CK5
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Sticky steering wheel?
- Thread starter markrazz
- Start date
My 76 k5 was like that.
It went away after wheeling in dust a lot.
But then my hands turned black.
I don't know if the rubber was just breaking down or if the prev owner had put shoe polish onnit.
Wyoming trail dust will fix it.
Its general filth gone sticky from sitting in the sun. Clean it.
Run it through the dishwasher.
Its dead skin cells and years of sweat & grimy hands your feeling....
..
It's not always easy to remove ,I've had to resort to using solvents and fine steel wool to get that gunk off steering wheels and door panels,arm rests..avoid using strong solvents like brake cleaner or carb cleaner,it'll soften the plastic and possibly make it brittle and crack...I used gas first,then followed up with a household spray cleaner like "Greased Lightning" or Castrol Super Clean full strength,or similar stuff.
..It's not always easy to remove ,I've had to resort to using solvents and fine steel wool to get that gunk off steering wheels and door panels,arm rests..avoid using strong solvents like brake cleaner or carb cleaner,it'll soften the plastic and possibly make it brittle and crack...I used gas first,then followed up with a household spray cleaner like "Greased Lightning" or Castrol Super Clean full strength,or similar stuff.
The one on I got on my 77 came out of a 76 that was sitting for years, it was all sticky like that.
I cleaned it with lacor thinner.
I cleaned it with lacor thinner.
It's called plasticizers migration. The plasticizers in the plastic are leaching out. You can see this in newer cars even from the dash when you see the haze on the inside of your windshield.
If you search plasticizer migration you can find remedies people have but I have no idea if they work. On the old trucks I either get a steering wheel cover or new steering wheel.
If you search plasticizer migration you can find remedies people have but I have no idea if they work. On the old trucks I either get a steering wheel cover or new steering wheel.
Old steering wheels usually have the deposits from oils and dead skin like @diesel4me said and I have scraped off the majority of it then used Clorox wipes it worked fine.
It was easier the last time using automotive cleaning wipes like the mule.
The ones @mrk5 is talking about is the newer style like what I had in my late 80's Mercedes and those it's easier with mild solvents because it's not organic and Clorox has no effect on it.
What style steering wheel is it?
I use simple green myself and it works excellent.
