What is best steering wheel?

Dallas56 · #1 (**permalink**) 09-18-2010, 02:49 PM

I bought an SPF six months ago. It has the fifteen inch thin wood Moto-Lita steering wheel. I love the classic look, but performance is not so good, wheel can be slippery. I think a beefier, leather wheel, maybe smaller diameter, would work better. Please tell me what works best. Does leather handle better than wood? What diameter works best? And is there a better place to buy a steering wheel than Finish Line Accessories? Larry Carlson

SunDude · #2 (**permalink**) 09-18-2010, 03:05 PM

Superformance sells a nice leather-wrapped wheel. Surely you could have your dealer install it.

patrickt · #3 (**permalink**) 09-18-2010, 03:12 PM

With a quick release hub, you could change them on a whim.

PDUB · #4 (**permalink**) 09-18-2010, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickt

With a quick release hub, you could change them on a whim.

Patrick is right, and here is a nice one from Lee Dahmer at Sterling Replicars:

http://sterlingreplicars.com/content...wheel-hub.html

I have one, and have been pleased so far

. Seems well made, and fits right up with the MotoLita pattern. Looks good, too.

Got the Bug · #5 (**permalink**) 09-18-2010, 08:18 PM

I went with the SPF leather wheel right out of the gate. The wood looks great, but I just didn't find it very comfortable. The leather wheel also gives me more leg room.

BT SNAKE · #6 (**permalink**) 09-18-2010, 08:28 PM

Yep, Patrick and PDUB are right. I like the quick release. I don't have a quick release but I may convert. I have a Grant leather wrap and it's a fat one two. I like the feel of a thick wheel even though I have power steering it's a good combo. I drove my buddies Cobra without power steering and thought
WOW! how bad is this. Granted I am used to power. To my buddy it's no big deal but he sure liked my steering a lot more. He just had a problem verbalizing it.

Hersh

WardL · #7 (**permalink**) 09-18-2010, 09:34 PM

I ordered the wood wheel shortly after buying my SPF and put it on. The leather one is in my “office” at home. I would put the leather one on if I were going to do some kind of hard driving, but I love the look of the wood so I keep it on. Not selling the leather one.

Jamo · #8 (**permalink**) 09-20-2010, 01:19 PM

...or, some nice leather driving gloves.

henrik · #9 (**permalink**) 09-20-2010, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickt

With a quick release hub, you could change them on a whim.

May I suggest the following:

Use the NRG thin version of the quick release to keep distance:
http://www.getnrg.com/products/index.php#block1

and then you can change between the MotoLita and the NRG leather steering wheel

cobrarob · #10 (**permalink**) 09-20-2010, 02:47 PM

When I bought my SPF #1698 it had the wood wheel , one of the first things I did was change to the leather wrapped wheel , I got it from Finish line $155.00 plus install which isnt very much

My car is titanium with black and I like the look as well as the feel

I kept the wood wheel , it is now hanging on my wall

ng8264723 · #11 (**permalink**) 09-20-2010, 03:14 PM

I would like one of those quick release hubs for my 67 Cougar I emailed the NRG company. I hope they have one that fits

Dallas56 · #12 (**permalink**) 09-20-2010, 04:18 PM

Over the weekend, a couple of local owners suggested gloves, so I ordered a pair of deerskin driving gloves from Nordstroms ($50). That may be all that you need for great handling with the wood Moto-Lita wheel. But I am intrigued with the idea of a second, leather wheel coupled with a Quick Release. Patrick, PDUB, and Henrik, will a single Quick Release unit serve multiple steering wheels, or do you need to buy a separate Quick Release for each wheel? Does a Quick Release add length to the steering column? How much? (NRG site seems to indicate maybe 3 inches, half that for the thin version.) Are they rock solid, no play, no safety issues? Thank you everyone for all the helpful information. Larry Carlson

patrickt · #13 (**permalink**) 09-20-2010, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dallas56

Patrick, PDUB, and Henrik, will a single Quick Release unit serve multiple steering wheels, or do you need to buy a separate Quick Release for each wheel? Does a Quick Release add length to the steering column? How much? (NRG site seems to indicate maybe 3 inches, half that for the thin version.) Are they rock solid, no play, no safety issues? Thank you everyone for all the helpful information. Larry Carlson

I will only speak to my ERA Quick Release hub, but I would think that another quality built unit would be just the same. 1) My QR Hub adds no length whatsoever -- it is exactly the same size as the normal bolt on hub. 2) It is rock solid, no play. 3) The only possible safety issue I can think of regarding my QR hub would be if I put my fingers in the hub and pulled the wheel off while driving in an effort to scare my passenger. Actually, I've been tempted to do that....

EDIT -- and each wheel would require its own hub on the wheel itself.

PDUB · #14 (**permalink**) 09-20-2010, 10:55 PM

As Patrick did, I'll speak only to my hub, the Sterling Replicars hub:

I believe it was made to replace the standard hub, so no change in length. No play in mine, either. The only safety issue I could think of was well covered by Patrick

! You need to pay attention when replacing it to make sure it seats properly and clicks-in.

For quick wheel swap, you would need an extra mounting ring, but you could easily swap it out by removing the 6 screws that hold the wheel to the hub ring... not much longer.

Hotfingrs · #15 (**permalink**) 09-21-2010, 03:24 AM

I bought my quick release hub from Flaming River and have a 13 inch leather wheel.

wiley alexander · #16 (**permalink**) 09-21-2010, 02:28 PM

For a racing vinue, Jeg's has a "no frills" 13" nice looking wheel in Jeg's catalog page 197 part number 470-673 for $85.99. I am using it on my '79 GT-1 Camaro. www.jegs.com
It's a tough, durable wheel.