BJ8 Steering Wheel Refurbishment

[pkmh]

Hey Everyone,

This winter has been pretty brutal for doing any kind of meaningful work on the Healey, especially in an unheated garage.

The steering wheel was one project perfect for taking apart and doing indoors. Two photos included showing before and after refurbishment. Several items for repair included trafficator cleaning and adjustment (left turn signal wouldn't stay in position, now greatly improved), telescopic chrome sleeve(?) over-stretched and pitted, repainting of the hub and fixing the cracked third points of the steering wheel.

I can live with what I have done, especially with the plastic wheel at the third points. I used "Milliput, a two-part epoxy which can be sculpted using water, hardens rock hard and can be sanded smooth, not to mention it comes in black. Sanding is easy. The only thing I haven't done yet was to try to blend in a more blackened appearance. I was considering brushing on India ink. I do not want to spray the entire wheel black.

So far as the touch up approach, any thoughts or ideas?

Thanks and enjoy the cold for those who are living in it!

Paul

 

[Keoke]

HI I used an epoxy too for the repairs, then I sprayed the entire wheel with a hi temperature engine black paint worked a charm

 

[RAC68]

Hi Paul,

As always, a very nice job. I agree with Keoke and, when refurbishing my original wheel, also used a black spray to unify the color. After 10 years of the refurbishment, and prior to the installation of my present wood wheel, the wheel's paint showed no deterioration. However, I did stop wearing a ring that could have caused wheel scaring.

Again, a very nice fob on both the dash and wheel.

Ray (64BJ8P1)

 

[why]

Nice job, goodness knows how many years ago I read a cautionary tale about getting into the hub innards, all I recall is a washer dropping down into tube. My trafficator pretty much works but has a problem that sounds similar to yours, it works or not depending on position of wheel. Any words of encouragement or discouragement as to trying to fix, thanks, Jay '65 3000

 

[Keoke]

Well if it was a small washer it is probably just laying in the bottom of the box out of harms way.???