Hello,
I was wondering if anyone has any info about a smaller replacement steering wheel for a 1956 F100. I'd really just like to get one that looks like the original, if possible.
Any leads will be appreciated.

Thanks
Steve G.

http://images53.fotki.com/v431/photo...nimizer-vi.jpg
http://images51.fotki.com/v423/photo...rop1043-vi.jpg

 

Steve that a pretty good looking steering wheel, you will have to get an adapter I got one from Grant about 19 years ago I'm sure they're still available, then you can put an aftermarket steering wheel on which I think have 3 holes if I'm not mistaken; most of the old looking wheel I see have more holes and uses an aftermarket adapter that will not fit your 56 steering column. Google grant steering wheel, or just steering wheel.

 

Good looking truck!

So you want a wheel that looks like a factory wheel, just not as large of a diameter correct?

It's do-able, it could also be a major pain to make one. Is it something you want enough to make, or is it going to be something you want to buy? Do you have Powersteering in the truck now or changed the steering set up? It might be more difficult to use the smaller wheel if you haven't.


I'm in a similar boat, I want a vintage looking wheel but I'll need a more modern column and I can't seem to find out if Ford ever changed the steering wheel's bolt pattern before they started to use air-bags. I'll probably have to custom fab an adapter if the ones Grant makes won't work... which would probably result in me just modifying the one I'll buy to test to see if it will work, lol.




If you want to make it yourself, from what I can think of you'd need to;

First get a "new" wheel, don't try this on the one you have, personally I'd find a cheap one that is in some need of some TLC or buy a repo.

Figure out how much shorter you're going to want the diameter to be. You'll have to remove most of the outside ring, this has to be redone unless you want a steering wheel with 3 big lumps in it. The cut out of the middle of the posts what you figured.

Now to be honest I haven't cut one of these open, there should be some steel in there though as just plastic isn't safe. Weld the steel together, you'll have to remove a bit of spoke to get to it. Or if it's a tube you could weld a solid rod that fit snugly inside of it that would also go into the other half of the spoke you cut off And epoxy all of that together. Once the outside ring is on there should be no risk of it coming out, the problem lies in keeping things straight and level as well strong, you wouldn't want this to break if you stopped hard or something!

Once the spokes are where you want them, you'd have to make the ring core, usually out of some steel tubing. Depending you might be able to get this to go through the original hole in the spoke for it, but like I said I haven't cut a '56 one open and am only guessing on how they made it based off other wheels. You would then either make a wood covering, or a mold and fill that mold with resin while the wheel is in it. I have links showing how to do either. You'll also need to use some resin to fix where you cut the spoke, if I recall they have a little bit of a taper to them so you'll have to adjust for that.


I've made a couple wheels over the years, it's honestly not that hard, the hardest part is just keeping it straight and level but if you stop and take measurements very often or build a jig it's not a problem.





There are places that sell Vintage looking wheels, I'm just very particular on what I want... so I usually have to make it.

 

Steve,
Grant has three adapters that are suppose to fit your column, #5257-1, 5257, & 4257, the last one is the one I mentioned above the other two will accept the 5-hole steering wheels which are more popular. Try googling "Forty Ford Style Wheel" this is a nice one but pricey this is what the caption says.
You just can't beat the Classic Forty's style Ford steering wheel in a hot rod. This is a super nice reproduction painted with a gloss black finish. Wheel measures 15" across and fits a 3 bolt wheel mounting pattern. Made in America

Part #: 804006

Price: $445.95

 

Boy, thanks guys, for all the info. Looks like I'll have to see what is available in some of those aftermarket places. I'm not thinking of cutting up my old one, but if it came down to it, I could find an old steering wheel and try and modify it.

With no power steering, it's probably not a good idea to go too small. But if I can find a 15"-16" one, I might have to give it a try.(if it's not too expensive!)

I'll do some more Googling and check out Grants too.

Thanks again for all the help!
Sg

 

If you want an idea of what it could be like to use a smaller wheel, find an empty parking lot and try to drive by turning the spokes around the middle. It help you see what the difference in resitance would be.

 

Awhile back there were a few threads about fabricating your own steering wheel. I think bobj49f2 posted them. Some of the info might have come from the HAMB.
If I remember right the wheel being fabricated was a banjo style wheel.

I think they even went so far as to recast some kind of resin around the outer ring when it was all done. I don't remember the details. I'll try and do a search on it.

Bobby