955 steering wheel removal

   / 955 steering wheel removal #1  

Mechanos

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2010
Messages
1,116
Location
Roosterville, MO
Tractor
JD 955/70A/7 TLB
Just how in the bloody heck are you suppose to remove the steering wheel? It has now provisions for attaching a puller to the wheel. Of course, the service manual is no help... it simple states "remove steering wheel".

I tried sitting on the tractor with my knees under the steering wheel pushing up, one hand on the wheel pulling up, and smacking the end of the shaft (with the nut on but backed off to protect the threads) as hard as I dared to keep from mangling the end of the shaft.


Anyone have any tips for tricks that have worked for them?
 
   / 955 steering wheel removal #2  
Would try soaking with a penetrating fluid. Personnaly I'd use a new product called RustReaper. Better than Kroil.

And you are right, there is no insight offered in the service manual. Looks like one should be careful of the steering valve below the steering wheel shaft.

Maybe rig some more pressure than the knees provide. Good luck.
 
   / 955 steering wheel removal
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Thanks..... yeah, it's been soaked with Open & Shut (my personal favorite penetrating oil) for days. I was actually a little surprised by the manual.... I was expecting it to say "cut steering wheel off and buy a new one".
 
   / 955 steering wheel removal #4  
Just how in the bloody heck are you suppose to remove the steering wheel?

That's a very good question! I wish I knew.

I have had 4 955s, and 3 I extensively rebuilt. I never got the steering
wheels off, despite several attempts. I decided to work around the
attached wheels. On other tractors, like my JD 4300, it was no problem
getting the wheel off.

In this photo, you can see that the column goes thru the instrument
bezel and there are no good purchase points. The pullers I have did not
do the job....I did not want to damage the wheel.

If you get the wheel off, report it here. Good luck.
 

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   / 955 steering wheel removal #5  
Sorry to be stating the obvious (it just was not clear to me from these posts), but I assume all this is after the cap and attaching nut at the center of the steering wheel has been removed? The nut is attached with just 10 to 12 lb-ft.
 
   / 955 steering wheel removal #6  
I had the same problem. I was going crazy trying to get that steering wheel off. but I did soak it then I used a rubber hammer, it broke loose I could not believe it and it did not hurt the steering wheel.
 
   / 955 steering wheel removal #7  
Sorry to be stating the obvious (it just was not clear to me from these posts), but I assume all this is after the cap and attaching nut at the center of the steering wheel has been removed? The nut is attached with just 10 to 12 lb-ft.

Yes, the OP did say
(with the nut on but backed off to protect the threads)
 
   / 955 steering wheel removal #8  
Yes, the OP did say

Thanks, I didn't catch that. I was sure everyone knew to do that but just thought I would bring it up because sometimes the obvious can be too obvious.
 
   / 955 steering wheel removal #9  
Drill and tap three 10-32 holes, or 1/4-28 if there is enough material, about equidistant just to the outside of the shaft. Drill three holes, that the screws will slip through, in a 3/8" plate that match the threaded hole pattern. Flush the shaft nut with the top of the shaft and install the plate using the screws. Push the plate up by backing the nut off.

Or if the shaft end has a center hole, a ball bearing ball can be placed between the hole and plate and draw the wheel off by tightening the screws alternately.
 
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   / 955 steering wheel removal #10  
I had the same problem with my 855 and I did the same as Mechanos; loosen the nut, sprayed with fluid film and WD40 then it came out by pulling on it hard and hitting the nut at the same. Didn't break anything... I did that last year to ajust some play at the column top and had to take it off again this year for the paint overall and it was very easy this time...
 
 
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