Saving steering wheel...what do you recommend?, beautiful stock '73 2.0 steering wheel getting "crumbly"... Options

[second wind]

Hello teener family....I have what appears to be a stock leather steering wheel on my '73 2.0 and parts of it seem to be getting bumpy and somewhat crumbly....most of it is smooth but on the back where your fingers grip there is some deterioration going on. What would you recommend to use to stop the wear and save the wheel from getting worse? It is a really nice steering wheel and I want to keep it alive as long as possible.
Thank you all very much,
gg

[Beach914]

I've regripped a leather wheel with a "wheelskin" brand product by myself in the past and liked the results. Its the cheaper route.You could also send it out to a vendor in Dallas that some have used to redo the wheel with new leather. This involves a little more money. I don't have the specific vendor so maybe someone can chime in. There's possibly other threads out there with the name.

[Cairo94507]

I had Dallas Customs do both of my wheels; stock wheel and a Prototipo - figure $500 including shipping- may be less if you don't add to make it thicker. http://www.dallassteeringwheel.com

[windforfun]

I've regripped a leather wheel with a "wheelskin" brand product by myself in the past and liked the results. Its the cheaper route.You could also send it out to a vendor in Dallas that some have used to redo the wheel with new leather. This involves a little more money. I don't have the specific vendor so maybe someone can chime in. There's possibly other threads out there with the name.

Wheelskins are a great way to go. I actually put two on my wheel, with the first one a little small & unstitched, for a nice fat feel.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif)

[burton73]

I have seen this before on old leather on steering wheels. You need to refinish the wheel with a 2 step wheel leather refinisher. I got a wheel from one of the guys here and put the super cleaner on it and then sanded it with a 220 wet silicon carbide sheet.
(wet Dry ) and you have to sand off some of the dirt and sweat and then put the finisher on. Like coloring any leather. The picture is not so great, but the wheel looks very good on my wall in my man cave. I got the kit from Amazon not much.

Bob B

[burton73]

I had Dallas Customs do both of my wheels; stock wheel and a Prototipo - figure $500 including shipping- may be less if you don't add to make it thicker.

Dallas has done a coupe of wheels for me including the wheel on my 6

Double wrap is what I like

Bob B

[second wind]

I have seen this before on old leather on steering wheels. You need to refinish the wheel with a 2 step wheel leather refinisher. I got a wheel from one of the guys here and put the super cleaner on it and then sanded it with a 220 wet silicon carbide sheet.
(wet Dry ) and you have to sand off some of the dirt and sweat and then put the finisher on. Like coloring any leather. The picture is not so great, but the wheel looks very good on my wall in my man cave. I got the kit from Amazon not much.

Bob B

Well that is my exact steering wheel and yours looks great! Please post the brand name so I can search for it .... sounds like what I am looking for....thank you very much!
gg

[mepstein]

Are you sure it’s leather and not foam? Foam looks really similar. Leather will deteriorate, especially where the sun hits it. Foam will split, crumble, etc.
I can’t tell you without really good pics if you have foam or leather but the difference fools a lot of people.

[JeffBowlsby]

Dallas Customs

Need website link please....

[mepstein]

Dallas Customs

Need website link please....

Google works
http://www.dallassteeringwheel.com/

[mepstein]

What is the meaning del number on the face and f the wheel?
914 347 809 00 Is foam but there might also be another model number as well.

[second wind]

Are you sure it’s leather and not foam? Foam looks really similar. Leather will deteriorate, especially where the sun hits it. Foam will split, crumble, etc.
I can’t tell you without really good pics if you have foam or leather but the difference fools a lot of people.

You know I've been wondering that myself for 13 years?? It has stitching on the inside of the wheel but I am not sure if it is leather or foam? How can you tell? I am leaning foam since I understand leather but I don't know about foam....how can I check and if foam how can I preserve it? Thank you very much!
gg

[mepstein]

Are you sure it’s leather and not foam? Foam looks really similar. Leather will deteriorate, especially where the sun hits it. Foam will split, crumble, etc.
I can’t tell you without really good pics if you have foam or leather but the difference fools a lot of people.

