Why is it necessary to buy braids according to the size of the steering wheel?
If you buy a braid that is not the right size, especially one that does not tighten around the steering wheel rim, that is, on a rubber base, the driver may experience the following problems:
- If the braid size is too small, you will not be able to physically pull it onto the steering wheel. You'll have to go back to the store and change to a larger size.
- Too large a braid will cause the steering wheel to slip. If you suddenly need to make a sharp maneuver, quickly turning the steering wheel can lead to only the braid turning instead of the steering wheel, and this threatens to create an emergency situation.
The braid should press tightly against the outer rim of the steering wheel or cover it completely. Therefore, before learning how to properly put the braid on the steering wheel, you should first figure out how to buy it in size.
How to put a cover on a car steering wheel?
A steering wheel cover is a good alternative to braiding; it may not look as impressive, but getting dressed is faster, it costs the same, and the useful properties are the same.
Why is this being done? Firstly, to protect the steering wheel from scuffs, burnout and cracks that appear in any case. Many resellers look first of all at the condition of the steering wheel, because it is this that shows the actual mileage of the car. The second quality is convenience. The steering wheel becomes thicker, the grip is better, and in the heat, sweaty palms do not slip on the material. Since slipping is reduced to a minimum, vehicle control becomes more confident.
And if the steering wheel is already worn out, this is the fastest and most cost-effective way to refresh it.
- Case materials
- Dimensions
- Care
- Installation
- Errors
Case materials
- Foam rubber
. The material is not great, but is ideal for thin handlebars. The most striking effect will be visible on AvtoVAZ models. The steering wheel becomes thicker, but its service life is very short, up to a year - then the foam rubber wrinkles, loses its shape and is thrown away; - Fur or suede
. This is what female drivers choose; design and tactile sensations are more important to them, everything else is secondary. - Leather or eco-leather
. The most popular materials, look stylish, feel the same, service life up to 2 years, keeps its shape well. Eco-leather costs on average 500-800 rubles in a Chinese store (worth the money), leather from 1000 rubles, but here you need to carefully choose from sellers - many deceive you by sending eco-leather at the real price. To understand the difference - in auto shops in the city, a foam rubber cover will cost from 400 rubles; - Terry microfiber
. It prevents your hands from freezing; in winter its use is especially important, although if you have a heated steering wheel, then this option may not be considered; - Nubuck
. Expensive material, difficult to find, but looks amazing, although it is rare, many are inclined to eco-leather; - Regular fabric
. Does not change the thickness of the steering wheel, gets dirty quickly, therefore requires frequent washing. Used for design and preservation of the steering wheel from scuffs.
Dimensions
It is important not to make a mistake with them, otherwise the cover will not fit on the steering wheel, or it will dangle like a rope in a bucket.
- S
(
35-37
cm) - the steering wheel is the same size, usually installed on small cars, but this size is also found among smart guys who put small sports steering wheels in their 2107 and 2109; - M
(
37-38
cm) - standard size for both foreign and domestic cars; - L
(
39-40
cm) - the size is usually found on executive class cars; - XL
(
42-43
cm) - size for trucks of different tonnage.
This listing is just an example, please measure the steering wheel yourself before orders. Take a ruler or meter and calculate the distance from edge to edge. Order a cover only in your size. Selling it on Avito (or analogues) will be very difficult.
- Any braid or cover requires maintenance. If we talk about eco-leather, then at least once every 2 weeks, you need to wipe it with alcohol-containing compounds or at least with wet wipes for the car, otherwise dirt and germs will accumulate on it, and when completely neglected, it will start to stink afterwards;
- Genuine leather and nubuck require special care (like shoes); special compounds are required to preserve its structure and color depth. All this is not too cheap;
- Suede, synthetics and fabric require even more care. Simply wiping is not enough - you will have to remove it often to wash it, and this each time leads to a loss of quality of the material - it stretches, frays, loses color and elasticity.
Installation
If you think that you can just pick it up and install it the first time, you will be surprised. Even when you choose a cover (braid) that is exactly the right size, it won’t fit. This is not a defect at all, this is how it is done initially so that it fits tightly around the steering wheel.
Are you planning to install it in winter? First, warm up the car to room temperature. Next, bring the cover to the central air ducts for a couple of minutes so that it warms up and becomes more elastic, start putting it on from top to bottom, i.e. First, put it on the top of the steering wheel and gradually begin to put it on around the edges. It will take a lot of effort at the bottom to get everything firmly in place.
Don’t worry if she dresses crookedly at first; this cannot be done with pinpoint precision from the very beginning.
We measure the size of the steering wheel
If you don't know the diameter of your steering wheel, no problem. You can measure it with any tape measure or sewing centimeter. When purchasing, it is important to know two main parameters:
- steering wheel diameter;
- rim coverage.
In order to find out the diameter, we measure the distance between two points of the steering wheel, mentally drawing a line through the center.
