Steering wheel wraps wheel skins good. Any others that lace on and look factory?

[schiker]

'97 chevy truck: I think I have put on 2 Wheel Skins over the years and they seem to last about 3-4 yrs until they start to have some finish wear issues. I think they are a pretty good fit and feel nice. The leather is like a fine glove leather and grit/dirt, oil, sweat, and lotions etc end up wearing them out. Also they are tedious to put on with lots of lacing that has taken me an hour or more to install.

I don't like the slip on covers. What other lace on brands have you tried? Are there any good brands? Or would you stay with wheel skins?

A quick look around I see wheel skins are about $40-60. So before I order another one I wanted to see what else is out there.

 

[Pepperidge]

I've got a couple questions...

do you have to cut the old leather wrap off a factory leather wrapped wheel?
are they a direct fit replacement if the leather goes on partly onto the spokes?

I put one(don't know the brand)on a car with a plastic wheel over 20 years ago and it worked out nic...

My trucks leather wheel is wearing out...the color is flaking at the top where I always rest my hands...

 

[schiker]

It goes over the top of the exsisting cover. It makes the wheel a little fatter but not bad. They are sized to the wheel so its tight and then you lace it. You tighten and pull it together as you go and fits pretty good. You skip lacing it together at the spokes but keep running the cord through the holes. Once its on for a day or so it will tighten/shrink to new shape. They put a little tacky on the backside and once it gets warm and laced it will take a tight set. It might gap a little at first but then will lay flat over the spokes. I will take a pic tommorrow.

I've put the old vinyl ones on that you wrap cord around but these wheel skins are much nicer.

Mine pretty much the same the finish started to go on my steering wheel so I covered it. And like I said the covers last about 3-4 yrs depending. First thing to go is where your hand rests it will eventually flake. My wedding ring and hand oils is the culprit I think.

 

[Pepperidge]

Thanks for the info...I may give one a try...

 

[schiker]

I was looking some more and see a brand called Superskins. But am pretty sure mine is a wheel skin.

So anyone done anything different?

 

[Burning oil]

I like it. Ive use a simular one I know we all have seen or used. Its been around since atleast the ealy 70's. Yours looks more like factory though.

 

[Pepperidge]

Does any one make one that would cover the spokes like the factory one?

I don't know how hard it is to change the wheel...but it may be more cost effective to just find a wheel in great shape at a recycler...maybe get one with the audio controls...

 

[schiker]

I have never seen one that fits the spokes too. Anybody else????

If I change the wheel I want a durable hard plastic steering wheel. One that won't wear out the finish and I can just clean when dirty. One that will last a looooonnnggg time. I have looked at grant steering wheels in mags and online but I can't pull the trigger. Something about shoes, steering wheels, etc that I like to touch and feel in person before I buy.

 

[zielinski.family]

Spend a little time on you tube and you can learn how to rewrap the steering wheel. Take it off. Take the center piece out. Take a brand new razor blade and cut the stitching to remove the old leather. This then becomes the pattern for the new wrap. Take a sewing machine that is durable enough to sew leather, vinyl and denim. Take the thread out of the needle. Line the two edges of the new leather up and sew the two pieces. This will give you the right holes so that it wont turn out crooked. Then get your string and start hand stitching. I believe the factory steering wheels are actually painted. Time consuming but worth it in the end.

 

[Burning oil]

You know I bet theres money to be made in refurbishing these old wheels. Not much choice in the way of a replacement. So have to live with a screwed up one or hope to find a used one in alittle better condition.

 

[schiker]

I put on another wheelskins. I laced it tighter than the one shown and also used the darker charcol color. It looks better than the one pictured with a smaller neat seam on the inside of the wheel. I will try to add a pic sometime.

Yeah, a full relaced new cover would be nice but too hard for me to try. The wheelskin's use some tough waxed twine to lace on the new cover and the inner edge of the cover is reinforced somehow. You pull it really tight and stretch it then it shrinks down. The instructions say tight is right. So this time I took my time and pulled it all the way together (I thought I was going to rip it). I would lace ahead pull tight, lace more, then go back and start over pulling tight some holes back each time if that makes sense.

I think it might not be so easy to get a patern to fit really snug and not pull out stitching??? I don't know???.

 

[schiker]

If I was timely on the post it was around 2-7-2012 since my last wheel skins. I am overdue by about 3 months so this one lasted about 2-1/2 yrs.

See the forum also lets you tract dates.

Anyone tried other options for steering wheel covers. I do like the wheelskins and it fits nicely but a tougher leather or double wrap between top spokes might last longer? How are your steering wheels holding up? I have driven a few newer trucks that the steering wheel really deteriorated badly.

I guess what gets mine is how I place the heel of my palm at about 12 oclock and scrub it turning one handed when making a big turn.

 

[schiker]

Here are 2 pictures of the latest wheel skins. The Charcoal color matches better than the gray color. Should be set for another 2 years or so.

 

[jrsavoie]

We were just talking about this last week. Leaning towards a camo skin