Steering wheels... wood vs. plastic&spokes

[Popeye]

Hello all,

Just curious about early TR steering wheels. I notice the plastic and metal "spoke" type steering wheel is not sold by the usual suspects (TRF, VicBrit, Moss, etc.).

My TR4a has the plastic/spoke wheel. The previous owner told me the wheel usually breaks b/c people use it as a holding point to get out of the car.

So now I have become paranoid... what if some buddy of mine, completely accidentally, breaks the wheel while checking out the car? I really like the wheel (my personal opinion, I understand).

Are these steering wheels available? Are they rare? Should I install a wooden wheel and save the plastic wheel for shows?

Am I crazy? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif ...yes

Mike

 

[Andrew Mace]

I've a feeling you'd be able to find a good used replacement wheel if and when you do break yours; they are still out there. And there are some new ones available as well. Oh, and there are also epoxy-putty-type products available to repair or rebuild the broken plastic parts.

 

[MGTF1250Dave]

Aloha Mike,

Andy is correct about being able to find one on e-bay, etc. For a after market wood or leather covered wheels and adapter hubs Moss, The Roadster Factory and Victoria British all offer them.

Eastwood offers a steering wheel rebuild kit with the epoxy and instructions. I've used it and I covered the results with leather for an improved appearance. There are also commercial companies that can rebuild your steering wheel. Basil recently had the steering wheel on his Daimler rebuilt.

If your steering wheel is built similarly as the TR3 wheel, there is a metal ring inside the plastic material and the spokes are held in place with metal tabs to that ring. Cracking the plastic is probably more probable than ripping the wheel from the spokes.

Safety Fast,
Dave

 

[Geo Hahn]

I have repaired TR3 steering wheels using JBWeld to fill the cracks, sand to match contour and paint with black plastic paint. Looks fine to me.

As noted, the breakage will take the form of cracks rather than the wheel falling to bits.

I have seen photos of some of the wood wheels once mounted on the cars -- on a TR3 clearance between the wheel and dash can be a problem if the wheel is flat rather than dished... don't know how they work out on TR4As.

As to whether you are crazy -- I'm sure no one here is qualified to say so.

 

[Don Elliott]

The problem with wooden wheels is that you can't use the dirctional signals or the horn - at least on a TR3A. You have to add a switch elsewhere to signal your turns and to honk to horn.

 

[jsneddon]

[ QUOTE ]
I have repaired TR3 steering wheels using JBWeld to fill the cracks, sand to match contour and paint with black plastic paint. Looks fine to me.


[/ QUOTE ]

I've been contemplating the same thing and one of these days I'm going to actually do it. It really looks like the perfect job for JB Weld so I'm glad I'm not crazy.

Geo- what do you mean by black plastic paint? Do you have a brand or can you point me in the right direction?

 

[Popeye]

Thanks for the great feedback - as always!

Ditto on the following question to Geo:

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I have repaired TR3 steering wheels using JBWeld to fill the cracks, sand to match contour and paint with black plastic paint. Looks fine to me.


[/ QUOTE ]

I've been contemplating the same thing and one of these days I'm going to actually do it. It really looks like the perfect job for JB Weld so I'm glad I'm not crazy.

Geo- what do you mean by black plastic paint? Do you have a brand or can you point me in the right direction?

[/ QUOTE ]

Mike

 

[Popeye]

[ QUOTE ]
As to whether you are crazy -- I'm sure no one here is qualified to say so.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think most of us are qualified to determine that I am indeed crazy... it's the side-effect of the LBC syndrome... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif


OK, enough fun with the graemlins. Have a great weekend, all.

 

[jsneddon]

At this point we've all pretty much decided that we are crazy... Assume such and base all other claims of insanity against a "baseline" which is a given due to a) ownership of said cars and b) involvement on this list.

Geo must actually be DRIVING one of his cars because usually he chimes right in.

I tried to get my 4 year old daughter to go for a spin about 10 minutes ago and she pitched a fit... it's nap-time and I can't exactly leave her in the house while I go get a TR3 fix....if the boy were here he'd be sitting in it as soon as I pulled off the cover. Guess I'll just go tinker on it for a while... never a shortage of projects.