Black Hands - Steering Wheel Forklift Tractor - Is there a fix?

[dalmatiangirl61]

I'm sure I'm not the only one with a forklift steering wheel that turns your hands black, any suggestions on how to remedy the problem, short of a new steering wheel? Clear lacquer, wrap with tape, flex-seal, plasti-dip? Search engine found nothing, and I've tried nothing. What worked for you?

 

[Ox]

Ha, yeah, I had that on a 4020 40 years ago.


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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

 

[Bill D]

Leather steering wheel cover for indoor use. Outdoors?
Bill D

 

[Gordon Heaton]

Had that problem long ago, I rubbed baking soda into the wheel. Kept at it until no more would 'take'. That solved the problem for quite a while. Long shot but might be worth a try. Its worth noting that the rubber coating on mine was a little soft, sorta tacky almost.

 

[Bill D]

AFAK a forklift steerng wheel is nothing special. Jsut buy a new one for a car or truck and get or make an adapter.
Bill D

 

[john.k]

Tractor steering wheels seem to be around $100 on fleaB ......getting the old one rerubbered /restored is twice that...............anyhoo,nothing to stop you fixin your own .....strip the perished rubber ,and rebuild it with epoxy and cloth...........dont use glass mat ,the fibres will come out into your hands.

 

[Bill D]

A steering wheel is $23 at the local pick and pull. A citroen single spoke wheel would look cool.
Bill D

 

[dalmatiangirl61]

Bill D
It lives outside, have considered pulling it but suspect that would open up a can of worms.

Gordon H
This is hard black plastic, probably had a gloss finish when new but now matte. Usually wear gloves, forgot today, drove it a few hundred feet, swung it thru a few circles, and my hands looked like I had clawed my way out of a coal bunker.

John K
I've seen the refurbed steering wheels, might be worth it for a show queen, but not a yard dog.

 

[john.k]

Both my tractors have the black hands ....and shirt front problem......a collector said to me that I could buy a new hard rubber wheel for $100.......which would double my investment in both tractors.......I also have an old crane that has /had a tubular steel steering wheel that was coated in black cellulose when new ......unfortunately ,rust inside the tube means its about to fail.

 

[Scottl]

There are vinyl lace-on steering wheel covers as well as leather ones. Other alternative would be to clean, sand lightly, and spray with Flex Seal. I used black Flex Seal on the handle of a homemade emergency brush saw (uses Sawzall pruning blade that stores in handle) and it seems quite durable and doesn't rub off.

Another possibility would be to wrap the wheel with bicycle handlebar tape. You might have to get creative as to how to secure the ends.

 

[DDoug]

Reminds me....I saw a woman driving towards me the other day with a fuzzy pink steering wheel cover, must have been 6" thick.....Oiy!

https://www.amazon.com/Fashion-Steering-Handbrake-Non-slip-Decoration/dp/B07813VYCF/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=pink+fuzzy+steering+wheel+cover&qid=1660738778&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

Guarantee no man would be driving her car....

 

[Ohio Mike]

I'd shoot it with some black rattle can or some clear lacquer. I've seen lots of tractor restorations done that way, not sure of the logevity but probalby pretty good if its out of the sun.