steering wheel/wood? restoration or Lexus?

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MTBGUY

MTBGUY

Joined
Sep 22, 2005
Threads
23
Messages
232
Hello to all- I have been reading several of the threads on steering wheel replacement leather/reconditioning. Recently my 80 series wheel just started wearing out on top and now looks crappy. I was looking at the steering wheel in my older Lexus LS400 and it looks almost identical in many dimensions to that of the 80 series, and has a nice varnished wood feel/look.

Has anyone tried to use one of the LX (or other Lexus) steering wheels on their 80 series, and if they did, is it easy to disable the airbag while doing the switch to avoid an exploding airbag? If one of the Lexus steering wheels would fit it would be an instant problem solver. I have also been watching real Nardi wood steering wheels on Ebay and have been toying with the idea of using the rim of one of these and having it modified to work on the factory wheel. The wheelskins leather stuff doesn't look bad, but I dont want to increase the diameter of the grip area, and have been spoiled by the real wood wheel in my other car.

Ideas anyone? Or is this just too much of a can of worms to be opening? :beer:
 
I know that other Lexus steering wheels do fit. My LX450 has a black steering wheel. As far as I know these models always had the tan interior so no black wheel. Well, mine has one which means that they are interchangeable.
 
Ditto; cracking crusty faux sponge leather or whatever it is; this has come up before;
I just don't know the answers.
There was a guy on ebay selling real steering wheels that had been remanufactured, with real wood for awhile, but don't see him anymore; maybe cause they were bad or he was a crook?? Who knows. The other stuff is a clip on, does not fully encircle the OEM wheel; appears to be crap.

Need the parts experts to chime in; I think we all would like to find a replacement steering wheel that was affordable; the new OEM wheels are like ? $1000.
g
 
I've been looking at this for about 3 years now with no success. The best solution I found was to have American Stitches in Texas redo the wheel with real wood on the top and bottom, and leather on the sides to match up to the factory airbag. The cost was $450 and I should have done it sooner - b/c they are no longer in business :frown: (though one of their former employees has taken over their web domain and is doing a small number of wheels but he wants $650 for the wood/leather combo and doen't carry the reputation that American Stitches had for so long).

I've spent countless time trying to find a Lexus wood/leather wheel that would fit both the hub/spline and the airbag, but I've received countless contradictory answers from the 'experts.' At this point, I would be willing to buy a new Lexus wheel AND matching airbag if I could be assured the hub/spline would line up and fit correctly.

I'm still researching . . .
 
Miescha said:
I've been looking at this for about 3 years now with no success. The best solution I found was to have American Stitches in Texas redo the wheel with real wood on the top and bottom, and leather on the sides to match up to the factory airbag. The cost was $450 and I should have done it sooner - b/c they are no longer in business :frown: (though one of their former employees has taken over their web domain and is doing a small number of wheels but he wants $650 for the wood/leather combo and doen't carry the reputation that American Stitches had for so long).

I've spent countless time trying to find a Lexus wood/leather wheel that would fit both the hub/spline and the airbag, but I've received countless contradictory answers from the 'experts.' At this point, I would be willing to buy a new Lexus wheel AND matching airbag if I could be assured the hub/spline would line up and fit correctly.

I'm still researching . . .
Click to expand...

I traded a few emails back and forth with this guy who was selling
wheels for the 100 series; asked him if his product would fit
the 80 series; he checked into it, and after awhile said that they
would fit; but then he was a salesman and do not know if he actually put one on an 80. Main problem was that this guy was selling from ?Hong Kong. I would think CruiserDan would know??
g
 
Last edited:
If someone wanted to try and restore the wheel - has anyone attempted that? I would like to paint it and see how that comes out...
 
There is just a much thinner metal frame under faux leather whatever cover; nothing to paint.
g
 
Im thinking of trying a Lexus wheel from a salvage yard, and then if it won't fit, just sell it again on Ebay.

The other option might be find a wood one that is the same diameter and then do it myself, refinish the varnish afterwards.
 
MTBGUY said:
Im thinking of trying a Lexus wheel from a salvage yard, and then if it won't fit, just sell it again on Ebay.

The other option might be find a wood one that is the same diameter and then do it myself, refinish the varnish afterwards.
Click to expand...

