Worn Leather Steering Wheel Options

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kernowsvenski

kernowsvenski

Well-Known Member
Posts
1,618
Location
Truro
So in my quest to keep the interior of my FL1 as fresh and spick and span as I can, I want to sort a few things which niggle me. I've been inspired by the recent door card refurbs on here, so will be doing mine at some point. I'll also tackle the saggy headlining in the not too distant future, but first on the list is my very shabby steeringwheel.

I have the alpaca leather interior so I have the half leather wheel. It's very worn and really lets down the interior so I'm considering options and wondering about other member's experiences.

Option 1
I have some offcuts of the alpaca leather lying around so I would consider having a go at retrimming but I'd be concerned that I wouldn't get a good result, particularly getting the stitches nice and tight, and getting a nice neat finish where the coloured leather meets the black. Has anyone done this? I might get an old steering wheel from the scrappy and have a practice first.

Option 2
Are leather dyes any good? Does anyone have pics of their results, advice on applying and more importantly, recommendations/links to products that gave good results? I've tried some of the stuff that is a bit like shoe polish but it was not particularly satisfactory. I've had a quick look at other threads on here and some results look pretty good, but they're generally on dark coloured wheels.
 
My advice would be to find a better one, either second hand or new old stock.

Or get it refurbished by a professional, which isn't as much as you might think.

I've gone both routes in the past, after attempting to do a half decent job myself, only failing.

The roof lining isn't difficult, although time consuming and messy. It'll take a day, and if working outside, the weather needs to be warm and dry.
 
Hi
I am not a professional but I have done some interior update. The door panels, gear lever cover, etc. they're easy. The steering wheel is something else, I tried it and it went wrong, maybe in time to repeat it because it was the first time I tried it. I am with nodge the steering wheel perhaps the best is a professional. They sell covers for sewing but many do not stay well in delicate areas. Here is my example of a steering wheel (sloppy), shift cover (Ok and genuine leather, I also made a handbrake cover that cannot be seen and it looked very good) and leatherette door panels. Luck.

upload_2021-2-9_10-50-50.png


upload_2021-2-9_10-52-10.png



upload_2021-2-9_10-58-2.png
upload_2021-2-9_10-58-2.png upload_2021-2-9_10-56-55.png





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Here a universal cover that they sell made. I don't like how it looks:
upload_2021-2-9_10-55-34.png
 
Try everything, it's not that difficult except the steering wheel for me. Always use temperature resistant glue. I put a video where it seems easy.
 
Nodge68 said:
My advice would be to find a better one, either second hand or new old stock.

Or get it refurbished by a professional, which isn't as much as you might think.

I've gone both routes in the past, after attempting to do a half decent job myself, only failing.

The roof lining isn't difficult, although time consuming and messy. It'll take a day, and if working outside, the weather needs to be warm and dry.
Click to expand...
I'm not really phased by the headlining as I used to do boat headlinings years ago so when I can muster up the will to spend a weekend at it I'll have a go, but that can wait for now.

freespaña said:
Hi
I am not a professional but I have done some interior update. The door panels, gear lever cover, etc. they're easy. The steering wheel is something else, I tried it and it went wrong, maybe in time to repeat it because it was the first time I tried it. I am with nodge the steering wheel perhaps the best is a professional. They sell covers for sewing but many do not stay well in delicate areas. Here is my example of a steering wheel (sloppy), shift cover (Ok and genuine leather, I also made a handbrake cover that cannot be seen and it looked very good) and leatherette door panels. Luck.
Click to expand...
I did the gear gaiter a while ago and am very pleased with how that turned out, and I like your door cards so they are on my list too.


Anyway, I thought sod it, I'll have a go at the wheel, but I'll practice first. I popped down to the scrappy today and got this for £3. I've taken off the old leather to use as a template. I just need some black leather to go with the alpaca that I've already got. Since it's not a big outlay it doesn't matter if I balls it up, and if I do a decent enough job it'll go on the car! Mother is a dressmaking and tailoring teacher too so i may call on her for some help. :)

sw.jpg
 
kernowsvenski said:
I'm not really phased by the headlining as I used to do boat headlinings years ago so when I can muster up the will to spend a weekend at it I'll have a go, but that can wait for now.
Click to expand...
I've done a couple of modern head linings, and it's not at all difficult. I expect I'll need to do the FL2, if it starts to sag while I own it.
kernowsvenski said:
I did the gear gaiter a while ago and am very pleased with how that turned out
Click to expand...
I've mine to do too. What is it with LR gear lever gaiters.
kernowsvenski said:
Anyway, I thought sod it, I'll have a go at the wheel, but I'll practice first. I popped down to the scrappy today and got this for £3. I've taken off the old leather to use as a template. I just need some black leather to go with the alpaca that I've already got. Since it's not a big outlay it doesn't matter if I balls it up, and if I do a decent enough job it'll go on the car! Mother is a dressmaking and tailoring teacher too so i may call on her for some help.
Click to expand...
Excellent.
I'll be interested to see the result. I quite fancy my FL2 wheel in leather, as it's currently Polyurethane.
 
