[stevej068]

i have a 79 camaro after sitting periods of time the steering wheel gets very sticky . what is the best way to clean this off i have tried super clean - paint thinner
nothing seems to clean it very well . from what i understand this sticky stuff comes from the inside outer cover.
thanks for any help
steve

 

[bkcraun]

i have the same problem on my car...the only thing that works halfway decent is that "goo-gone" stuff and a lot of elbow grease.

 

[Ricky Rocket]

steering wheel sticky

I know that if you use heavy duty hand cleaner like go-jo it will clean off the black gunky grease. Maybe it will help with the sticky?

Rick

 

[pasadenahotrod]

I was driving a 76 El Camino with the nastiest stickyboo wheel ever! I tried lots of stuff with poor results and much labor.
Then I got some 3M Adhesive remover (don't remember the number). Had that honey-coated creepy wheel clean and tack free in just an hour or two. Drove the truck for another 2 years and never had to repeat the application even during the summer heat here in Houston.

 

[rocwal]

GM steering wheel sticky

I have used acetone to wipe off my 70 442 wheel .

rocwal
Dan B

 

[tab]

This is the only tried and true method to clean a sticky steering wheel.

 

[poncho62]

This is the only tried and true method to clean a sticky steering wheel.

Isn't that...."Animal Cruelty"?................... .Kidding, Joke, Don't get all Bent.

 

[SteveC409]

I have this same problem on my 78 El Camino and have tried many different types of cleaning chemicals with out much luck. All of these posts so far have been how to clean the sticky. I would like to know what it is that is leaking out of my steering wheel and once I know that then maybe I can come up with something that will clean it permanently.

 

[baddbob]

I've always thought it was oils out of a person's hand that were absorbed over years of use then later got released with some soaking in the sun. Maybe I'm wrong but I haven't seen any other plastics do this-most plastics usually dry up not expell oily gunk like on the steering wheels. Also not all the sport wheels do this-I've seen many that have weathered just fine with no residue. I have two stored in my basement right now- one is fine and the other one has the sticky gunk described. I agree a thorough understanding of what the stuff is would steer us in the right direction for removing it.

 

[77442]

Sticky Steering wheel

I have had two vehicles that I bought with the sticky steering wheel. 77olds442 and a 7? Chevy truck. I also have a 20 year old letterman jacket and the sleeves are vinyl and are doing the same thing. I did a search on the net and found that old vinyl dolls have the same problem. The restorers use plastic cleaner. P.K. Plastics Cleaner. I'll let you know how it works.

 

[1930u]

Hi all,

Same problem with my 69 Camaro wheel. I have had limited success washing the wheel in dishwasher with dish detergents (Wife not happy). I have also used thinner, and other similar products but I've never been able to keep it from coming back once it gets hot in the sun. I have also had many other GM cars with the same problem. I'm kinding thinking on the same line as badbob about oil and grime from our skin. I would think that any chemical solvent based releases from manufactering would have flashed off years ago.

At any rate this is something I've never been able to figure out.

Do other makes of cars have the same problem?

 

[Chevrolet4x4s]

85 Silverado.....same deal.

Shane

 

[ScoTFrenzel]

Plastics are petroleum based. Heat and time cause the "oil" to cook out. Some goo, some evaporate and get chalky or dry like a dash pad.

 

[MAUSS]

I've had the problem on my '79 Trans Am wheel. I cleaned it the best I could and then stitched a Wheelskin cover on it (real leather). It came out nicely.

 

[DRS50]

I've always thought it was oils out of a person's hand that were absorbed over years of use then later got released with some soaking in the sun. Maybe I'm wrong but I haven't seen any other plastics do this-most plastics usually dry up not expell oily gunk like on the steering wheels. Also not all the sport wheels do this-I've seen many that have weathered just fine with no residue. I have two stored in my basement right now- one is fine and the other one has the sticky gunk described. I agree a thorough understanding of what the stuff is would steer us in the right direction for removing it.

This is what a guy from the gm body shop told me and I read it somewhere in a magazine but cant find the article and dont remember what they used to clean the plastic ones, but i remember that they went to a leather cleaner they got from a leather saddle shop, dont know the name of the product they used just know it was used for cleaning leather horse saddles.

 

[Chevrolet4x4s]

Saddle Soap possibly?

Shane

 

[schatzy]

I use Sprayaway glass cleaner on my 79 K10. Its ammonia free, tried it after nothing else seemed to work. After the truck sits awhile it comes back thou.

 

[22Cruz44]

I have a 69 camaro that has been setting in the sun uncovered for ten years. The Steering wheel was so bad it was dripping in the seat. I took it off and placed it in a rubber made for 48 hours with dawn soap. I changed the water once and rubbed the wheel with a cloth. All the bubbles where gone and most of the sticky. After that I used a product called hydrasol made by Polywater. This product is made for removing petroleum_based filling greases from Telecommunications cables equipment and tools. My wife loved the smell of it so much she did most of the rubbing. Took about 10 mins but wife stopped after 20. This is good stuff I have also used it to remove the sticky left from window tint.

 

[302 Z28]

It is the plasticizer that is added to whatever the wheel is made of to keep it from drying out. Some plastic wheels also have an additive to simulate a hard rubber.

Vince

 

[cobalt327]

3-M Cleaner No. 08984

Then I got some 3M Adhesive remover (don't remember the number). Had that honey-coated creepy wheel clean and tack free in just an hour or two. Drove the truck for another 2 years and never had to repeat the application even during the summer heat here in Houston.

Ditto! There are a couple other polar solvents that will remove the goo, but they are much more likely to damage other plastic finishes if accidentally applied to the wrong surface.

The can looks like: