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Anyone swap out their steering wheel?

Reworked LMTV

Reworked LMTV

Expedition Campers Limited, LLC
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I think the steering wheel would be a nice place to upgrade the interior. Anyone do this yet?
 
FMTV Truck Sales

FMTV Truck Sales

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Belgrade, Montana
wandering neurons said:
Don't just tease us with a picture of the improved steering wheel! What did it come from, or where did you find it? Is there a direct interchange with a particular truck or something?
Click to expand...
Haha - no tease...

Our parent company is Acela Truck Company - www.acelatruck.com - we provide better than factory new, complete frame-up restorations of FMTVs to modern, commercial-grade vehicles with many upgrades and over 650 new parts. The photo is of a Monterra interior...
 
Last edited:
wandering neurons

wandering neurons

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Yup, checked out your site several times since you started posting. I'm a little far away to visit though I'd love to see some of your hardware (Southern Maryland presently).

I've replaced my M1081 steering wheel with a much better condition original military one. But I'd love to get something a little smaller and sportier. I'm doing a "resto-mod" on my truck. Mostly stock, but with useful changes such as seats, an in-bed hoist, tool boxes, block heater, intake wraps, etc. Eventually more sound deadening and high-speed axles. Hence, a source or specs for a nicer steering wheel would be nice.
(As an aside, I've replaced the steering box, drag link and tie rods - my king pins were not properly shimmed. I needed .125-.130" of shim on each side, the original shims were insufficient, causing steering to be essentially locked in whatever direction you were traveling. Dunno if it was shipped like this, because of an air-drop, or bad rebuild.)

FMTV Truck Sales said:
Haha - no tease...

Our parent company is Acela Truck Company - www.acelatruck.com - we provide better than factory new, complete frame-up restorations of FMTVs to modern, commercial-grade vehicles with many upgrades and over 650 new parts. The photo is of a Monterra interior...
Click to expand...
 
wandering neurons

wandering neurons

Active member
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Fallon, NV
Actually - I've got the old beat-up wheel. Maybe I can machine out the hub and use it as the base to install an aftermarket wheel! That would open some options....

wandering neurons said:
Yup, checked out your site several times since you started posting. I'm a little far away to visit though I'd love to see some of your hardware (Southern Maryland presently).

I've replaced my M1081 steering wheel with a much better condition original military one. But I'd love to get something a little smaller and sportier. I'm doing a "resto-mod" on my truck. Mostly stock, but with useful changes such as seats, an in-bed hoist, tool boxes, block heater, intake wraps, etc. Eventually more sound deadening and high-speed axles. Hence, a source or specs for a nicer steering wheel would be nice.
(As an aside, I've replaced the steering box, drag link and tie rods - my king pins were not properly shimmed. I needed .125-.130" of shim on each side, the original shims were insufficient, causing steering to be essentially locked in whatever direction you were traveling. Dunno if it was shipped like this, because of an air-drop, or bad rebuild.)
Click to expand...
 
snowtrac nome

snowtrac nome

Well-known member
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western alaska
In my experience is you want that 20 inch wheel if traveling dirt roads, even with the big soft tires and nice suspension, if you aren't holding on to the wheel tight washboard will rip it out of your hands at 50 mph. I would like a thicker sticker wheel but I don't want to go smaller on my roads.
 
FMTV Truck Sales

FMTV Truck Sales

Member
105
11
18
Location
Belgrade, Montana
wandering neurons said:
Yup, checked out your site several times since you started posting. I'm a little far away to visit though I'd love to see some of your hardware (Southern Maryland presently).

I've replaced my M1081 steering wheel with a much better condition original military one. But I'd love to get something a little smaller and sportier. I'm doing a "resto-mod" on my truck. Mostly stock, but with useful changes such as seats, an in-bed hoist, tool boxes, block heater, intake wraps, etc. Eventually more sound deadening and high-speed axles. Hence, a source or specs for a nicer steering wheel would be nice.
(As an aside, I've replaced the steering box, drag link and tie rods - my king pins were not properly shimmed. I needed .125-.130" of shim on each side, the original shims were insufficient, causing steering to be essentially locked in whatever direction you were traveling. Dunno if it was shipped like this, because of an air-drop, or bad rebuild.)
Click to expand...
You're welcome to visit anytime!
 
yertnamreg

yertnamreg

Member
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Houston TX
FMTV Truck sales, Can you provide any info on the steering wheel attachment specs? Are our wheels attached using some standard spline we could find on a semi truck steering wheel?
 
FMTV Truck Sales

FMTV Truck Sales

Member
105
11
18
Location
Belgrade, Montana
All steering wheels are customized to the truck to some extent...perhaps you may find a Freightliner that shares steering wheel specs with KW, etc., but there is no industry "standard".

FMTV steering wheels are especially "custom" because they are ancient! They were designed in Austria in the 1960's for the Steyr 90-series trucks, predecessors to the 91-, then 92-series, and then the 12M18 trucks that lead to the S&S licensing for FMTV. Acela's steering wheels are custom made with custom-machined hubs that have an odd-ball depth and accommodate the "ancient" turn signal cancelling cup. Shaft and spline count are not necessarily uncommon though.

 
wandering neurons

wandering neurons

Active member
249
113
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Location
Fallon, NV
How about a custom hub adapter so we could bolt on an aftermarket wheel? I'd pick a good tractor-trailer wheel such as this:
https://www.iowa80.com/pd/4-spoke-stealth-sport-leather-steering-wheel-18/155343/
Or adapt FMTV hub to another hub used by a common make/model like Freightliner or Peterbilt?

As an example - I've got a kit truck built on a 1984 Suburban frame, with custom steering shaft and hub. The kit company provided a hub with their wheel, but through an adapter, I've got an aftermarket removable wheel adapter and aftermarket wheel mounted. From double-d steering shaft through the hub adapter, to removable wheel kit, to aftermarket three-hole wheel. All commercial parts other than the double-d adapter.

Thx!

FMTV Truck Sales said:

We could look into fitting our custom hub into another upgraded wheel...what upgrade are you after?...smaller diameter, soft-touch feel, etc...?
Click to expand...
 
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