posted by Scott on Jun 8
A steering wheel hub adapter is used to adapt your factory steering column to an aftermarket steering wheel, and so will need to have the correct bolt pattern to fit your wheel and the correct centre-hole to fit the spline on the end of the steering column. These are also known as a steering wheel boss.
The bolt hole patterns for steering wheels and hubs differ between manufacturers, and you will usually need to purchase the same brand hub as the steering wheel. There are of course some exceptions – Momo, Sparco,and Mugen are generally be the same, while Nardi and Grant hubs are unique to their respective brand of steering wheel.
When selecting a steering wheel hub it is important to keep in mind that some hubs available will not allow for automatic turn signal cancelling without modification.
Once you have everything in front of you, this shouldn’t take more than an hour. It’s pretty easy and straightforward.
Read this excellent guide by Todd Marcucci on installing a steering wheel hub in a modern generation car :
NTPOG 4th/5th Gen Steering Hub Install
posted by Scott on Jun 8
If you are thinking about replacing or upgrading your car’s steering wheel, then here are a few points to consider before handing over your hard earned money.
Some cheaper aftermarket steering wheels are only made to fit a particular car, and can come with the bosss kit attached, and so will have a limited range of applications. Most aftermarket wood and leather steering wheels will be sold as a separate item to the boss kit. When deciding on a replacement steering wheel for your car it is essential to check some important things to ensure safety, legality, and not to invalidate your insurance.
• The steering wheel must have a boss kit available that will fit the spline on the steering column of your car – fitting an incorrect boss may endanger your life, and those of other road users and pedestrians.
• The steering wheel boss kit must have the correct fitting to mate with the turn signal canceling mechanism, and also the horn plate (a round flat disc that is part of the horn’s power circuit).
• If the cars original steering wheel comes with an airbag, then according to law you must have a steering wheel that accommodates an airbag. You cannot simply replace an airbag-fitted wheel with a nice shiny spoked wood steering wheel with a metallic horn button in the centre.
• There are laws regarding the minimum diameter of a cars steering wheel, and you should be aware of your local laws to avoid grief from an inspector or police officer!
• Finally you need to consider your own driving comfort, such as position of the wheel (which can be changed depending on the dish of the wheel), and thickness of the rim.
Time for an upgrade?
posted by Scott on Jun 4
The term “dish’ refers to the distance between the hub of the wheel and a straight-edge placed across the rim of the wheel directly above the hub.
If you fit a deeply dished steering wheel instead of a flat one, the wheel’s rim will closer to the driver. And transversely a flat steering wheel will be further away.
There are many variances in the dish depth of aftermarket steering wheels, and you may find different hubs also offset the wheel different amounts.
This diagram shows the difference between a deeply dished steering wheel and a relatively flat wheel.
You might find that the original steering wheel does not sit at a comfortable distance form you when the seat is adjusted for your legs to reach the pedals, and so selecting the correct amount of dish can correct this making your driving experience more comfortable.
posted by Scott on Jun 3
Buying an aftermarket steering wheel to suit your car is very much a matter of personal choice, and so you may choose a wood steering wheel, leather steering wheel, or maybe a combination of both depending upon your needs and desires.
If you live in a warm climate you might find that a wooden steering wheel becomes slippery with perspiration from your hands, and so may choose a leather steering wheel for comfort and grip. Similarly if you live somewhere cold and your desire is to install a wood steering wheel, then you may want to look at a heated steering wheel such as some models made by TRC – which are “activated by a switch which quickly heats the rim of the wheel to provide a pleasant level of warmth… and will not disturb the leather or wooden surfaces” (fernandez – TRC).
Buying a steering wheel to suit your car can be an aesthetic choice, and if choosing a wood steering wheel you will generally have a choice of timbers such as mahogany, ash, walnut, or rosewood, and a range of light to dark stains. Some wood steering wheels also feature rivets set around the wheel (such as the Grant dark stained mahogany wheel), and can also have leather covering the joins between the spokes and the wheel rim – also known as “spats”. Spats can improve the appearance of a wheel and also make it more comfortable for the driver to hold.
Replacing the standard steering wheel is a matter of personal taste and function combined, and so every driver will have their own requirements. If you choose carefully, your steering wheel will improve the appearance of your car, and may help to improve your driving.
posted by Scott on May 31
Removing a steering wheel and lock plate is reasonably easy these days with new tools that are available.
Like to know how to remove your steering wheel, leaving your index fingers intact on each hand?
The first step is to remove the steering wheel by taking the nut off of the steering column, and then pulling off your steering wheel using a steering wheel puller.
Without the steering wheel removed first you cannot remove the lock plate, as it sits under the steering wheel. It is so much easier with a lock plate remover than bothering with pliers, and is bound to save some swearing.
Read this article from Skywaytools which describes the process of steering wheel removal, and shows some special tools.
http://www.skywaytools.com/autopg1.html
Here is a great article on how to remove a steering wheel from a Porsche:
http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Mult_Steering_Wheel/Mult_Steering_Wheel.htm
posted by Scott on May 25
There are a few different things to consider when upgrading to a new steering wheel.
Older cars will have steering wheels that are easier to remove and do not require special tools, where newer cars will have a locking plate and an airbag, requiring more expertise to change.
If an airbag is installed on your car, then the laws in most countries will prevent you from installing a steering wheel that does not provide for an airbag.
These replacement steering wheels are designed to allow fitment of the original airbag.
When choosing a new steering wheel you will need to consider such things as the diameter of the wheel and reach from the dashboard, which is mainly determined by the steering wheel’s dish; Some wheels are deeper ‘dished’ than others, so this will also affect the steering wheel’s distance from the driver.
If you choose a smaller diameter steering wheel than the original, then you will need to consider the reduced leverage that you will have to turn the wheel, especially if the vehicles tyres are wide or power steering is not installed. Race cars usually have small steering wheels due to space in the cabin, and also because they will have high-ratio steering racks that will move the steering wheels through a wide range with little movement of the steering wheel. At low speed (such as daily commuting) a small steering wheel will require increased effort to turn, and may quickly become tiring.
You will also want to make sure that the new wheel does not block your view of the dashboard instrumentation, and that you can still access the indicator, light, and window washer controls.
