Steering Wheels
 

I've recently run into an odd problem with steering wheels and am looking for theories/explanations.

I have two 2nd gen Mazda OEM wheels, a three spoke and a two spoke.
Neither of them will slide far enough onto the steering shaft to engage the turn signal cancelling sleeve or the horn contact. There is @ a 3/8" gap.
The splines are fine and mesh easily, the problem seems to lie in the taper behind the splines.

I also have a 3rd gen Mazda wheel and it fits perfectly, slides all the way on and both the horn* and TS work properly.

I've inspected the steering shaft for burrs and obvious defects and found nothing.
Both the splines and the taper seem perfectly normal.

A few weeks ago I purchased a Momo wheel and hub, recently removed from a S5.
The hub's part # corresponds with the kit from Momo.
It didn't fit either, same problem.

At one point I had a Grant wheel/hub installed and it was fine.

So, of the three Mazda OEM parts I have only the wrong gen version fits.
I'm 50/50 with aftermarket hubs- Momo=bad, Grant=good.

Open to any ideas...


*I modified this wheel by adding a slip ring so the stock horn contact would function.

when in doubt beat it with a hammer and go get one from a wrecking yard.

Beat what with a hammer?

I pulled the two spoke wheel from a S4 in the junkyard just a few months ago.

I checked both the Momo and Grant websites and they show the same hub fitting all RX7's from 86 through the 3rd gen.

I am at a loss to explain this weirdness.
Apparently, so is everyone else.

post pics

it obviously fit on the column in the wrecking yard, so how much is a used column at a wrecker? probably less headache than trying to figure out what is causing the issue and beating your head against the wall. i can only guess something has moved in the column itself and the shaft is now out of place.

and my comment was a joke, cause i like to beat things with a hammer.

I knew that.

As for the column, there really is nothing that can "get out of place".
You have the threads, the splines and the taper...all of which appear normal.

I removed the column surround and the collar that connects the wheel to the turn signal assy. and tried the wheels.
The third gen wheel slides right on and the splines are nearly flush with the front of the wheel hub.
The two second gen wheels only slide on to the point where the wheel hub taper begins to mate with the taper on the column...the threads are recessed about 3/8" in the wheel hub.

Installing the nut doesn't draw the wheel down on the shaft.

It would be difficult to get meaningful pics but if it warms up a bit, I'll try.

When I bought the car it had a stock 3-spoke wheel on it and everything worked.
I swapped in the Grant hub/wheel and it too was fine.
Then I tried the 3rd gen wheel, which worked.

The past year or so it's had a Mitsubishi wheel installed...also fine.

It's only now, trying to go back to stock, that I've hit this problem.
Tis a mystery.

it's possible there might be a sleeve or a washer or something from the mitsu wheel still on there... this is weird

I think Mazda presses them on with several tons of force. I pulled my steering wheel off when i tore the car apart. When I re-installed the steering wheel, I didn't have wheels on the car. So I got close by guessing. I assumed at that time that my turn sigs and horn didn't work because of that. Then i pulled it back off to straighten it and the same thing.
So it turned the nut vary hard with a long ratchet and of course stripped the stupid thing. Had a hell of time getting it off.
Installed another column and wheel and the same thing. only now, every bump it sounds like the column is loose or something else is.
I think I'm going to try to get a large enough socket to not touch the treads but fit in the hole and beat it with a 4#. If that doesn't work i may try a Grant wheel. I really like the feel of the wooden ones anyway.

you're not supposed to torque them down that hard... only like 40 ft. lbs or something.