Carrera3.2LG50

Hey all,

I am going to have to remove my steering wheel to attempt to repair my turn signal switch. I've found a number of posts regarding that both here and on PP. I know the steering wheel nut is 27mm and I've read posts talking about using breaker bars and "The Club" and various other methods to hold the steering wheel while breaking the nut loose.

I have a cordless impact wrench that I got last year. Do you think it would be OK to use that to break the nut loose? I don't want to damage anything like the threads or the steering wheel splines. What say you?

Also, I'll need to get a 27mm socket. Any suggestions on the socket? Deep well? Thin wall? (I have not removed the horn cover yet to take a look.)

Thanks!

Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems

Hi Paul,

Just me, but I wouldn't use any kind of impact wrench on that fastener. Do this one by hand.

You can use either a normal or deep socket on that,........anything you wish.

911Dave

I use a normal 27mm socket on the end of a 6" extension. And a 24" breaker bar.

It's so simple. Open the door and stand in the opening next to the steering wheel. Put the socket/bar on the nut and hold the bar in your right hand, with the bar pointed at your stomach. Put your left hand on the steering wheel spoke (or rim if you have a good grip) just a few inches below the level of the breaker bar. With both arms extended, hold the wheel steady with your left hand and push the bar down with your right. With minimal effort it will loosen right up with no drama at all. It's no harder than removing a lug nut.

Installation is the reverse of removal, but use a torque wrench.

wwest

For me the nut has never been a problem, deepwell socket and 1/2" breaker bar.

Getting the stearing wheel itself off...well that's another story...

Nut back on, not fully, ball peen hammer, ball end seated into nut "hollow", use second hammer to SHARPLY strike the outfacing side of the ball peen hammer while applying pulling force to teh stearing wheel.

wildcat077

It's pretty easy to remove ... i use a 1 1/16 short socket and a 12 inch extension. The trick is getting the nut and washer back on afterwards ... lol
I use an extendable magnet to get the washer seated, then stuff some paper towel in your socket to hold the nut and keep it flush with the end of the socket then use the extension to screw it back on !

I can't even count how many times i've removed it and reinstalled it in the last three years,once you've done it's a piece of cake

Cheers !
Phil

Carrera3.2LG50

Thanks Steve. I'll definitely follow your advice and do this by hand.
Thanks to all for the input, especially the detailed step-by-step from Dave. I believe I can handle that...

ron mcatee

Make sure you don't use the steering lock as part of the removal and installation process. Take the load off of it by griping the wheel solidly with one hand and pulling the opposite direction with the breakover & socket. If you use the steering lock, you could break it and that will require a lot of work and some new parts.

rusnak

That bearing (upper) cant take much abuse. I would hesitate to use an impact socket or a bfh. A small hammer maybe, but some Blaster or Kroil will be your friend here.

ivangene

I would not use Kroil or Blaster - just make sure the key is on and the wheel is held in one hand and the breaker bar is pushing towards the seat while standing outside...

its easy - so lets talk about the blinker switch (I just changed mine)

the little screws in the plastic shroud (6) can be cross threaded really easy, be careful they are a little challenging and easy to drop. The actual switch is a bit of a trick to rotate out of its home. Leave the wires plugged in on the back of the ignition switch and thread the new wires there, then swap one at a time

disconnect the battery FIRST!!

when the switch is in place and before putting it all back together..re-connect the battery and test the switch (mine had a corroded contact had to clean)

let me know if you have any questions, its not too bad of a job - why are you doing it

Billm

I had a 27 mm socket that would not fit inside the steering wheel hub to get at the nut so end up borrowing a thin wall socket from another Porsche owner .. Worked well... No headache at all.

Bill

redridge

I need tO remove my wheel also, thanks for the heads up guys...

Carrera3.2LG50

Thanks. I will certainly ask if I need help.

My turn signal/high beam switch is on full high beam all the time. I can get the high beams to turn off if I pull the level gently towards me, but as soon as I let go the high beams come right on.

Oh, and when my lights are on, the left side turn signals are on steady. No "blinking", just "on" all the time and even if I engage the left turn signal nothing happens - just solid "on".

I've read a number of posts about trying to fix the switch by cleaning contacts and bending the small rods. I want to try that first before I get a new switch. I will also be installing a headlight relay that I got from JWest Engineering as a safeguard against this happening again.

...Hence the need to remove my steering wheel.

vracer

I'm late to the party, but my input is that you do not need a metric socket, the inch equivalent is almost perfect. I found a short socket better than long, and I did not fully seat the extension. This gave me just the little bit of "flex" I needed. I didn't flood the joint with Kroil, but a few drops and 15 minutes did help. I used the paper towel trick that Phil mentioned. And never forget the simple - make sure you know which end is up on the wheel. You don't want to do it again because you missed by one notch. (Although it will seem really simple this time.)

audi328

Just did this myself to fix an intermittent high beam flashing issue.

Corrected that issue no problem, wheel removed as described above, but now my turn signals don't self-cancel - I don't know what I did or what may have broke, it all seemed to go back together well, but I'll be getting back in there to try and figure it out.

For now, I'll take this issue over the high-beam one, that was irritating.

Good luck!

ivangene

BTW I think the statement about a "standard" socket is correct...IIRC I use a standard short socket too