'65 steering wheel orientation

[65hemi]

I have rebuilt and installed the steering column in the Belvedere. When installing the steering wheel, I find that the keyway on the steering shaft for the steering wheel is on the bottom. I am wondering if this is correct, or if the keyway for the wheel should be on the top.

 

[khryslerkid]

Is the steering wheel upside-down?

 

[65hemi]

The '65 steering wheel looks the same both ways so the obvious clue of being up-side down is not there. What has got me wondering about the position, there is a pin on the backside of the steering wheel that I think cancels the turn signal switch. The pin is currently on the right side rather than left side of the wheel, so I wonder if that is up-side down.

 

[khryslerkid]

I've seen a copper, spring loaded, button on the back for the horn wire. And yes there would be something to cancel the turn signal switch.

I know that those wheels look straight across but look at the horn ring. The horn ring isnt straight across. They're three holes in a triangle orientation. Would this be a good reference to make a conclusion? Does this look like the one you have? ( I'm thinking this horn ring is upside-down.)

 

[pbiggs]

Since you say you rebuilt the column, I suspect you didn't correctly align the coupling on the lower column shaft with the steering box shaft. The box shaft has a missing tooth just like the steering wheel. So it goes on only one way. These two shafts can be inadvertently reassembled 180 degrees out of alignment and you end up with the canceling pin in the opposite side.

Unfortunately you must redo some of your time consuming column rebuild to fix the problem.

Remove the steering wheel shaft from the steering box coupling and rotate this shaft 180 degrees and reinstall. The steering wheel cancelling pin will be on the left side and all will be well. Good idea to center the wheels and notice and mark the missing tooth positions on both shafts. If my memory serves me correctly, I believe the missing tooth for both shafts should both be on top. But, of course check before reassembling the coupling.

 

[65hemi]

Kid, no horn ring installed yet, just mocked the steering wheel as shown.

pbiggs, that sounds like my problem. Steering box keyway is up and steering wheel keyway is down with the cancel pin on the right. So it sounds like both keyways should be up. I'll have to remove the column and remove/rotate the coupling 180.