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For perspective, in case the reader has never had need to pull a steering wheel, there is a special tool for the removal of every steering wheel I've ever remov

For perspective, in case the reader has never had need to pull a steering wheel, there is a special tool for the removal of every steering wheel I've ever removed. Because even after you remove the giant-ass nut holding it to the steering column, the steering wheel is (supposed to be) pressed on firmly enough that you will not be removing it by hand. Let alone have the damned thing fall off in your hands. (Exception: if I wiggle hard enough, I can get the steering wheel off our '81 VW camper without a puller.) In other words, Tesla manufacturing didn't give the nut enough torque at manufacturing time. How that's not automated with a preset gun/wrench/whatever, I have no idea. Or maybe someone just spun the nut on by hand and it never got the wrench. Oh. I just looked at a video on how to get the steering wheel off. There's just a big Allen bolt holding the steering wheel on, and then the video author simply wiggled the it off the steering column. Man, I'm not so sure I like that, and this story seems to back me up. On the other hand, it could be the video author has a defective Tesla as well, and you really are supposed to need a puller. :-)

nimbius 4y ago
>there is a special tool for the removal of every steering wheel I've ever removed. Diesel engine tech here. Not only is there a special tool, but on most modern vehicles in the last 5-7 years, you have several more nuts to engage as well and a certain direction you need to move the wheel to align it with a pattern before it slides off. that the nut was absent/loose on this vehicle implies a cascade failure in the manufacturing chain. the electrical team, the FA team, the driveline mechanics, everyone missed this failure at multiple steps or simply ignored it assuming someone else would take care of it. Toyota and Honda remedied this complacency thirty years ago with the line stop/all stop switch. basically its a big red button at your workstation where, if you detect any serious error or failure, you can halt the entire production line which triggers an immediate investigation into the failure condition before it ever reaches the customer. this halt can happen anytime, from the initial subframe assembly to something as insignificant as paint. its a massive amount of power and responsibility these companies entrust to each worker.
- mikestew 4y ago
  ...but on most modern vehicles in the last 5-7 years... Thank you for a more up-to-date perspective. My pro years were 30 years ago, and the only vehicles I work on these days are the ones in my driveway (most of which are over 10 years old). And here's the video I was referencing, if anyone wants a look: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuTpEFGqXw4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuTpEFGqXw4
- colechristensen 4y ago
  Hopefully the NTSB does its job here.
- Oxidation 4y ago
  > have several more nuts to engage as well and a certain direction you need to move the wheel to align it with a pattern before it slides off. If anyone likes this kind of mechanical puzzle-slash-critical safety interlock, check out strong link/weak link systems in nuclear weapons.[1] [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strong_link/weak_link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strong_link/weak_link
- 1-more 4y ago
  > you can halt the entire production line which triggers an immediate investigation into the failure condition before it ever reaches the customer. That's extremely impressive! But I gotta wonder: is there ever any soft pressure to just quietly fix the missing/loose bit quickly (if you can) and then not hit the button?
deleted 4y ago
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nimbius 4y ago

>there is a special tool for the removal of every steering wheel I've ever removed. Diesel engine tech here. Not only is there a special tool, but on most modern vehicles in the last 5-7 years, you have several more nuts to engage as well and a certain direction you need to move the wheel to align it with a pattern before it slides off. that the nut was absent/loose on this vehicle implies a cascade failure in the manufacturing chain. the electrical team, the FA team, the driveline mechanics, everyone missed this failure at multiple steps or simply ignored it assuming someone else would take care of it. Toyota and Honda remedied this complacency thirty years ago with the line stop/all stop switch. basically its a big red button at your workstation where, if you detect any serious error or failure, you can halt the entire production line which triggers an immediate investigation into the failure condition before it ever reaches the customer. this halt can happen anytime, from the initial subframe assembly to something as insignificant as paint. its a massive amount of power and responsibility these companies entrust to each worker.

mikestew 4y ago
...but on most modern vehicles in the last 5-7 years... Thank you for a more up-to-date perspective. My pro years were 30 years ago, and the only vehicles I work on these days are the ones in my driveway (most of which are over 10 years old). And here's the video I was referencing, if anyone wants a look: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuTpEFGqXw4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuTpEFGqXw4
colechristensen 4y ago
Hopefully the NTSB does its job here.
Oxidation 4y ago
> have several more nuts to engage as well and a certain direction you need to move the wheel to align it with a pattern before it slides off. If anyone likes this kind of mechanical puzzle-slash-critical safety interlock, check out strong link/weak link systems in nuclear weapons.[1] [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strong_link/weak_link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strong_link/weak_link
1-more 4y ago
> you can halt the entire production line which triggers an immediate investigation into the failure condition before it ever reaches the customer. That's extremely impressive! But I gotta wonder: is there ever any soft pressure to just quietly fix the missing/loose bit quickly (if you can) and then not hit the button?

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]