85FC31 Steering column

[James]

First of all I would like to express my deepest sympathies to the
family of Jim Scoggins. Anytime a fellow "birder" passes, the entire
community feels the loss.

I have a 1985 FC31 Wanderlodge and I have finally found an 18"
steering wheel to replace the original 22" wheel (which I am willing
to sell if anyone is interested). However, I need to unbolt the
steeing wheel hub and rotate it 180' to line up with the new wheel's
holes.

Can anyone tell me if the nut is regular or reverse threads since it
is on very tightly (a good thing) and if there are any tricks of the
trade I should know before I change the wheel out. Any and all advice
is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
JR Torrico

85FC31 "The Short Bus"
N Fort Myers, FL

[Gardner Yeaw]

JR,
When the power steering pully broke on my '78 on a winding back
road, I was very glad I had the old, big, steering wheel. I would
never have been able to control the coach with an 18 inch wheel. I
came very close to creating a new logging road in the local woodland.
Just my experience.

Gardner
78FC33 (with a new PS pump and pully)


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "James" wrote:
>
> First of all I would like to express my deepest sympathies to the
> family of Jim Scoggins. Anytime a fellow "birder" passes, the
entire
> community feels the loss.
>
> I have a 1985 FC31 Wanderlodge and I have finally found an 18"
> steering wheel to replace the original 22" wheel (which I am
willing
> to sell if anyone is interested). However, I need to unbolt the
> steeing wheel hub and rotate it 180' to line up with the new
wheel's
> holes.
>
> Can anyone tell me if the nut is regular or reverse threads since
it
> is on very tightly (a good thing) and if there are any tricks of
the
> trade I should know before I change the wheel out. Any and all
advice
> is greatly appreciated.
>
> Sincerely,
> JR Torrico
>
> 85FC31 "The Short Bus"
> N Fort Myers, FL
>

[Harold Prescott]

Jr, The nut for the steering wheel is right handed.

Condolances to the family of Jim Scoggins.

Harold Prescott
'85 FC35
Northern California




--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Gardner Yeaw"
wrote:
>
> JR,
> When the power steering pully broke on my '78 on a winding back
> road, I was very glad I had the old, big, steering wheel. I would
> never have been able to control the coach with an 18 inch wheel. I
> came very close to creating a new logging road in the local woodland.
> Just my experience.
>
> Gardner
> 78FC33 (with a new PS pump and pully)
>
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "James" wrote:
> >
> > First of all I would like to express my deepest sympathies to the
> > family of Jim Scoggins. Anytime a fellow "birder" passes, the
> entire
> > community feels the loss.
> >
> > I have a 1985 FC31 Wanderlodge and I have finally found an 18"
> > steering wheel to replace the original 22" wheel (which I am
> willing
> > to sell if anyone is interested). However, I need to unbolt the
> > steeing wheel hub and rotate it 180' to line up with the new
> wheel's
> > holes.
> >
> > Can anyone tell me if the nut is regular or reverse threads since
> it
> > is on very tightly (a good thing) and if there are any tricks of
> the
> > trade I should know before I change the wheel out. Any and all
> advice
> > is greatly appreciated.
> >
> > Sincerely,
> > JR Torrico
> >
> > 85FC31 "The Short Bus"
> > N Fort Myers, FL
> >
>

[bubblerboy64]

When I replaced my steering wheel I had a heck of a time getting the
wheel off the splined attachment. The nut was not a problem but the
wheel seemed welded to the splines. You need a steering wheel puller
and one of our forum contributors explained that you tighten the
wheel puller and then hit the bolt which is in contact with the top
or the steering column with a hammer. This shock plus the
upward "pull" will break the wheel loose. I thought you just
tightened up on the puller and that would do it. It might but in my
case it did not. Maybe you know this I did not and it might save you
some trouble. VIP makes nice replacements and they will be able help
you get what you need as far as hubs etc.

