Steering wheels, steering wheel and steering column assemblies, and methods for assembling steering wheels and steering columns

A steering wheel and steering column assembly for a motor vehicle, the assembly comprising:

• a steering shaft having an attachment end portion that has a plurality of external splines;
• and
• a steering wheel comprising:
• a hub disposed in a central section of the steering wheel and comprising a tubular stem portion that has a channel and that comprises a wall disposed around the channel, wherein the wall has an inner surface and a plurality of internal splines formed along the inner surface engageable with the external splines for operably coupling the steering wheel to the steering shaft, wherein the tubular stem portion has a locally thickened section of the wall;
• a catch and a biasing feature disposed along the wall and cooperatively configured such that the biasing feature acts on the catch to allow the catch to move relative to the wall during assembly of the steering wheel to the steering shaft and urges the catch into an engaged position with the attachment end portion when the steering shaft is proximate a seated position in the tubular stem portion to prevent the steering wheel from being removed from the steering shaft, wherein the catch has at least one attachment opening formed therethrough;
• and
• a pin that extends through the locally thickened section of the wall and the at least one attachment opening to rotationally couple the catch to the tubular stem portion of the steering wheel.