I think both of these options are fine, but the key is (1) getting the right size and number of 'teeth' on the center hub and (2) getting a wheel that will match up with your stock airbag unless (a) your truck doesn't have an airbag, (b) you don't mind losing the airbag, or (c) you are willing to shell out a whole lot more cash to buy the matching airbag for whatever wheel you find (in which case, you should just buy whatever wheel you like new b/c the airbag is going to be a LOT more anyway).

I've given a lot of thought to just finding a nice wood/leather wheel with the correct thread and diameter to fit the cruiser, and then just buying the matching airbag new. I see many wheels on ebay that are super nice for around $250-400 and it seems most airbags go for around $650 new. I vaguely recall reading something here on mud that Toyota recommends replacing the factory airbag after 10 years anyway - but I've never found anything that specifically and conclusively states that fact, so it may be all myth.

Oh well, I'll give GLW a try a see how it looks (it couldn't look any worse - my steering wheel is currently the trashiest part of my rig).
 
Gray: I've talked (emailed) with that guy on ebay a LOT. When he first started posting the cruiser wheels I emailed and he said it would not fit. Then I asked about him refinishing a wheel that I supplied and he said he thought the 98+ wheel "might" fit and he would offer a full refund if it did not. I got sidetracked and didn't get back with him for several months, then yesterday I asked again about refinishing a wheel that I sent him and he said that one previous customer had used the 98+ wheel and it worked on the 96-97 Landcruiser (and again said he would offer a full refund if I wasn't happy).

I was about to bite but asked if he could give me contact info for the person that had success and, to my surprise, he did. Only problem is that the contact info was for ME :confused:

Soooo, I'm thinking he doesn't really know what will work and I'm thinking that the 'full refund' may be a LONG time coming.

I know every Toyota and Lexus dealer in my area said the 98+ steering wheel would NOT mount up on the 96-97 trucks, regardless of the airbag fit. I dont' recall if I asked Cruiserdan about this over the last two years, but I'm guessing I did and got the same answer. Still, I'll let him weigh in on the issue.

I still think the main issue is the airbag fitment, as I'm pretty sure the shaft thread is used in many different Toyota/Lexus vehicles. So, if you are willing to buy a different airbag (or get lucky and find a wheel & airbag combo) then I think it will work.

I'm guessing that the airbag connector is the same - but again, I don't have anything for comparison.
 
It sounds like I have been going through the same channels as you have and with about the same level of confusion on everyones part.

I'm with you- I'll buy an airbag also if I can just get a nice wheel that fits..........:confused:
 
I have noticed in many of the pictures of the hubs, that the wheel appears to be bolted together- perhaps you could take two of them apart at the four corners and bolt back your old center hub with the newer outside rim?
 
What we need is a parts guy somewhere (?CDan) who can order both an OEM FZJ80 wheel and an OEM LX470 wood wheel and put them next to each other, then we would have the answer for sure. Or, (the dealer parts guy) calls the Toyota/Lexus warehouse (if they are co-located) and asks the parts guys at the warehouse to grab one of each to compare side-by-side???
 
I think Gray has the right approach- I need to order some parts from CDan next week, so maybe he'll know when I have him on the phone.

I found another one on Ebay from the same vendor (who seems to have quite a few Toy/Lexus wheels). This one is from a Camry, with new leather and wood, but I cant see the hub center to know. Its only $99 VS. $300, so almost worth it to buy it and re-sell on Ebay later if it doesn't work out.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...Sell_LogicX&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget
 
I seem to recall that CDan cannot get Lexus parts - but you'll have to ask him.

As for the steeringwheeldude on ebay, I get a bad feeling every time I exchange email with him/her. I can't nail it down, and so it is probably not a fair reaction, but it seems once my money is gone I'll have no support if anything goes wrong (despite the satisfaction guaranteed claim). I could live with that if it doesn't fit and the price is right, but I'm thinking that if you don't get the wheel advertised or even no wheel at all, you are also not going to get much of a response.

Just my thoughts. I'm still looking for a wood/leather Lexus wheel from a salvage yard - but I don't have much in the way of salvage yards in my area.
 
98+ steering wheel doesn't fit the 97.

The only ones that might fit are the LS400 but never checked
 
FirstToy said:
98+ steering wheel doesn't fit the 97.

The only ones that might fit are the LS400 but never checked
Click to expand...

The LX470 wheel shape looks almost identical to our FZJ-80 wheels (except for the wood) ; do you know what is it that doesn't fit, and could it easily be modified to fit??

g
 
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