Pulling steering wheel off town car problem

[smittman]

I need to replace the turn signal switch on my '96 Town Car and have hit a problem. I got through the air bag ok, removed the retaining bolt and installed the wheel puller. The bolt holes that are for the puller to screw into were really shallow and the threads pulled right our of them. Is there any reason I can't drill all the way through the aluminum hub and retap for a better pull or is there something that I would hit if I drilled all the way through the hub? I am assuming that there is some kind of special puller to use on the original holes because there was no way that was going to work. The original holes were only about a quarter inch deep with threads only about quarter inch also. There is a small hole that goes all the way through but didn't seem to be part of any kind of puller fitting that I've ever seen. Any help would sure be appreciated here. Thanks in advance.
:feedback

 

[Dereck]

Hi Smittman

OK first grab the steering wheel at 3 and 9 O'Clock and rock it vigorously side to side while pulling up with a vengence, sometimes it works


OK didn't work, HUH? Well this is an old mechanics trick, it goes against all the rules so try it at your own risk.

Spin the bolt in 'till it is about 1/8 of an inch from home, sit is the drivers seat, wedge your knee under the steering wheel so you are forcing up on it, grab the top of the steering wheel and try to pull the steering wheel off, now with your other hand pick up a 2 or 3 lb ball pien hammer and deal the bolt one swift desisive blow, if you did it right the steering wheel is now loose

Regards

Dereck

 

[maskmarkman]

LOL.... I just posted with the same problem..... I guess a BFH is in order....