Chevy steering wheel repair

[Slowpoke]

My 1997 Chevy C1500 WT steering wheel has deteriorated at the air bag finger rests. The rubber is kind of sticky and rough.
I am wondering if the previous owner had some skin problem or what.
I was thinking of trying some spray on like Flex Seal or rubber undercoat.
Any ideas appreciated.

Thanks
(Ignore the 25% off pic. I don't know how to remove it.}

 

[caterpillar guy]

The steering wheel in my one semi has done that. I don't that I know of have any skin condition on my hands. It is not sticky yet is rough and has worn that way from time and use. After all it has a 1.2 million on it and 23 years. I don't worry about it. I bought the truck new.

 

[Fred47M]

Guys were talking about that on a chevy squarebody forum the other day. Nobody had a good answer. I had one pickup that would get kind of moldy on the wheel,I think parking in a pole barn that is a little damp and skin oil causes that. Maybe some solvent on previous owners hands or something absorbed into on yours??. I have a pair of Oakley sunglasses with rubber nose peice I have to replace every few years, gets gooey, probably skin oil/sun reaction.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

Try using sandpaper to remove the upper layer of sticky plastic. Let us know if it works.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Skin condition like what? I don't know of anything that could be on your skin that could "eat" plastic that wouldn't also eat skin.

Looks like good old fashioned UV degradation to me.

Putting stuff on it is just going to make it worse.

 

[Mike Groom]

That seems to be a common problem on Chevy trucks for years, my 78 had the same problem and I got a new wheel.

 

[504]

My 97 and my 95 are both like that and neither have the air bag. (Some 97 did)

 

[1948CaseVAI]

Just replace it.

 

[EFV]

The best way to fix that is to replace it with one
that says Ford in the center. LOL

 

[Charles in Aus.]

Methylated Spirit ( denatured alcohol ) , will remove the stickiness. It's used on electronic and photographic equipment that has thin soft surface layers that also get sticky over time . It won't do anything for the rough surface though.

 

[glennster]

my 2006 wt did that. i suspect grease and oil from working on stuff started dissolving the surface coating. i had a tube of sunblock up on the dash that leaked ( varied assortment of tools and parts resided there also). and the sunblock dissolved the dash cover.

 

[chuck machinist]

(quoted from post at 19:36:19 05/01/23) my 2006 wt did that. i suspect grease and oil from working on stuff started dissolving the surface coating. i had a tube of sunblock up on the dash that leaked ( varied assortment of tools and parts resided there also). and the sunblock dissolved the dash cover.

I knew a machinist that had a higher than normal acid in his body ,and every micrometer he touched would end up oxidizing/ Just saying!CM

 

[Slowpoke]

I believe it was an Illinois Fish & Wildlife truck when new.
Rusted out cab corners, driver floorpan, etc.
Bought it at 111,000 in 6/2020.