Squeaky wheel....where to oil?

Interestingly enough, yes! But my situation is a little bit different. My wheel never squeaked until, one day, I got the bright idea that it'd be fun to take my steering wheel off. I got all of the allen screws out except the last one - it actually broke my Craftsman Allen wrench *off* right in the hole. The end of that wrench is still in there - completely flush with the head of the screw...I have no idea how I'm going to get it out (or ever actually remove my steering wheel, furthermore).

At any rate, I replaced all the screws I had removed and tightened them by down by hand as tight as I could - I think they had been threadlocked before, judging by the way some of them broke loose. Anyway, now whenever I turn the wheel at *really* low speeds (i.e., backing out of my driveway into the street or turning right at a red light), I get the same squeak as you. I don't notice it at higher speeds, but then again there's less steering input necessary.

At any rate, you're not the only one out there for sure. However, mine was caused by the tightness (or maybe lack thereof?) of the screws in my wheel - at least, so it seems. Best of luck finding a solution... Hopefully someone can come along and help us both!

I need to get that damn Allen wrench out of my steering wheel!!!!

Aaron

 

I had that issue about a year ago, and I simply used a spray non-silicone lubricant in a can with a spray extension tube (like a tiny-diameter straw) and that has taken care of the problem.

 

I suggest you work on the Allen wrench part with a dremel. Be careful to keep as centerd as possible. Then take a drill slightly larger than the thread size and drill down the center of the screw until the head pops off. Remove the steering wheel. Once the torque is off the thread it should loosen up, you should have just enough thread exposed to get some vise grips on the remaining screw and remove it. (if there is a spacer you'll have plenty screw to grab with vise grips)

If you get that far and still can't get the screw out the remaining option will be to carfully drill down the center of the screw startintin with a very small drill and keep opening up the hole until you get to the proper tap drill size and re-tap.

 

There should be a U-joint with a Zerk fitting on the steering column, near the firewall.

Grease it and see what happens.

 

Left-hand drill ! Get yourself a left-hand drill and put your drill in reverse and drill out the allen screw, I would be willing to bet a whole dollar that it will grab and bring out the screw, and if not well do exactly as the above poster said, be careful and stay in the center and re-tap. In my experience, the left-hand drill bits work most of the time at removing the bolt. They are hard to find however and you will have to go to a machine shop supplier to find them, Sears certainly wont have them.

 

MCMaster-Carr has the drill bits.