that can lower my seat some if desired. I made my tracks in the '80s, I have them so I can change some bolts and add or subtract spacers ... I'll wait to see. I get the new doors on, cut down on drafts, might be OK. I do like the ease with which I can grip the wheel with my left hand as my arm rests on the door though, much steadier than hanging on to a smaller wheel.

As to random note .... lot of idiots out there and you never know what they bring with them.

Edited 02-15-2022 to say that after driving it with the stock steering wheel with my new doors on with my custom built (by "Les" ... no less) inner door panels with custom arm rests, and after banging my elbow on the arm rest, I have rehabilitated my Grant 3285 adapter, tightened up the fit to the sttering shaft, and have reinstalledc the Grant 332 steering wheel, 14-3/4" OD vs the stock 16-1/2" OD, difference of 1-3/4" or just 7/8" on each side to the smaller OD ... or further from the stock arm rest, but really near about the same as I probably added with the custom door panel / arm rest combo. Feels better, and I do like the look still.