...another steering wheel recover thread

[John Young]

Hi friends,

I've got a couple of 3 spoke 80 series steering wheels I need to recover. First for the Holy Truck, and then the Omani Diesel. I've been doing steering wheels every year or so for a while and I thought I would try something different this time--making my own pattern. I may embarrass myself by posting here before it is complete, but here-goes.

At the moment I don't have a spare 80 steering wheel with old leather still on it. I could go to the scrapyard and geat yet another steering wheel but I seem to have several around the apartment now hardly need another lying about. Also, I've had concerns with using the old leather as a pattern.

This time I thought I would try making a pattern with several layers of painters and masking tape.

Here is the wheel I am going to cover--actually for the first time because this wheel never had leather on it--just a textured foam in grey. I've de-rusted and covered the wheel with blue painters tape.
I hate rust, even where I cannot see it, so I primered the metal.

I ran a little short of time and rushed the finish coat, leaving an interesting mottled grey-black finish, which I actually kind of like.

Then a layer of regular masking tape

And another layer of blue

 

[John Young]

Here is the wheel with the several layers of tape on it.

Then I used a pen to mark a cut line towards the back of the steering wheel to be a little more out of the say.

And then marked it up each spoke.

And then after cutting through with a scalpel, started teasing the layers of tape away from the wheel

 

[John Young]

In retrospect I think I would leave a little liquid soap on the steering wheel the help the bottom layer to release.

 

[mudgudgeon]

Interested to see how you go with this.

I'd like to add some shape and thickness to my '93 3 spoke steering wheel.
I've used making tape to template complex shapes a few times. It's handy way to do it.

Did you plan where you'll have seams around the rim?

 

[John Young]

Here are the patterns laid out on a small camel leather skin

Then tracing around with a black pen

I try to leave about an extra quarter inch on the inside edge of the spoke so the leather overhangs just a little

The next process is to lay out the sewing holes.

 

[John Young]

Interested to see how you go with this.

I'd like to add some shape and thickness to my '93 3 spoke steering wheel.
I've used making tape to template complex shapes a few times. It's handy way to do it.

Did you plan where you'll have seams around the rim?

The nice thing about leather is that it is somewhat forgiving. And you can choose how thick to go. I had several 80 series wheels with me at the moment and could have gone thinner, but I prefer a thicker wheel.

Re seams, yes. I wanted them towards the back side of the wheel and I decided to have one piece for each spoke and then the long strip across the top. From past experience sometimes you have to adjust things a little and this gives the most flexibility. I will start by covering the bottom, wide spoke, then do the two side spokes, leaving the strip on the top for last.

 

[John Young]

So here is the raw material:

I then generally start in the corners and work outward

Now that I am ready to sew, I coat the backside with PVA glue. This is commonly used for bookbinding because it stays flexible and dries clear. Not sure how PVA works but is stays workable for some time and cleans up with a damp cloth.

 

[John Young]

Then it is time for the moment of truth

Leather, particularly thick, soft leather, is pretty forgiving stuff. It is elastic enough to deal with minor imperfections, especially with PVA glue backing it so you can slide things around a little.

I begin sewing at each end and alternate every few stitches.

I use 'baseball stitch, which is basically like lacing your shoes. There are lots of videos on how to do this:

And with some fettling, the first segment is done:

 

[John Young]

Here is the backside:

And a close up:

To be candid with you, right in the corners I had to double up use of the holes despite taking care with the hole count. But as you can see, it is hard to tell--I'd say even impossible to see or feel when it is on the car.

I'm using an 80 wheel that was not intended to have leather on it because I wanted a thicker and softer steering wheel. I just find it more pleasant when driving.

Another comment I should make is about thread color. I am using black or at least a dark brown now. When I first started doing leather work for the Land Cruisers I used a nice off-white but very rapidly the stitching gets soiled and there is really nothing you can do to clean it. So black is by far more practical.

One other thing, the presenter in the video mentions a lock stitch when you are starting, I purposefully did not do that here because when I join the next segment I will do a square lock stitch and if I had done one here, that joint would get a bit bulky.

I think I will stop here tonight. This does take concentration.

 

[80serie]

Nice inspiring job!
Thanks

 

[John Young]

The second segment is on.

 

[azrider]

lookin good!!

 

[John Young]

One tip I can offer is to put the holes a bit closer together on the side with the sharp corner:

I did not get very far last evening.

 

[joxeale]

Good job. I redid mine, bought a kit on amazon for like 40$. Didn't want to spend anymore time on it.

 

[John Young]

Good job. I redid mine, bought a kit on amazon for like 40$. Didn't want to spend anymore time on it.

I hear you. I did the same on a 100 series wheel and it made a big improvement. On these wheels I do it partly because I actually enjoy the process and also get a little kick out of using camel leather from a local tannery. It is also something I can do in my apartment in the evening listening to music as more of a craft thing.

 

[80serie]

I hear you. I did the same on a 100 series wheel and it made a big improvement. On these wheels I do it partly because I actually enjoy the process and also get a little kick out of using camel leather from a local tannery. It is also something I can do in my apartment in the evening listening to music as more of a craft thing.

Hi John, question for you, I understand that it is more convenient to work the bench, but to your experience is it possible to do it without removing the steering wheel?

 

[John Young]

Hi John, question for you, I understand that it is more convenient to work the bench, but to your experience is it possible to do it without removing the steering wheel?

Yes for the simple just around the rim recovering. The generic without coverage of the spokes. Better than really awful old leather, but still not all that great. Here is a photo of an example of this:

View attachment 3471257

What I like to do is go to the scrap yard and get a spare steering wheel and practice on that first. Then I put it on the car so I can drive it and then I can work on the original wheel at my leisure.

This is what I did with Missus White the 105:

Really not a very good job, but it let me practice for re-doing the original wheel:

It is not perfect, but I like it.

And there is something very satisfying about this particular activity, for me at least. Every time I get in a truck that I have done the wheel on I am reminded of that when I touch it. I don't try to do everything on my LC's any more, but the feel of a steering wheel is a sensory thing. I don't mean to overblow this but I really enjoy this particular little job.

 

[80serie]

Yes for the simple just around the rim recovering. The generic without coverage of the spokes. Better than really awful old leather, but still not all that great. Here is a photo of an example of this:
View attachment 3471255
View attachment 3471257View attachment 3471258What I like to do is go to the scrap yard and get a spare steering wheel and practice on that first. Then I put it on the car so I can drive it and then I can work on the original wheel at my leisure.

This is what I did with Missus White the 105:
View attachment 3471262
Really not a very good job, but it let me practice for re-doing the original wheel:
View attachment 3471270
It is not perfect, but I like it.

And there is something very satisfying about this particular activity, for me at least. Every time I get in a truck that I have done the wheel on I am reminded of that when I touch it. I don't try to do everything on my LC's any more, but the feel of a steering wheel is a sensory thing. I don't mean to overblow this but I really enjoy this particular little job.

Thanks for your response and all the possible avenues. I like the « around the rim » option since I have no experience at all in leather wrapping! I think it would be a good start before to increase in complexity. Again many thanks.

Cheers.

 

[John Young]

Thanks for your response and all the possible avenues. I like the « around the rim » option since I have no experience at all in leather wrapping! I think it would be a good start before to increase in complexity. Again many thanks.

Cheers.

There is a bit of a learning curve. I, for example, managed to attach the wrong end to the last segment so I had to remove the left hand segment and do the sewing over again!

 

[John Young]

I finished covering the wheel yesterday