How to Remove a Steering Wheel
How to pull a steering wheel off on some tractors with exposed steering wheel spokes. Take the nut off, soak the center hub (with penetrating oil) where the steering shaft goes thru. Tap the spoke of the steering wheel and if you are lucky it will start to loosen. If it doesn’t move you can use a torch (DO NOT — USE if it is close to your gas tank) heat the center hub up and tap the spoke of the steering wheel. On other applications with covered spoke steering wheels sometimes the center hub is threaded so you can use a steering wheel puller to remove the wheel. Otherwise you can hit the covered spokes with a hammer to break the outer covering and use a 3-jaw puller to pull the steering wheel. On tractors that have steering wheels held by a pin thru the hub use a punch to try to drive the pin out, if it won’t move you may have to drill the pin out, then tap the hub of the steering wheel to remove it.
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The following proceedure is often easier and always safer than using heat. After applying penetrant, apply considerable even upward force on the wheel from underneath with knees from the seated position. Use a suitably sized block of hardwood as a punch, placing it squarely on the top of the steering shaft and strike the other end briskly with a large hammer. The upward force on the wheel from underneath will keep the steering shaft joints and bearings from being damaged and using wood as a driver will protect the threaded end of the shaft from being deformed.
Heat will work, but only once. Once you have it heated enough, use a block of wood (mentioned) to drive it off from behind. If it does not come off or at least loosen, heat it again a little bit hotter and try again. Once it cools down it will most likely have to be cut off cause the cooling will shrink it into one item, very difficult to remove then.