John Heckman
central Pa
1973 FC
>
>
>
> Jr, The nut for the steering wheel is right handed.
>
> Condolances to the family of Jim Scoggins.
>
> Harold Prescott
> '85 FC35
> Northern California
>
>
>
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Gardner Yeaw"
> wrote:
> >
> > JR,
> > When the power steering pully broke on my '78 on a winding back
> > road, I was very glad I had the old, big, steering wheel. I would
> > never have been able to control the coach with an 18 inch wheel.
I
> > came very close to creating a new logging road in the local
woodland.
> > Just my experience.
> >
> > Gardner
> > 78FC33 (with a new PS pump and pully)
> >
> >
> > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "James" wrote:
> > >
> > > First of all I would like to express my deepest sympathies to
the
> > > family of Jim Scoggins. Anytime a fellow "birder" passes, the
> > entire
> > > community feels the loss.
> > >
> > > I have a 1985 FC31 Wanderlodge and I have finally found an 18"
> > > steering wheel to replace the original 22" wheel (which I am
> > willing
> > > to sell if anyone is interested). However, I need to unbolt the
> > > steeing wheel hub and rotate it 180' to line up with the new
> > wheel's
> > > holes.
> > >
> > > Can anyone tell me if the nut is regular or reverse threads
since
> > it
> > > is on very tightly (a good thing) and if there are any tricks
of
> > the
> > > trade I should know before I change the wheel out. Any and all
> > advice
> > > is greatly appreciated.
> > >
> > > Sincerely,
> > > JR Torrico
> > >
> > > 85FC31 "The Short Bus"
> > > N Fort Myers, FL
> > >
> >
>

[James]

Thanks for the info Howard. That alleviates a concern I have about
making it tighter as I try to loosen it!

Concerning the 4" smaller wheel, I'm comfortable with the difference.
My Father-in-law has a '79 MCI 40' Conversion Bus with an 18" wheel
that is very comfortable to drive. I was even able to turn it without
much difficulty when the bus was parked.

Safe travels,
JR

85FC31 "The Short Bus"
N Fort Myers, FL

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Harold Prescott"
wrote:
>
>
>
> Jr, The nut for the steering wheel is right handed.
>
> Condolances to the family of Jim Scoggins.
>
> Harold Prescott
> '85 FC35
> Northern California
>
>
>
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Gardner Yeaw"
> wrote:
> >
> > JR,
> > When the power steering pully broke on my '78 on a winding back
> > road, I was very glad I had the old, big, steering wheel. I would
> > never have been able to control the coach with an 18 inch wheel. I
> > came very close to creating a new logging road in the local woodland.
> > Just my experience.
> >
> > Gardner
> > 78FC33 (with a new PS pump and pully)
> >
> >
> > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "James" wrote:
> > >
> > > First of all I would like to express my deepest sympathies to the
> > > family of Jim Scoggins. Anytime a fellow "birder" passes, the
> > entire
> > > community feels the loss.
> > >
> > > I have a 1985 FC31 Wanderlodge and I have finally found an 18"
> > > steering wheel to replace the original 22" wheel (which I am
> > willing
> > > to sell if anyone is interested). However, I need to unbolt the
> > > steeing wheel hub and rotate it 180' to line up with the new
> > wheel's
> > > holes.
> > >
> > > Can anyone tell me if the nut is regular or reverse threads since
> > it
> > > is on very tightly (a good thing) and if there are any tricks of
> > the
> > > trade I should know before I change the wheel out. Any and all
> > advice
> > > is greatly appreciated.
> > >
> > > Sincerely,
> > > JR Torrico
> > >
> > > 85FC31 "The Short Bus"
> > > N Fort Myers, FL
> > >
> >
>

[bubblerboy64]

