955 steering wheel removal

[Mechanos]

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?

 

[beenthere]

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.

 

[Mechanos]

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".

 

[dfkrug]

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.

 

[JD755]

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.

 

[paulkennedypaul]

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.

 

[beenthere]

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)

 

[JD755]

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.

 

[maybar]

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.

 

[dsmau]

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...

 

[brain55]

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?

Not that you need the help now. But here are some pics of the right tool for the job.

Brian

 

[Mechanos]

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.

Well, I got the steering wheels off my 955 and my 855 today. I used a center punch to put a small dimple in the center of the steering shaft. Then, I put a bearing splitter around the steering tube up against the bottom of the steering wheel. I used a 2-jaw puller (pilot point in the dimple on the shaft) to pull up on the bearing splitter. Tightened up the 2-jaw puller nice and tight and then tapped downward on the lead screw to send some shockwaves through everything. This caused the splines to pop loose so I could use the puller to finish removing the wheel.

Did the same thing on the 855, but it was a lot more rusted. I had to smack upwards on the bearing splitter (under tension from the puller) pretty hard a couple times to get it to pop loose.

 

[dfkrug]

But here are some pics of the right tool for the job.

That looks like the right puller, Brian.

The John Deere logo cap that goes over the center nut does serve a
purpose: keeping the wheel from rusting itself onto the column.

Congratulations to all who persisted and removed their wheels.