[fundytides]

I want to send my steering column, along with fenders, running boards, and all other "black items" to the paint shop so today I removed it from the car. I know that the proper procedure is to remove the steering wheel and pull the column down and out from the front. However, the steering wheel is stubborn and I was hesitant to apply too much pressure for fear of destroying the wheel or the threads on the shaft so I decided to take the column out from the top. I had to remove the starter and disconnect the brake pedal allowing the pedal to drop forward. After that I was able to pull the column up and out with a bit of a struggle to twist and turn it to clear both pedal arms. I don't think I will be able to reverse this process without doing some damage to the finish on the column after it is painted. Has anybody else done this and would you recommend removing the clutch pedal from the shaft to provide the extra clearance? Is this difficult? Any other suggestions would be appreciated. The painter says he will just cover the steering wheel and paint the column. He doesn't want to risk damaging the wheel either.