The Steering Wheel and Column.—A steering wheel may be made of an old clock gear wheel with the teeth cut off, or a small can lid may be used instead. The steering wheel column may be made of a piece of heavy galvanized wire.
Clock gear wheels are usually fastened to a short steel shaft, but they may be easily driven off the shaft by placing the shaft of the wheel in the vise jaws so that the wheel is above the vise jaws, and then a few light hammer blows directed at the upper end of the shaft will loosen the wheel and it may be easily removed. The vise jaws should hold the shaft very loosely as it is being driven out of the wheel.
Use the metal shears to cut off the gear teeth and a smooth flat file to file down the roughness left at the edge of the wheel.
Find a piece of galvanized wire that fits into the hole in the clock wheel or file a larger piece down until it does fit. The wire should project slightly beyond the wheel and be soldered to it in exactly the same manner as the tin can wheel is soldered to an axle. The wire that the steering gear is soldered to should be long enough to go through the dash-board, hood and frame, if the wheel is to turn. A strip of tin is coiled about the wire below the frame as shown in [Fig. 82]. These are soldered in place to the wire to keep it in position and yet allow it to turn freely in the holes.
Mud Guards and Running Boards.—Mud guards may be made from a part of the side and bottom of a can as shown in [Fig. 83]. A 3-inch can is the best size to use for the truck. The can is cut down to a height of 1⅛ inches and then cut into two parts across the bottom so that two mud guards may be made from each can. The outer edges are turned as in making a tray and folded pieces are slipped over the ends as shown in [Fig. 83]. These mud guards are soldered to the frame in the position shown.
Fig. 82.
Running boards may be made of two pieces of tin, each piece to be cut 1¼ inches wide and as long as it is desired. The four pieces are each turned down ⅛ inch at the long sides and two pieces are fitted over each other to make one running board as shown in [Fig. 84]. Two or three supports may be made of galvanized wire for the running boards. These supports extend across the frame of the truck and one end of each support is soldered to each running board. One end of each running board is usually soldered to each mud guard.