[Healeys] Steering wheel repair

[cgmoog]

The JB Weld wss probably too stiff and also did not bond well to the flexible wheel. I think you had the right idea. I haven't used it but Eastwood makes a steering wheel repair kit.https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-master-steering-wheel-repair-kit.htmlThey also have a video on use of the kithttps://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2fkiGXsiSs4
-------- Original message --------From: Michael Salter <michaelsalter at gmail.com> Date: 4/8/26  3:13 PM  (GMT-05:00) To: healeys at autox.team.net Subject: [Healeys] Steering wheel repair 



















Many years ago, I repaired the large cracks in the original steering
wheel of my Phase 1 BJ8 by grinding them out with a Dremel and filling the cracks
with JB weld. After sanding and repainting with epoxy gloss black it looked
great however, after a few years, more cracks appeared at the interface of the
JB Weld and the original plastic from which the rim was molded. Back then I
replaced the original wheel with a shiny new Motolita wood-rim wheel, with
which I was never completely happy, and all was good, sort of.

I am now faced with having to do the same type of repair on
the original wheel from the BN2 which I am currently restoring.

Before starting with
the JB Weld process again I thought I should do a little research to see if I could
find a filler material which would form a stronger bond with the plastic rim
material.

Gemini told me that the rim was made of Bakelite but I was
not convinced. Bakelite is a “thermoset” plastic which, when heated, does not
melt. A simple experiment quickly proved that the rim plastic was a thermo-plastic
material because it easily melted and could be deformed when heated and again
unlike Bakelite it dissolved in acetone.

I have done some Googling and it seems that it’s very likely
that the plastic used for molding the rims was Tenite™ cellulose acetate. 

Does anyone know for sure what the original steering wheel
rims were made from?






-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://autox.team.net/pipermail/healeys/attachments/20260409/58d56901/attachment.htm>