Only problem with a 22 inch wheel is a 40 inch belly. I had to give
up one or the other. I guess I took the easy way out of that one.
John Heckman
central Pa
1973 FC
>
> Thanks for the info Howard. That alleviates a concern I have about
> making it tighter as I try to loosen it!
>
> Concerning the 4" smaller wheel, I'm comfortable with the
difference.
> My Father-in-law has a '79 MCI 40' Conversion Bus with an 18" wheel
> that is very comfortable to drive. I was even able to turn it
without
> much difficulty when the bus was parked.
>
> Safe travels,
> JR
>
> 85FC31 "The Short Bus"
> N Fort Myers, FL
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Harold Prescott"
> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > Jr, The nut for the steering wheel is right handed.
> >
> > Condolances to the family of Jim Scoggins.
> >
> > Harold Prescott
> > '85 FC35
> > Northern California
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Gardner Yeaw"
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > JR,
> > > When the power steering pully broke on my '78 on a winding
back
> > > road, I was very glad I had the old, big, steering wheel. I
would
> > > never have been able to control the coach with an 18 inch
wheel. I
> > > came very close to creating a new logging road in the local
woodland.
> > > Just my experience.
> > >
> > > Gardner
> > > 78FC33 (with a new PS pump and pully)
> > >
> > >
> > > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "James"
wrote:
> > > >
> > > > First of all I would like to express my deepest sympathies to
the
> > > > family of Jim Scoggins. Anytime a fellow "birder" passes,
the
> > > entire
> > > > community feels the loss.
> > > >
> > > > I have a 1985 FC31 Wanderlodge and I have finally found an 18"
> > > > steering wheel to replace the original 22" wheel (which I am
> > > willing
> > > > to sell if anyone is interested). However, I need to unbolt
the
> > > > steeing wheel hub and rotate it 180' to line up with the new
> > > wheel's
> > > > holes.
> > > >
> > > > Can anyone tell me if the nut is regular or reverse threads
since
> > > it
> > > > is on very tightly (a good thing) and if there are any tricks
of
> > > the
> > > > trade I should know before I change the wheel out. Any and
all
> > > advice
> > > > is greatly appreciated.
> > > >
> > > > Sincerely,
> > > > JR Torrico
> > > >
> > > > 85FC31 "The Short Bus"
> > > > N Fort Myers, FL
> > > >
> > >
> >
>

[Scott Forman]

The issue isn't whether it is comfortable to drive under normal
conditions, it's whether you can control it if you lose power
steering. I lost a PS belt on my 82 FC, and I needed every inch of
that original wheel to maneuver the bus. The FC has a lot of weight
on that front axle.

That being said, many people change them out, and I have a 18" VIP
wheel on my to do list for my PT.

Scott Forman
86 PT38

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "James" wrote:
>
> Thanks for the info Howard. That alleviates a concern I have about
> making it tighter as I try to loosen it!
>
> Concerning the 4" smaller wheel, I'm comfortable with the
difference.
> My Father-in-law has a '79 MCI 40' Conversion Bus with an 18" wheel
> that is very comfortable to drive. I was even able to turn it
without
> much difficulty when the bus was parked.
>
> Safe travels,
> JR
>
> 85FC31 "The Short Bus"
> N Fort Myers, FL
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Harold Prescott"
> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > Jr, The nut for the steering wheel is right handed.
> >
> > Condolances to the family of Jim Scoggins.
> >
> > Harold Prescott
> > '85 FC35
> > Northern California
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Gardner Yeaw"
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > JR,
> > > When the power steering pully broke on my '78 on a winding
back
> > > road, I was very glad I had the old, big, steering wheel. I
would
> > > never have been able to control the coach with an 18 inch
wheel. I
> > > came very close to creating a new logging road in the local
woodland.
> > > Just my experience.
> > >
> > > Gardner
> > > 78FC33 (with a new PS pump and pully)
> > >
> > >
> > > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "James"
wrote:
> > > >
> > > > First of all I would like to express my deepest sympathies to
the
> > > > family of Jim Scoggins. Anytime a fellow "birder" passes,
the
> > > entire
> > > > community feels the loss.
> > > >
> > > > I have a 1985 FC31 Wanderlodge and I have finally found an 18"
> > > > steering wheel to replace the original 22" wheel (which I am
> > > willing
> > > > to sell if anyone is interested). However, I need to unbolt
the
> > > > steeing wheel hub and rotate it 180' to line up with the new
> > > wheel's
> > > > holes.
> > > >
> > > > Can anyone tell me if the nut is regular or reverse threads
since
> > > it
> > > > is on very tightly (a good thing) and if there are any tricks
of
> > > the
> > > > trade I should know before I change the wheel out. Any and
all
> > > advice
> > > > is greatly appreciated.
> > > >
> > > > Sincerely,
> > > > JR Torrico
> > > >
> > > > 85FC31 "The Short Bus"
> > > > N Fort Myers, FL
> > > >
> > >
> >
>