Leather wrapped 1986 Lariat steering wheel.
#1
Leather wrapped 1986 Lariat steering wheel.
I went out today looking for a 78/79 steering wheel for my 1977 F-150. I don't really care for the size of the 1977 wheel plus my horn button is bad and doesn't really like to stay in the wheel. The pre-80 trucks are getting hard to find in the junk yards around here. I found one wheel out of about an 87 Ford van (it had on injected 351). It looked like a 78/79 truck wheel but it was a lot fatter which I like. I pulled that one but then I found another wheel in an 86 Lariat which I pulled and bought for $11. This one is leather wrapped and in decent shape too. I probably should have bought both wheels. I actually had another wheel like this years ago that I put on a 1977.5 F-250. I remember I had to grind out a flat spot in the splines of the wheel but after that it fit fine. I never did license that truck but for some reason I Think that maybe the turn signals didn't cancel??
So basically my question is, has anyone run a 1980 or newer wheel on a 79 or older truck and what mods were needed to make it work correctly. I am thinking something has to be done for the turn signals to cancel. There is also a small Ford emblem in the center of the horn pad. My emblem is not in that great of condition and I couldn't find a better one at the junk yard. Anyone know if that small emblem is available anywhere because it doesn't seem like it.
So basically my question is, has anyone run a 1980 or newer wheel on a 79 or older truck and what mods were needed to make it work correctly. I am thinking something has to be done for the turn signals to cancel. There is also a small Ford emblem in the center of the horn pad. My emblem is not in that great of condition and I couldn't find a better one at the junk yard. Anyone know if that small emblem is available anywhere because it doesn't seem like it.
#2
#4
Mine is not tilt. Do your turn signals cancel? Is this on your 78 F-250 listed in your signature? From my understanding the 78 column is different than the 77 which is where my problem is coming from.
#5
I put a 78 column in my 77 a while ago, (non tilt) I used the 77shaft in the 78 column and the snap ring went in a lower groove I think was all used the 78 wheel just fine. I have a mid 80's wheel on my 79 ranchero tilt w/cruise,
and just filed a little off the splines in one spot and it works fine but need to use the 79 center as the cruise buttons are different, I think that will fix it anyway, but that was all I did to put the wheel on and signals cancel just fine, its the leather wrapped looking wheel also..
and just filed a little off the splines in one spot and it works fine but need to use the 79 center as the cruise buttons are different, I think that will fix it anyway, but that was all I did to put the wheel on and signals cancel just fine, its the leather wrapped looking wheel also..
#7
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#8
I don't have cruise so thats not an issue. If I grind that flat spot out the wheel will fit because I've done it before but I think the turn signals would not cancel.
#10
Well I got it on there, the horn works and the turn signals cancel. It was a pretty easy swap. I used a small round hand file to take out the flat spot in the spines on the 1986 wheel. The horn wasn't really an issue, but my horn didn't work before I pulled the wheel so I feel like I accomplished something there. For the turn turn signals to cancel on the 77 wheel there is a metal bracket that clamps around the center hub in the steering wheel. This hub has 2 piece of metal that stick up off of it (should have taken a pic). One cancels for left turns and the other cancels for right turns. All I needed to do was transfer that peice from the 77 wheel to the 86 wheel. Now the center hub on the 86 wheel was a larger diamter so it would not fit right over. I just ground it down to the same diameter (measured with dial caliper) as the 77 wheel and transfered the part over. I put it together and everything works great. I still need to clean up the wheel and horn pad since they are fresh from the junk yard but you get the idea.
#12
Sound like you got a great deal on that wheel, I've looked at them on ebay and the ones I always saw were bringing some serious cash.