So Does Everyone HATE This Steering Wheel?

[Rusty Nail]

Here's the '77 (not sticky)

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[Shorty81]

IMO, the gages, bezel, dash and steering wheels make these old trucks. To each his own, but I like them mostly original.

 

[Rusty Nail]

Here's the S-10? Blazer wheel in the 88. Same diameter. 16" O.D.

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[Bennyt]

Sorry to derail...

For those that need more room, squarebodysyndicate sells a shorter column. Not cheap, but nothing aftermarket ever is. I believe it is made by Ididit.

You may now resume talking about how big, sticky, and the feel of your parts are.

 

[Rusty Nail]

Thanks Benny.

You'll note the width of the grip found on the S-10 wheel, I love it.. Straight across 3&9 o'clock is alllll me! It is MUCH thicker and hella puffy in comparison.

Also worty of note

*Removing the sticky with acetone and a rag WILL remove some of the grain obviously -or not - but If you zoom in on the 77's wheel, you might can see the weak grain or lack of depth to the grain. It's minor but the sticky really is just the top little bit of material, the wheel doesn't get sticky all the way through - in the General's defense.


Maybe I got too western with it you say?

Sure maybe, but it ain't sticky.

 

[Blue Ox]

Correct me if I'm wrong but it looks like on the later trucks different trim levels may have gotten different wheels? My Silverado has the straighter spokes and the narrow horn button. But I seem to have seen some with the wide horn button where the spokes are angled down more.

I don't know what the wide button wheels feel like, but I think mine is just perfect. I usually drive with only my index finger and thumb anyway, so this is the ideal setup for me. I can put my arm on either the armrest or the window sill and just hook my digits on the end on that left spoke and I'm good for the duration. Unless I have to turn, then the thumb comes off and it's one finger.

Of course, that join between the wheel and spoke has an awful lot of wear on it now. Nicely broken in I guess.

 

[Octane]

The factory wheel is OK for its time but as they age they produce some kind of sticky goop that is just horrible to deal with and if you try to scrape and clean it turns the wheel unusable. When it gets like that you would almost be better taking it off and rolling it around in dirt or something to coat the wheel and make it dry again.

One other factor is that apparently lots of folks are more obese than when the trucks came out, and they are often trying to style with bucket seats too, so you got a situation where your just trying to put 10 pounds of stuff into a 5 pound sack.

The 15 inch Grant wheels are a favorite for making a little more "Lap space" as well as updating the look, plus technically they are still period correct since I recall I wanted one from Autozone back in the 80's for my 77 Jimmy, lol. I was so broke back then I couldn't afford one of course but I will be still putting one on my 85 Jimmy wants it comes time to go to the alignment shop. ;o)

It's called "gassing" and comes from the plastic material and I've never heard of it being stopped as it is a degeneration of the material.I've cleaned mine numerous times to no avail.What seems to slow it down is I stick a towel over the wheel when it's parked

 

[82sbshortbed]

I am a larger feller.
While not touching, my gut was pretty close to the wheel and the column does not tilt yet.
Getting in and out can be a pickle even with the seat all the way back.
We have a perfectly good stock steering wheel, but it has been replaced with a Grant GT that I pulled from the swap meet for a massive $5 a few years ago.

Now I have more room to get in and out of the truck with the smaller wherl in there.

Pics? Are you Grant wood grain grippin?

 

[82sbshortbed]

It's called "gassing" and comes from the plastic material and I've never heard of it being stopped as it is a degeneration of the material.I've cleaned mine numerous times to no avail.What seems to slow it down is I stick a towel over the wheel when it's parked

Have you tried rolling it around in the dirt like suggested before?

 

[RecklessWOT]

Correct me if I'm wrong but it looks like on the later trucks different trim levels may have gotten different wheels? My Silverado has the straighter spokes and the narrow horn button. But I seem to have seen some with the wide horn button where the spokes are angled down more.

I don't know what the wide button wheels feel like, but I think mine is just perfect. I usually drive with only my index finger and thumb anyway, so this is the ideal setup for me. I can put my arm on either the armrest or the window sill and just hook my digits on the end on that left spoke and I'm good for the duration. Unless I have to turn, then the thumb comes off and it's one finger.

Of course, that join between the wheel and spoke has an awful lot of wear on it now. Nicely broken in I guess.

x2 to all of this

 

[Octane]

Have you tried rolling it around in the dirt like suggested before?

Sorta,does really dirty hands count?

 

[Shorty81]

Correct me if I'm wrong but it looks like on the later trucks different trim levels may have gotten different wheels? My Silverado has the straighter spokes and the narrow horn button. But I seem to have seen some with the wide horn button where the spokes are angled down more.

I don't know what the wide button wheels feel like, but I think mine is just perfect. I usually drive with only my index finger and thumb anyway, so this is the ideal setup for me. I can put my arm on either the armrest or the window sill and just hook my digits on the end on that left spoke and I'm good for the duration. Unless I have to turn, then the thumb comes off and it's one finger.

Of course, that join between the wheel and spoke has an awful lot of wear on it now. Nicely broken in I guess.

They did change but I'm not sure when. Maybe 84ish? My column and wheel are 79. Frankenstein truck....

 

[Blue Ox]

They did change but I'm not sure when. Maybe 84ish? My column and wheel are 79. Frankenstein truck....

It's possible the one's I've seen had transplanted wheels. I'm sure most of them have had a lot of substitutions and omissions.

 

[bucket]

'78-up, the lower trims got the wheel with the wide horn button and the higher trims got the wheel with the smaller horn button and classy brushed aluminum insert.

Starting in '89 when Burbs and Blazers got the modern 4-spoke wheel, it was only the higher trim levels. The low trim trucks still got the old wheel with the wide horn button.

 

[Rusty Nail]

I got another *not sticky* 4 spoke wheel for sale if you know anybody - holla!