David,
 
I think you might a like a Vanagon Yoda, you knew before I did that damn spacer wasn't far enough down!  You gently nudged me in the right direction, steering wheel is on!  Your online pics helped a lot.  Basically I had the steering wheel lock housing mounted in the most distal position, I loosened the allen bolt and tapped the space down with a big socket and it went right on.
 
Ryan
 

> Date: Fri, 24 Jun 2011 21:46:36 -0400
> To: easywind1975@hotmail.com
> From: dbeierl@attglobal.net
> Subject: RE: Stupid Steering Wheel Question Install Replace
> 
> At 09:34 PM 6/24/2011, Bill Shawley wrote:
> >The problem is getting the actual steering wheel to go on the 
> >splines of the shaft, it won't even get started but I'm pretty sure 
> >it is a technique thing on my end.
> 
> Bill, the Vanagon wheels I've worked with did not require any effort 
> at all to fit onto the splines ('84, '85, '85, '89). You simply set 
> them on top and wiggle gently and they slide right down.
> 
> Look at 
> https://picasaweb.google.com/dbeierl/VanagonSteeringColumn#5595571306868513906 
> . Is the spacer inserted onto the column as shown there?
> 
> Yrs,
> d
> 
>