55.2-59 55-59 steering wheel

[jeffs56]

Hey guys, does anyone make a 56 Chevy truck steering wheel replica that’s smaller than the original? Thank you. I have the stock column with my TCI front suspension and stock steering wheel. But need more room and not sure if I want to go to a tilt column. Thank you

[my56chevytruck]

Originally Posted by jeffs56

Hey guys, does anyone make a 56 Chevy truck steering wheel replica that’s smaller than the original? Thank you. I have the stock column with my TCI front suspension and stock steering wheel. But need more room and not sure if I want to go to a tilt column. Thank you

Hello Jeff, I tried years back to find a smaller OEM steering wheel and couldn't find one

[dsraven]

there are a couple of different wheel sizes and dish depths. which one do you have? what size are you looking for? maybe a car wheel would work?

[unclebrad]

I have seen a post on this or one of the other chevy truck sites that has good DIY step-by-step pictures, and I can't seem to find it, but here are two similar articles I found while I was looking for it:

https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...ing+wheel+size


https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/12...0the%20process.

good luck!

[dsraven]

I was gonna look through and find that thread about resizing but didn't have time yet. lots have had luck with jbweld for repairing cracks etc and some have also used it for repairing the void left after cutting a wheel and welding a smaller wheel to the spokes. one could also do the foose thing and just leather wrap it i suppose. first you gotta cut the old wheel and get a ring made the size you want and then weld it on straight etc. the old grant wheels used a flat ring and rivetted wood to the front and rear sides, one coud do that and then leather wrap it I suppose but either way it is cutting, centering and welding a new ring on. maybe look for a donor wheel to play with and try things on, or look for a donor wheel that you like and is the correct size. it won't look stock but the truck doesn't look stock anyway so whats the difference, an old car wheel in an old truck, seems fine to me, lol.

[dsraven]

here is a post from the trifive site also
https://www.trifive.com/threads/stee...-resize.26267/

[jeffs56]

I believe mine is the original 18 inch wheel. I just need some more room cuz I
I still have the original seat in there or my big gut lol. I’m sure it’s the seat though lol

[dlbraly]

Originally Posted by jeffs56

I believe mine is the original 18 inch wheel. I just need some more room cuz I
I still have the original seat in there or my big gut lol. I’m sure it’s the seat though lol

LOL, I'm in the same boat with my 56. It must be the seat.
I need a windshield, so I dont drive it.
I will also need to figure something out before long.

[Dan in Pasadena]

The answer to the OP's question is YES. There IS a source for a reduced size otherwise stock appearing '55 pickup steering wheel here:

https://qualityrestorations.com/chev...eering-wheels/

I looked into it and at $1000 it's too rich for me. I plan to just restore my stock wheel. But I've also read where guys find smaller diameter steering heels and cut out he middle. Weld to our wheel's spokes then use JB Weld to remake the stock appearance. But it's a lot of work and I don't know if it would be worth it if it would end up cracking.

[dsraven]

seems like there are a couple of choices if cutting, welding and epoxy is something you dont want to tackle yourself and just want a straight parts swap over. find one from a vehicle that you like, a car or truck with the same shaft size and spline etc and the diameter yoy like, and swap that in, spend money on a new aftermarket wheel that isn't a stock wheel from anything, or spend bucks and have yours made smaller.
summit has a few examples of the easy way out, you have probably seen already but, here is a link anyway.

https://www.summitracing.com/search/...diameter-in/15

if you want a retro, but incorrect for your truck, look then there is the classic site

https://www.classicchevy.ca/interior...pala-1958-1960

https://www.classictruck.ca/interior...teering-wheels

or you could look at something with a flat bottom, so not round, but that may look a little off.
either way, if getting something modified or purchasing something else, pay attention to the dish and the space it will leave between the dash and the wheel, sometimes that space can get tight or the dish isn't the same so you end up with a wheel that is actually further from you, or closer to you depending, and that changes the driving position, scrubs your knuckles on the dash or the signal lever etc.
I had a few different stock wheels laying around and some had different diameters and dish offsets between a chevy and gmc. the later chevy one, '58 I think, had the smaller diameter and a larger dish but that was not measured before they were donated to someone in need of a stock wheel.

[dsraven]

there were a couple different lengths of the stock steering column to keep the deeper or shallower dished wheel at the same distance from the dash. I used to have one of each but they were also donated to someone who needed them for stock rebuild of their truck.

[_Ogre]

Hotrod magazine did a resize article for a classic truck steering wheel, maybe 10-15 years back. You might be able to find it in the archives