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BN2 new wood steering wheel install

Papa Law

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Finally got my Healey 100M steering wheel in from Mike Lempert and it looks perfect. Read all I could to find out about the project but everything references the 6 cylinder cars. Can anyone tell me where to look or give me some info on the 1956 Healey BN2. I have a non adjustable wheel and need to know how to get the trafficator off to accomplish the task. The BN2 service manual starts after the trafficator is off so that is no help. One article in Moss Motors had a gentleman do it without removing the wires at the steering box but it was for a later 6 cylinder model. Thanks for any help!
 
What you need to do is disconnect the wire harness from the trafficator where it passes through the steering box and exits through a "gland nut" which is what actually holds the long tube that contains the wires from the switch mechanism in the steering wheel. You can access that section of the harness through the left ffront wheel well(assuming Lh drive). Loosen the gland nut and you should be able to wiggle the trafficator assembly and tube out towards the rear of the car. It is a long tube and once you get the wire harness moving it should slide out easily. The gland nut on the front side of the steering box is what holds the whole thing in place. You might consider taping a strand of string or thin wire to the end you are pulling through so you can use it to pull the wires back through when you are done. Also, it has been a long time since I did that job but I think your steering box oil falls out when you loosen the gland nut (also called an olive nut) so you might want to drain it first.
 
StatorPullSetup.jpg


For less mess, I like to leave the stator tube in place and the olive tight.
In my case, I've never been able to pull all 4 bullets through the stator tube. I drilled out 2 -4 with a 1/16" drill and pulled the wires out the stator tube. For installation I attached a female bullet connector to a long bailing wire. I put shrinkwrap over wires 2 - 4 and pulled the whole thing forward through the stator. Then resoldered bullets 2 - 4 to their wires.
 
I would take the opportunity to remove the trafficator altogether. Although it is an interesting piece of antique Bakelite IMHO it doesn't belong in a sports car. It is fiddly to install and use and looks like it belongs in a 1940s family saloon. Move the horn and indicator to the dashboard and fit a nice alloy blanking plate. Another very clean option is to fit a Motolita horn push and just move the indicator to the dashboard.
 

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I recently put a Lempert Wheel in my BN2. I found that the 'Lempert' hub--which is actually made by Mota Lita but modified by Mike--has a slightly longer splined section:

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Mike said he hadn't seen--and/or didn't know about--this, and I didn't get quite as much thread on the big nut as I would have liked, but it worked.
 
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