To measure the width of the rim, we measure it by its circumference.
Now that we know all the values we need, we can safely go to the store for braiding. You can learn more about how to choose a braid for a car in the following video.
Leather steering wheel
This tuning option looks best. However, the maximum effect is possible if the work is done by a specialist. The fastest way to handle this procedure is at a studio that provides similar services. True, the price of such modernization will be much higher than if the motorist did it himself.
Advantages of leather steering wheel wrap:
The advantages include the following factors:
- First of all, the skin looks decent. If the interior is leather, then the steering wheel with identical trim will be in harmony with the overall style of the car.
- The material stretches and deforms quite well. Thanks to this, leather trim can be used on non-standard steering wheels.
- You can choose the color or shade of the material.
- With proper care, leather upholstery will last for a long period.
Disadvantages of steering wheel reupholstery:
So that no one thinks that leather reupholstery is an ideal option for upgrading the steering wheel, we draw attention to the disadvantages of such a procedure:
- The price is much more than regular steering wheel covers. Since the work must be performed by a professional, approximately the same amount will be required as was spent on the purchase of the material. In many cases, it is cheaper to go to an auto store and buy a new steering wheel.
- The skin does not “breathe” well, so the surface it covers becomes steamy. If the casing is subsequently removed, the steering wheel itself can no longer be used without an additional cover.
Selection criteria by security rank
The safest type of braid is the one that will need to be stitched along the inside edge of the steering wheel rim. Such a braid will be akin to the steering wheel itself and will not turn under any jerks. In addition, the internal “ribs” of the steering wheel will interfere with turning. The lacing will not allow the braid to physically turn past them.
The second safest, but at the same time the most budget-friendly and widespread type of braid is with an elastic band. That is, the braid is not exactly rubber-based. It is simply elastic and can stretch a certain number of centimeters. This braid is also safe, but only if it is purchased according to size.
Pros and cons of “steering” devices
Steering wheel covers and braids undoubtedly add individuality to the car. Original accessories in the most unusual designs can be found in parked cars. But in addition to the aesthetic pleasure the driver receives while driving, they have important advantages.
- A properly selected cover or braid will allow you to achieve the ideal steering wheel thickness for you.
- Minimizes hand slipping and cranking in hot weather.
- Hides scuffs and other minor imperfections of the steering wheel.
Braided braid
Not everyone can afford an expensive car with an exquisite steering wheel. Most machines have standard polyurethane. So for them a huge number of covers and braids are produced from a variety of materials. It can be fabric, artificial and natural leather with or without perforation, foam rubber, Alcantara, carbon texture, neoprene, canvas and even fur.
- There are models with gel filling, which are incredibly comfortable when driving, but become dull in the cold season.
- Webbed braids additionally massage the palms, but do not allow moisture to pass through, which can cause slipping and calluses.
- Alcantara braids are pleasant to the touch, beautiful, but very thin, quickly rubbed and torn.
Fur steering wheel cover
We put on an elastic braid
Now let's get down to the question of how to put the braid on the steering wheel. Let's start with a simpler option - elastic. Since you can put the braid on the steering wheel without lacing without resorting to any improvised means or tools, we simply sit behind the wheel and take out our new braid from the case. The instructions will then be as follows:
- If the steering wheel has a lock, put the car on the handbrake, turn off the engine and, removing the ignition key, turn the steering wheel until it locks. If locking is not provided on your car model, it’s okay. The main thing is not to let the steering wheel spin in your hands when we begin to pull the braid on it.
- We find a seam on the braid. It is the only one and should be located at the bottom exactly in the center. We attach our new braid to the steering wheel so that the seam is exactly opposite the front center part.
- We put the braid cover on the steering wheel in its upper (front) part and then stretch it symmetrically on one side and the other.
- We make sure that the seam is always even at the back of the steering wheel.
- At some point, the braid may become so tight that it appears too small for your steering wheel. It's OK. Here you just have to put in some effort, and it will definitely stretch if it was purchased in size. This tension will ensure your safety when maneuvering. The tighter it sits, the less risk of slipping there will be.
- Then we align the braid so that its inner cut falls exactly in the center of the inner part of the circle.
All. The process is complete. You can hit the road with a new braid.
Removing the steering wheel. Do I need to take it off?
In short, you can do all the work without removing the steering wheel. However, for beautiful execution you will have to tinker. The reason is that reupholstering requires a finishing seam, which for aesthetics is best placed on the inside of the wheel. This can be done beautifully only if the steering wheel is removed.
Here are the factors that need to be taken into account in order for this process to take place without damaging the vehicle:
- Before removing the wheel, it is necessary to de-energize the vehicle's on-board system. This is important to do if the car is equipped with airbags. After disconnecting the terminal from the battery, you need to wait about 5 minutes and then begin dismantling.
