Steering Wheel - replace or referbish?
wizard_of_trance
Band Wagon
Hi,
The rubber had rotted off of the steering wheel of my '89 civic wagon DX. The metal ring was showing through in places.
I looked in some junkyards for a replacement but encountered the same thing. Evidently the rubber Honda used reacted badly with the acids and oils in our skin.
I looked at replacing it with a custom steering wheel but with a base price of $100 and up and requiring an adapter piece, I wasn't too thrilled at the prospect. Besides, I wanted the honda logo on my steering wheel.
I decided to try and rebuild the wheel so I took off the rest of the rubber around it, only leaving the covering on the two wide "spokes" at 4 and 8 o'clock.
I took some 1/2" heater hose and slit it down one side, then fit it around the wheel and cut it to fit exact.
I then put a cheapo wheel cover on it, the kind that stretches over the wheel and you wrap that lanyard plastic string all around the wheel.
The results were better than I ever dreamed. The wheel looks good, feels good, and works great!
Since I can't seem to figure out the photo thing here, I have put a link to a pic of the finished wheel
Cheers!
John
http://www.wizardoftrance.com/honda.html
The rubber had rotted off of the steering wheel of my '89 civic wagon DX. The metal ring was showing through in places.
I looked in some junkyards for a replacement but encountered the same thing. Evidently the rubber Honda used reacted badly with the acids and oils in our skin.
I looked at replacing it with a custom steering wheel but with a base price of $100 and up and requiring an adapter piece, I wasn't too thrilled at the prospect. Besides, I wanted the honda logo on my steering wheel.
I decided to try and rebuild the wheel so I took off the rest of the rubber around it, only leaving the covering on the two wide "spokes" at 4 and 8 o'clock.
I took some 1/2" heater hose and slit it down one side, then fit it around the wheel and cut it to fit exact.
I then put a cheapo wheel cover on it, the kind that stretches over the wheel and you wrap that lanyard plastic string all around the wheel.
The results were better than I ever dreamed. The wheel looks good, feels good, and works great!
Since I can't seem to figure out the photo thing here, I have put a link to a pic of the finished wheel
Cheers!
John
http://www.wizardoftrance.com/honda.html
Comments
Im suprised your having issues finding a stock one though, there are usally plenty around. Try and find on out of an Si, as they are a litte smaller and have the three arms instead of two. Im on the hunt for one myself right now to replace my JDM SiR wheel that the leather is coming off on.
a 4th gen Accord one works too, you just need to do a little trick (which if you are interested, i can explain)
Thanks man, and I do appreciate it, but as you can see I don't have the issue any longer.
and i also could find any oem steering wheel for like $5.
yeah you could.
No badge. That piece pops out of the middle. So I could put my RT4WD badge into an Si wheel. 8) You're right!