You know I've been wondering that myself for 13 years?? It has stitching on the inside of the wheel but I am not sure if it is leather or foam? How can you tell? I am leaning foam since I understand leather but I don't know about foam....how can I check and if foam how can I preserve it? Thank you very much!
gg

The stitching on the foam wheel looks very authentic. Half of the way to tell is if there’s no split stitching, it might be foam. The leather tends to split the stitching in the spoke corners. The foam rim also has tiny pits in the foam. Broken air bubbles.

[second wind]

Are you sure it’s leather and not foam? Foam looks really similar. Leather will deteriorate, especially where the sun hits it. Foam will split, crumble, etc.
I can’t tell you without really good pics if you have foam or leather but the difference fools a lot of people.

You know I've been wondering that myself for 13 years?? It has stitching on the inside of the wheel but I am not sure if it is leather or foam? How can you tell? I am leaning foam since I understand leather but I don't know about foam....how can I check and if foam how can I preserve it? Thank you very much!
gg

The stitching on the foam wheel looks very authentic. Half of the way to tell is if there’s no split stitching, it might be foam. The leather tends to split the stitching in the spoke corners. The foam rim also has tiny pits in the foam. Broken air bubbles.

That really sounds like my wheel....I will try to get a picture here on the board....how do you treat the foam properly? Thank you,
gg

[mepstein]

Are you sure it’s leather and not foam? Foam looks really similar. Leather will deteriorate, especially where the sun hits it. Foam will split, crumble, etc.
I can’t tell you without really good pics if you have foam or leather but the difference fools a lot of people.

You know I've been wondering that myself for 13 years?? It has stitching on the inside of the wheel but I am not sure if it is leather or foam? How can you tell? I am leaning foam since I understand leather but I don't know about foam....how can I check and if foam how can I preserve it? Thank you very much!
gg

The stitching on the foam wheel looks very authentic. Half of the way to tell is if there’s no split stitching, it might be foam. The leather tends to split the stitching in the spoke corners. The foam rim also has tiny pits in the foam. Broken air bubbles.

That really sounds like my wheel....I will try to get a picture here on the board....how do you treat the foam properly? Thank you,
gg

Nothing you can do to “fix” a foam wheel other than send it out for a leather wrap ~$500 or a wheel skin cover ~$50

[mxkinn01]

Greg,
I have an extra foam steering wheel off of my 73 if you want it (just pay shipping). If I remember correctly the foam was fine on it but it had come a little loose between the foam and inner ring of the wheel where I would grab it to steer and it drove me nuts. I replaced it with a nice used factory leather wheel.
Let me know and I will dig it out and take a better look at it.
Mike

[Cairo94507]

Sorry, added the link to my posting for Dallas Customs. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[mepstein]

Greg,
I have an extra foam steering wheel off of my 73 if you want it (just pay shipping). If I remember correctly the foam was fine on it but it had come a little loose between the foam and inner ring of the wheel where I would grab it to steer and it drove me nuts. I replaced it with a nice used factory leather wheel.
Let me know and I will dig it out and take a better look at it.
Mike

Inject adhesive under the foam with a needle and syringe

[second wind]

Greg,
I have an extra foam steering wheel off of my 73 if you want it (just pay shipping). If I remember correctly the foam was fine on it but it had come a little loose between the foam and inner ring of the wheel where I would grab it to steer and it drove me nuts. I replaced it with a nice used factory leather wheel.
Let me know and I will dig it out and take a better look at it.
Mike

WOW Mike.....that is very nice of you to offer....please tale a look at it and PM me....thank you very very much!!
GG

[TargaToy]

Does anyone have a pic of their wheel with the Wheelskins option installed?