Will 914 and VW steering wheels interchange?, Do they share the same splines? Options

[NSFW]

Would anyone know if any year/model VW has the same steering wheel/steering shaft spline as the 914—early or later model? Would the steering wheels interchange? Thanks !

[914Sixer]

Splines are the same. The problem is the 914 wheel mounting is recessed into the plastic. The stock VW wheels are on the end. So, when you put a VW wheel on there is about a 1" gap.

[NSFW]

Thanks for the information.

I was asking mostly because I'm putting together another wheel for my (hopefully soon to be acquired) 914 and I wanted to use the four spoke Formuling as a base, the wheel is pretty much identical to the Lecarra but I like the way that the leather wraps to the spokes much better. I have all of the parts and a fabricated horn button but no adapter for it. I DO have an adapter that came from a mid-70's VW Beetle that I was hoping to use as it bolts right up to the housing, but wasn't sure of the fitment. I had a 914 wheel in my '71 Karmann Ghia for a while that seemed to fit just fine, but memory fails. My first 914 had a Moto Lita steering wheel and hub, but the hub was literally hammered in place on the steering shaft, I always thought that it might have been for a VW and was just a tight fit, must have been something different happening if the VW and 914 splines are the same.

Again, thank you for your post and information, it's VERY much appreciated.

Would anyone have a decent photo of the business end of a stock 914 steering wheel where it fits onto the splined steering shaft, I'd like to see how much of a recess (or lack of one) in the plastic covering there is before the mount comes into play.

[Highland]

Does this help?

[NSFW]

Helps some what but way too dark and much of there ruler markings are obscured, I can't really tell if the markings are in inches of millimeters nor where the measurements begin in relation to what's inside there.

I have the plastic collar that fits to the bottom of the steering wheel and comes up to the blinker housing. Looks like there's a shelf about 0.5 inches recessed from the leading edge, I assume that the horn contact ring/directional cancellation ring screws to this shelf.

I can see from your photo that the aluminum splined steering wheel mount is showing recessed even deeper into the plastic housing. Could you measure from the leading face of this aluminum splined mount to the edge of the plastic housing? This would give me the measurements for how much of a transition collar is necessary to to take up the aforementioned spacing between the VW wheel and the 914 blinker housing.

I want to be sure to set the adapter in the correct position before adding a collar to take up one inch spacing.

Maybe a less close up photo of the relationship between plastic collar, steering wheel base and mount would help out as well, something to show clearly the relationship between all of the components in place rather than an isolated photo or two.

I appreciate you're trying to help me out ! ! !

Thank you !

[Highland]

Sorry, I know the ruler didn't show through to well.

From the top of the spline lip to the cancellation ring lip is about 14.3 mm. It measures about ~16.2 mm from where the spline actually starts to the cancellation ring lip.

The inner lip (from where I measured) on the cancellation ring is raised about 5 mm.

Some of the surfaces are beveled and not completely flat, so the measurements are probably +/- .5 mm.

[NSFW]

Sorry, I know the ruler didn't show through to well.

From the top of the spline lip to the cancellation ring lip is about 14.3 mm. It measures about ~16.2 mm from where the spline actually starts to the cancellation ring lip.

The inner lip (from where I measured) on the cancellation ring is raised about 5 mm.

Some of the surfaces are beveled and not completely flat, so the measurements are probably +/- .5 mm.

THANKS ! !

One more measurement? What's the distance from the top of the spline to the edge of the plastic cover that almost contacts the blinker housing? What to be sure to get the gap between the wheel assembly and the housing correct. It's usually only an eighth of n inch or so on most cars, a barely noticeable transition between the steering column housing and the back side of the steering wheel.

Thanks once again, this info is just terrific ! ! !

[Highland]

I think you mean the outer housing that shows when assembled? The entire diameter is ~90.4 mm.

Otherwise the outer housing/cover is flush with the inner lip of the cancellation ring, so ~14.3 mm.

These are all axial measurements. It'll take more time if you need the radial gap.

FYI the wheel PN is 914 347 809 00. Don't know if it's different for different steering wheels.