Well, nobody responded to your post, and this may be too late, but NO, you don't need to remove the steering wheel to remove the instrument cluster. It may make work easier, but you don't need to.
-Joe

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.