I had a devil of a job getting the steering wheel off my when I installed the wheel pilot. I eventually got it off with a wheel puller, but that was difficult to fit too.
The tapered shaft on my steering was quite roughly machined with circular grooves that probably locked the wheel taper in place.
I you do decide to go the blow-torch route, you might try heating the staff gently for quite a while so that the wheel flange has time to get hot and expand then chill the shaft quickly with iced water. This "hot n cold" method has worked for me with stuck interference-fit auto parts before.
Last edited by Oskar 26M on Wed Jan 07, 2009 5:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
My way of pulling the wheel was to get my wife and I to push toward the stearn on the wheel while I had unscrewed the large bolt to almost off the threads flush with the end of the shaft and hit the nut with a 21 oz carpenter's hammer and it popped off after a couple hard taps. do not hit the shaft threads.
I have pulled my steering wheel a lot of times. Always use a wheel puller. The first time I pulled mine it sounded like a shotgun going off when it came loose. after that, it would come loose easily with the puller. There is no way anything less than the puller would have gotten it loose the first time. The puller I use has 3 stout looking legs on it. They don't fit perfectly under the steering wheel hub, so it slips a time or 2 until I get it arranged right and grow a third arm to hold all of the legs in place while tightening the puller bolt.
I think the autoparts store also had a smaller 2 prong puller that did not look like it would work.
I rented the 3 prong from autozone. 20 bucks. could have bought for 15. Clerk said if i don't return it no biggie they just order another. I have needed it since and no regrets paying the extra few dollars. Works well. Once you get it really tight you may want to tap with a hammer. I did that and nothing, then while looking at it studying what to do next it popped like mentioned above, was loud. It has come off easier since but I can see how it might tighten again so give it some breathing room under pressure, doesn't hurt.
puggsy wrote:How about this for a poor man's autopilot....
Puggsy
After seeing Puggsy's autopilot I resent the name given to my autopilot. It's called a wheel brake and It cost 50$ and poor men can't afford it......Right Puggsy!
Q1
when I installed the wheel pilot. I eventually got it off with a wheel puller, but that was difficult to fit too. 
the name given to my autopilot. It's called a wheel brake and It cost 50$ and poor men can't afford it......Right Puggsy! 