Good stuff (and good luck), will watch with interest. Anything is possible and it is good to see someone try it. I would love to pattern the seat covers and make leather ones. I tired very hard with a couple of firms but no interest.
A fair price replacement seat cover would be a good product and, I believe, a good seller too!
Takes me back to the 80's when I had a Vauxhall Viva with a draylon buttoned rear shelf !! Happy (ish ) days! :D
 
kernowsvenski said:
I'm not really phased by the headlining as I used to do boat headlinings years ago so when I can muster up the will to spend a weekend at it I'll have a go, but that can wait for now.


I did the gear gaiter a while ago and am very pleased with how that turned out, and I like your door cards so they are on my list too.


Anyway, I thought sod it, I'll have a go at the wheel, but I'll practice first. I popped down to the scrappy today and got this for £3. I've taken off the old leather to use as a template. I just need some black leather to go with the alpaca that I've already got. Since it's not a big outlay it doesn't matter if I balls it up, and if I do a decent enough job it'll go on the car! Mother is a dressmaking and tailoring teacher too so i may call on her for some help. :)

View attachment 230621
Click to expand...

Hi.
Make sure that the leather of the steering wheel is resistant to rubbing. My FL2 steering wheel was made of rubber and I upholstered it in genuine leather (it didn't look very good), in a short time, the glossy finish of the leather became like a more worn steering wheel in certain parts ...
 
So I thought that as I want to make a decent job of this, I'd better get stocked up. I already had a couple of alpaca off cuts but I needed the black semi perforated leather too. Popped down to the scrayy today and managed to get just the stuff from a Vauxhall Tigra. I also stocked up on a load of leather that is almost identical to the alpaca courtesy of a 2003 BMW 5 series. I might have enough to do my door cards if I get the wheel right first time. Got it for free too as the grumpy guy at the counter didn't want to give me change for the tenner I had.
l1.jpg
 
kernowsvenski said:
So I thought that as I want to make a decent job of this, I'd better get stocked up.
Click to expand...

Seeing you attack your steering wheel, prompted me to do something with my tatty gear lever gaiter.
So I ordered one off Ebay for £8, which is black leather, with blue stitching to match my blue seat centre panels.

I'm definitely watching this thread though, as I'm thinking it's possible to cover my own polyurethane steering wheel in leather, maybe with blue stitching.
Thanks.
 
Nodge68 said:
Seeing you attack your steering wheel, prompted me to do something with my tatty gear lever gaiter.
So I ordered one off Ebay for £8, which is black leather, with blue stitching to match my blue seat centre panels.

I'm definitely watching this thread though, as I'm thinking it's possible to cover my own polyurethane steering wheel in leather, maybe with blue stitching.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
it's possible. Just be careful when inserting the cover into the steering wheel horn-control joint, If it is too tight it can sometimes cause the horn and buttons to fail (it happened to me). It is not serious if you know it, from time to time separating the cover a little with the controls is enough, but not to make the mistake that I did ...
 
kernowsvenski said:
Got it for free too as the grumpy guy at the counter didn't want to give me change for the tenner I had
Click to expand...
I can cope with grumpy blokes when they don't charge me!!

Fab to have a scrappy where you can still go in and get stuff!!!
To access my local is like getting an appointment to see HRH!!!

Where is it please??
 
Last edited:
andyfreelandy said:
I can cope with grumpy blokes when they don't charge me!!

Fab to have a scrappy where you can still go in and get stuff!!!
To access my local is like getting an appointment to see HRH!!!

Where is it please??
Click to expand...

It's brilliant. Orchards near St Day. I pop in from time to time. If you're after things that are not too involved to retrieve its good and I can always pop in if you need stuff. Everything always seems to be just a couple of quid. I've replaced loads of tatty trim on mine for next to nothing over the last few years and I even managed to get a holy grail of a non rusty sunroof, for £5.

They have a fb page and occasionally post what vehicles are coming in so it's worth checking out from time to time.

Last week they had an HSE in with the same trim as mine. It looked in tidy nick actually. It was stripped in a couple of days.
 
Nodge68 said:
Seeing you attack your steering wheel, prompted me to do something with my tatty gear lever gaiter.
So I ordered one off Ebay for £8, which is black leather, with blue stitching to match my blue seat centre panels.

I'm definitely watching this thread though, as I'm thinking it's possible to cover my own polyurethane steering wheel in leather, maybe with blue stitching.
Thanks.
Click to expand...

Good man! I was very pleased with the gaiter I did on my fl1
 
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