The wheel is the part of the car that is most susceptible to abrasion. Usually the braid “nurses” up to two hundred thousand. However, this does not happen with all car models. After 3-5 years, the steering wheel becomes flabby and scratched. Naturally, when selling a car, the buyer’s eyes rush to the steering wheel. Therefore, it is important to preserve its factory condition as much as possible.
Today's article will be useful not only to car owners, but also to those who sell cars in the secondary market. So, how to sheathe the steering wheel with your own skin? Consider below.
Material
The first problem the owner is faced with is the choice of material. There are many finishes. In our case, it is required to sheathe the steering wheel. Moreover, its quality should be at a high level. Work to restore the steering wheel is quite complicated. Our goal is to restore the former state of the material for the longest possible time.
What is better to sheathe the steering wheel - leather or eco-leather? It all depends on the preferences of the owner. Of course, genuine leather will cost much more than a substitute (that is, material with the prefix "eco"). Note that eco-leather of proper quality is not inferior to the characteristics of natural. It is elastic and fits the steering wheel well. The material has a homogeneous structure. Such a steering wheel looks very organic and presentable. The main thing is to make a sketch correctly.
An important point! The most convenient skin to use is only perforated. This is the softest, most elastic, pleasant to the touch material. Working with him is very easy. The coating takes any form (especially for those who want to sheathe the steering wheel of complex configuration, with recesses).
What thickness to choose material? The optimal value is from one to one and a half millimeters. The main requirements for the skin are resistance to temperature changes, mechanical damage and, of course, to abrasion.
There is still smooth skin. According to the characteristics, it is no different from the previous one. Here, as they say, a matter of taste.
Instruments
Before you leather the steering wheel yourself, you need to prepare a small set of tools and materials. We will need:
- Rubber glue.
- Construction tape.
- Pattern.
- Stationery knife.
- Marker.
- Pencil.
- Awl.
- Pliers.
- Kapron thread (for work requires at least one meter).
- Two gypsy needles (it is recommended that they be semicircular).
Work should be done in a well-lit room.
Getting started - the first step
First you need to dismantle the steering wheel. Sheathing the steering wheel without removing it is almost impossible. This is a very time consuming process. Dismantling will significantly reduce the time of work performed. To remove the steering wheel from the column, use a special puller. It looks like this:
Without it, dismantling will be quite difficult, especially if the steering wheel is removed for the first time. Also, the fastening nut itself is unscrewed (use the "27" wrench). Do not try to pull the steering wheel by force, and even more so use foreign tools. So you only damage the interior elements.
Note! Before removing the steering wheel, make a small mark with a pencil on it and on the column shaft. So when you install the item will not stand crooked.
Step two - sketch
Having removed the steering wheel from the car, we proceed to the production of a sketch, according to which material will be cut out for further application. As a model, you can use construction tape. We glue it around the perimeter of the steering wheel and cut the pattern with a knife strictly along the lines. For a sketch to be of high quality, apply adhesive tape in several layers (three to five is enough).
Now remove the layout from the steering wheel and transfer each marked sector to the material (skin).
Note! Cutting the skin is required with a small margin. Leave 1-1.5 centimeters from the edges of the sketch for seam allowance. You can then trim the excess, but it will be impossible to restore the missing piece.
Step Three - Fitting
Now apply the cut material to the steering wheel.
After making sure that all the lines correspond to the actual size, we cut off the excess edges. Then we soak the material in warm water for 20 minutes. Using an awl, we make small holes every seven to eight millimeters.
Step Four - Basting
Now we carefully fold all the parts in the order in which the overlay will be done. For skin stitching, it is recommended to use nylon threads (since they are the most durable). Try not to exert much effort so as not to tear the material. The skin, especially perforated, is not only easily stretched, but also torn. Try not to leave creases.
Next we tighten the edges of our material. It is necessary to fix the wheel so that it holds firmly to the surface when stitching. Sheathing a steering wheel is not so simple. Detail strives to slip out of hand. Make sure that the steering wheel does not crawl from side to side in advance.
An important point: before final tightening, check the condition of the material. It should be evenly stretched. Sagging and creases are excluded. They greatly spoil the look of the steering wheel, even with new skin.
How to sew a seam
There are three types of seams:
To say that for the steering wheel trim you need to use only a specific of these types, it is impossible.
Everyone chooses to his liking. All seams look very organic on the steering wheel. The main thing - when screeding the edges, lubricate the steering wheel with
rubber glue. This will prevent premature material peeling in the event of a seam break. Although the threads are quite strong.
Step Five - Installation
After the new material has been successfully applied, you need to wait until the glue dries. After an hour, you can install the steering wheel in place. Do not forget to put it strictly on the marks that were exposed with a pencil. A washer is put on the nut. Next, the steering wheel is assembled according to the standard scheme.
If the car is equipped with an airbag, disconnect the terminal on the battery, otherwise the airbag can fire. Also connect all sensors so that their signal does not light up on the instrument panel at startup. That's all. After installation, you can proceed to full use.
Conclusion
So, we figured out how to properly sheathe the steering wheel with leather. It is worth noting that the process is quite time-consuming and not everyone can cope with it, especially if the steering wheel has a non-standard shape and wooden inserts.
There is always a great risk of improper skin fit. Therefore, many motorists trust this work to professionals.
Where to leather steering wheel? Often turn to specialized workshops. They are also engaged in hauling seats, door cards and other interior details. The price of work - from three thousand rubles (including material).