C3 Sticky steering wheel!

[Tory S.]

My original '75 steering wheel has become sticky on the black rubber/composite ring. It looks just fine, but feels sticky to the touch...like some oil based resin is seeping out. I tried mild soap and water and that seemed to help a bit, but when I picked it up yesterday from storage for installation (just finishing my restoration) it was sticky again.

Does the black material breakdown with age? What can be appiled to stabilize the wheel?

Thanks,
Tory

[Alan T.]

Re: C3 Sticky steering wheel!

Tory, thats interesting, I have the same problem with my '75 steering wheel as well as the radio knobs. I have always wondered what the heck it was, as cleaning it did not seem to help for very long. I had always wondered that maybe Bubba did not clean the grease off his hands way back when

Alan

[Harmon C.]

Re: C3 Sticky steering wheel!

I have had the the sticky wheel on all my C-3's with that wheel. I have cleaned them with lots of products but the condition always comes back. Only thing I do is reclean them when they get sticky. An answer to this condition would be great.

Lyle

[Tory S.]

Re: C3 Sticky steering wheel!

Lyle,
What cleaning solution did you find worked best on your cars? I tried a drop of Palmolive Dish Liquid and water. Worked OK.
Tory

[Brian M.]

Re: C3 Sticky steering wheel!

I have found that Permatex orange hand wipes work very well.

[Mike G.]

Re: C3 Sticky steering wheel!

once they do that the only way to fix it is to replace it. it will keep comming back. i had that problem on my 70. i had to buy a new wheel. be carefull when you buy a used wheel because it might have that same problem. the seller might have just cleaned it off. i think its the plastic going bad. the hand grips on my exercise bike did the same thing, no cure.

[Robert S.]

Re: C3 Sticky steering wheel!

Tory,

I had the same fustrating problem with my 78 non-tilt all rubber four spoke steering wheel. I agree with some of the others that its probably the plasticizers(?) leaking out. I had an aftermarket wheel on the car for a while to make the car useable but when I wanted to have it judged I had to put the original back on. I have an Oyster White interior so the wheel was dis-colored as well.

My solution was to clean the wheel with a rag lightly soaked with either MEK or lacquer thinner (can't remember), then I sprayed it with interior dye. It seems to have worked pretty good for about the last year. I think if I were to redo it I would try some kind of sealer first and the interior dye. I guess if you don't need to dye the wheel you could find some kind of sealer that would not change the appearance of the original finish also.

Bob

BTW...I got a Chapter Top Flight