- We unscrew the steering wheel housing fastening (these are two bolts that are located on the back side). It will be easier to do this if it is turned 90 degrees to the side.
- Return the steering wheel to its original position. Disconnect the airbag contact.
- Unscrew the central nut. Before removing the wheel, you should mark the position in which it should be reinstalled.
- A little advice to help you save your teeth. Do not completely unscrew the central nut. It just needs to be weakened.
- From the back side, simultaneously hit the steering wheel with your palms so that it moves away from the column splines. Some car models require a puller for this procedure.
- In order to conveniently hold the wheel in one position while the braid is being sewn, it can be fixed in a vice (only small wooden blocks should be placed between the surface of the product and the metal lips of the vice).
We put on a braid with lacing
Now let's figure out how to put a braided handlebar with lacing on the steering wheel. Here you will have to be patient and tinker a little longer. The braid should come with its own nylon cord and needle. If not, you can choose a needle of your choice, as long as it is long enough. 7 cm is the best option, the main thing is that a nylon cord can fit into the eyelet. It would be better to blunt its edge a little so that it does not damage the braiding material.
Typically, braids with lacing are made of leather or high-quality leatherette. Such material will further increase the safety of driving, and not only because of the lacing. The leather does not slip in your hands, and driving the car will become more comfortable.
Here are instructions on how to put a leather braided steering wheel with lacing on it:
- We lock the steering wheel.
- We place (put on) the braid on the steering wheel. It will look unsightly, but that’s only until we pull it off.
- We make sure that the seam, as in the previous case, is located at the back of the steering wheel. To do this, we put the braid over the steering wheel and start tightening it from the rear (driver’s side) side of the steering wheel.
- We align the braid so that the joint that we will sew together is located exactly in the center of the circumference of the inner rim.
- We thread the cord into the needle and make a knot at the end of the nylon thread so that the thread does not slip through the hole in the stitching of the braid at the beginning of sewing.
- We start tightening from the side of the seam in the back of the steering wheel, and we make the first seam from the back side of the stitching of the braid, passing the needle only once through one of the stitching holes so that the knot remains inside the future cover and is firmly fixed there.
- We make all subsequent stitches only through the stitching stitches and first pass the needle under the stitching stitches of the upper and lower edges of the braid, located exactly opposite each other.
- We drag the thread and tighten it. And then we proceed in the same way. Next stitch. Insert the needle under the next line of stitching at the top and bottom. We tighten it. Until we reach the inner “rib” of the steering wheel.
- We pass the thread under the rib and continue to stitch (tighten) the edges of the braid further, behind the rib.
- When the entire circumference of the braid has been tightened and we have returned to the lower part of the braid to the longitudinal seam, we tie a knot. Everyone can do this differently. The main thing is that it is not very noticeable. After tying, the edge of the nylon thread should be sealed inside the braid, inserting it there using the tip of a needle.
That's it, the wrapping process is complete. Anyone interested in looking at the process from the outside can watch the video.
We hope that our article on how to choose and how to put the braid on the steering wheel was useful to you. All the best.
Which option is better?
Cases and braids made of genuine leather must still be called classics of the genre. They are reliable, perfectly absorb moisture, durable and easy to care for. If we talk about prices, cases and braids made of genuine leather are more expensive than fabric or polymer counterparts. Additional options in the form of gel or embossing will increase the cost of the device, as will an exclusive design or handmade work. A complete reupholstery of the steering wheel will cost even more. But in this case, you will definitely receive a perfectly matched finish to the steering wheel of your car, made by a professional. It is very difficult to give specific prices; the range of prices here is very wide, from Chinese options from Aliexpress to unique and individual handmade models.
Care
If artificial material quickly becomes unusable, regardless of its care, then the situation is different with its leather counterpart. Its life can be significantly extended if you use a simple procedure for maintaining natural products. Read more about caring for leather elements in the car interior in a separate article .
Unlike seats, a leather steering wheel gets dirty faster, since it is in constant contact with human hands. Dust, sweat, dirt - all this contributes to clogging the pores of the leather material. Subsequently, not only the appearance of the wheel will suffer. Such contaminants are unpleasant to the touch, so do not delay removing them.
In this case, you can use any leather detergent. The most budget option is to dilute car shampoo in warm water. For the period when the car is parked or in a garage, the steering wheel should be treated with a special product that moisturizes the skin and also prevents dust from accumulating in its pores.
Where is the best place to tighten the steering wheel?
In order to perform the leather reupholstery job beautifully, in any case, the steering wheel will need to be removed. This will make it easier to create a beautiful inner seam. There are no special requirements for selecting the room in which the procedure will be performed. The main thing is that it is well lit, and the skin does not turn tan from the cold.
Some motorists trim the steering wheel directly inside the car. If the work is done by a non-professional, then it is money wasted. In this case, it is better to contact a car repair shop.
