Just thought I would post up my experience with this. My original steering wheel had about 315k miles on it, and was in need of replacement or recovering. I personally have not been impressed with the way the recovered steering wheels look. A "close color match" wasnt what Iwanted, and for roughly 160 bucks for just the leather, (not to mention I have never sewed leather before), was determined to find nice replacement for maybe a bit more or hopefully less.
I read that the Lexus LS400 steering wheel was a direct replacement for the 80 series, and especially the 1995-1997 due to the airbag compatability. So off to the online junkyards and eBay I went, in search of a good replacement.
After a few weeks of searching, I came across an eBay listing for an LS400 steering wheel that was in surprisingly excellent condition. After watching it for a couple days, the seller offered me the wheel for $40 less. I accepted the offer, and waited (im)patiently for it to arrive.
It came in yesterday, and was promptly installed. I don't know how many miles the vehicle had on it that this wheel came out of, but there is virtually no discernable wear at all. I was thrilled. Until I went to install the wheel.
Removal was pretty straightforward. Two T30 Torx screws, and a 19mm nut, and the airbag was removed, and the old wheel was off. Bolted down the replacement wheel. No problem. Then I went to put on the airbag. It lined up perfectly. But the wheel had an odd gap on one side in between the airbag and the wheel, that it didn't have on the original steering wheel. I installed it anyway, as I had read of this odd gap in another thread somewhere here on Mud, and figured it may just be something I'd have to live with.
One thing that I also noticed though, was that the steering pad was almost contacting on the opposite side of the wheel. The only thing I could reason, was that either in the removal of the wheel, or in the (assumed) crash of the original car, the wheel had been impacted to cause it to be bent. While I have never bent a wheel back in place before, I had to try. I am not OCD by any means, but if something can be made right, I want it to be made right within reason.
So I got my handy 4lb dead blow hammer, and wrapped it in a microfiber towel to ensure the immaculate wheel didn't get marred by my massaging process. The wheel seemed too far forward on the left side (9 o'clock position) and too close to the driver on the right side (3 o'clock position). I firmly smacked the right side twice, re-evaluated the gaps, and about 4 or 5 more times at varying degrees of intensity. The leather showed no fatiguing in the process, nor did the underlying pad. It turned out surprisingly well.
So to recap, if you have odd gaps in your replacement wheel, it may just need adjustment!
I read that the Lexus LS400 steering wheel was a direct replacement for the 80 series, and especially the 1995-1997 due to the airbag compatability. So off to the online junkyards and eBay I went, in search of a good replacement.
After a few weeks of searching, I came across an eBay listing for an LS400 steering wheel that was in surprisingly excellent condition. After watching it for a couple days, the seller offered me the wheel for $40 less. I accepted the offer, and waited (im)patiently for it to arrive.
It came in yesterday, and was promptly installed. I don't know how many miles the vehicle had on it that this wheel came out of, but there is virtually no discernable wear at all. I was thrilled. Until I went to install the wheel.
Removal was pretty straightforward. Two T30 Torx screws, and a 19mm nut, and the airbag was removed, and the old wheel was off. Bolted down the replacement wheel. No problem. Then I went to put on the airbag. It lined up perfectly. But the wheel had an odd gap on one side in between the airbag and the wheel, that it didn't have on the original steering wheel. I installed it anyway, as I had read of this odd gap in another thread somewhere here on Mud, and figured it may just be something I'd have to live with.
One thing that I also noticed though, was that the steering pad was almost contacting on the opposite side of the wheel. The only thing I could reason, was that either in the removal of the wheel, or in the (assumed) crash of the original car, the wheel had been impacted to cause it to be bent. While I have never bent a wheel back in place before, I had to try. I am not OCD by any means, but if something can be made right, I want it to be made right within reason.
So I got my handy 4lb dead blow hammer, and wrapped it in a microfiber towel to ensure the immaculate wheel didn't get marred by my massaging process. The wheel seemed too far forward on the left side (9 o'clock position) and too close to the driver on the right side (3 o'clock position). I firmly smacked the right side twice, re-evaluated the gaps, and about 4 or 5 more times at varying degrees of intensity. The leather showed no fatiguing in the process, nor did the underlying pad. It turned out surprisingly well.
So to recap, if you have odd gaps in your replacement wheel, it may just need adjustment!
