Steering Wheel Boss Help.

[Lean Machine]

I want to change the steering wheel on my 400SE, so I bought a new modern steering wheel with the six counter sunk screw holes. I was told this is the correct wheel to fit my car. However my car is fitted with an old Toyota steering wheel by the previous owner. When I took the plastic front off (four spoke wheel) I noticed that the screws used were not the counter sunk type and the horn retainer ring was fitted on the front of the steering wheel and secured down by flat head screws into a boss that has six holes with screw threads, even though the Toyota steering wheel has counter sunk holes. This all looked wrong to me so I ordered six counter sunk screws. What I want to know is this. Is it OK to use counter sunk screws which goes into a boss with screw threads or do I need a boss where the screw passes through and a nut is used behind the boss? Does the horn retaining ring go in between the boss and the steering wheel? Also, the holes in the new steering wheel although similarly spaced out doesn't appear to be in the same position. To correct this would I need to take the boss off and turn it on its splines? or do I need a new boss altogether? How easy is it to remove the boss off the column? Do I need a puller? Maybe someone who has done a similar job can give me some advice. One way or another I intend to fit this new steering wheel on, but I just don't want it coming off in my hand when I'm doing 100mph.(not that I ever go over the speed limit) Any help would be most welcome.
Tony.

[RCK974X]

I've done a few steering wheel and column swops in my time.
General advice.....

If the steering wheel has countersunk holes, it's better to use countersunk bolts. To remove the boss, it MAY need a puller, but if you loosen the retaining nut and wobble the steering wheel it may come loose. it depends how tight it was done up to start with. Recommend you leave the retaing nut on, even if using a puller. A careful clout with a hammer may work also.

As to horn rings etc, just whatever works - the only important thing, as yoy say, is to make sure the main wheel assembly can't come loose on the column.

[Lean Machine]

I undid the nut on the centre of the steering wheel today in the hope that the steering wheel and boss would come away from the column, but something strange happened.
When I pulled on the steering wheel the boss and the whole of the ignition system including the lock stated to come away together. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't separate the boss from the ignition mechanism. Now the ignition mechanism is connected to a whole load of wires and the whole project started to get complicated and to top it all I noticed the new steering wheel I bought is the wrong one as the screws don't match up, so I just put everything back the way it was as I was running out of time. Except my existing steering screws were the wrong ones so I replaced those with a set of black countersunk screws.
I am now no nearer to replacing the steering wheel as I was before. So gentlemen, can anyone give us some ideas. It's a question of 'Its Now or Never'

Tony.

[RCK974X]

Sounds like there's something seriously wrong there......

If you've got the TR7 column, it should have a clamp at the other end, so should not move towards you when you pull the wheel. Also it should be clamped down the footwell so it can't move.

Is it possible some previous owner has changed the whole column (or not put it back correctly), I can only suggest you check carefully

NB Rimmer bros web site has some good diagrams if you need a guide....

[Lean Machine]

There is something unusual about my steering column but I am not sure what it is yet. The present steering wheel on it is from a Toyota and the whole assembly is slightly crooked and leans slightly to the left but everything is tight and works well. When I say the ignition assembly moves with the boss its not the actual steering column that shifts but the ignition mechanism together with all the leads. It is possible that they have modified it in some way in the past using other components. I need some ideas from anyone who may have had a similar problem in the past, before I tackle the job again. It works well at the moment so I may leave it until the summer when the weather is warmer and I can spend more time to dismantle it. An exploded view diagram of how it should be, would be a great help though. Thanks for the info Andy.
Tony