I am installing a simulated wood steering wheel to a new tilt column in my '68. I am not sure of a couple of things, however. Is the splined steering shaft tapered? Mine starts easily by hand and appears to need the nut to pull it down tight on the shaft? What is the recommended method for holding while the nut is torqued to 35 foot pounds of torque? Thanks!

You mean there is nobody out there that can give advice on this question? Really?

push it hard enough to overcome the spring and tighten the nut

Yes, the steering shaft is tapered, that's why you need a steering wheel puller to free it from the shaft.....Don't forget to install the spring then use the nut to draw it up to the end of the shaft!

And make sure you align the chisel mark at 12 o'clock on the top end of the steering shaft with the corresponding mark at 12 o'clock on the steering wheel hub when you install it, before final positioning and tightening the nut. :thumbsup:

Thanks for the replies. I got the wheel installed. Still not sure how I should go about holding while applying 35 foot-lbs torque to the nut? I also have a couple of other questions:

(1) The hub I have for the simulated wood wheel does not fit flush to the column shell. This hub has a stepped down diameter on the bottom and I was anticipating this fitting into the column for a nice clean installation? I bought the wheel and hub from a friend who said it all came out of the same car years ago but could not remember what model car? Could I have the wrong hub?

(2) The column is a new tilt that I bought from Rick's. It replaces a non-tilt. For the electrical harness, I removed the short pigtail from the car harness leaving the arc shaped 8 pin connector on the car harness. This mated perfectly with the 8 pin connector on the column. My problem: I do not have turn signals, emergency flashers, or a horn that works??? I was going to check today to see that I have the arc shaped plugs completely plugged together. Could the flasher be bad? I am not sure why the horn does not work either? The horn button only moves on the one side at about the 10 or 11 o'clock position. The rest of the button is rock solid???

Thanks for any suggestions/tips!

I have the wood wheel on my 67. The adapter I bought was a reproduction. The taper on the adapter was off slightly, not allowing the hub to seat as you mentioned. I took a die grinder with a mandral with a sand paper strip attached, and gently removed some of the material from the splined hole. Make sure to keep checking fit as you go. The idea is to remove the flash from the inside as I believe these are die cast. If you take too much out you will end up with a sloppy fit. Also you can bolt the wheel to the hub, have someone hold the wheel while you tighten it down.
Sean

I thought of holding the wheel but wasn't sure if it could withstand 35 ft-lbs without doing some damage to the wheel?

Another question (that I should know the answer to). Which way is the Hazard flasher switch supposed to move when turning on the Hazard flashers? Is it push it in or pull it out. Mine will not stay latched in and that is where the flashers work??

I have always tightened my steering wheels to a maximum hand tightness. I have never used a torque wrench, and I have never had one come loose nor have I worried about it coming loose.Yes, you need to push it in . It should catch when pushed in. To disengage you have to gently pull it outward. If yours is not staying engaged when pushed in, it may be broken.
Sean