Genuine Leather Steering Wheel Cover mode for $6

[vvs75]

It takes me forever to take picture of my steering wheel so I decided to share my mode without it.
First time I bought the cover about few years ago for my wife car when she complained about her stock wheel being crazy cold during winter days. I paid for it about $24 shipped at that time. When I installed it, I was really surprised how nice it ended up. It almost looked like it was stock factory cover. So as soon as I got my 2005 V6 SR5, which was few month ago, I bought the same cover but for $12 shipped. Now the same cover cost $6+ with free shipping.
The most difficult part is the wait time; it takes about two weeks to get it.
The picture from the action is all you need. It takes s about two hours to do it if you super slow. Ones you do the first inch you will get it and the job will go really fast. One tip I want to add – do not pull the thread too hard, you will break the cover thread which is much thinner. I manage to do it twice in my last install.
The stock leather cover that comes with sport addition that I tried at my local dealer not as soft and thick as this one.


Here is the link:
Black Genuine Leather Steering Wheel Cover With Hole L - eBay (item 220694907403 end time Jan-08-11 22:36:21 PST)

Good luck,
Vlad.

edit: finally took some pics from borrowed iphone:

 

[zstampe]

Thanks Vlad!

I'll be ordering mine tomorrow, just the other day I was wanting a leather wrap for my wheel then you posted this

 

[camdz]

Thanks Vlad!

I'll be ordering mine tomorrow, just the other day I was wanting a leather wrap for my wheel then you posted this

Im stealing this idea and ordering it before you. Ive always disliked the hard rubber/plastic feeling of our steering wheels.

Thanks for the link!

 

[zstampe]

Order two then, and ill give you cash, we can have an "install day" ha ha

Im stealing this idea and ordering it before you. Ive always disliked the hard rubber/plastic feeling of our steering wheels.

Thanks for the link!

 

[audiqtr]

Thx man. This gives me an idea for my UrbanRunner. I wonder if I can find Alcantara like this to do my steering wheel to match my seat inserts like the M3 Competition pack...whoa, that would be awesome... search begins...

 

[vvs75]

Got few questions through PM, looks like folks already getting their covers in the mails.

The cover that I link is the one I used. It will be a little hard to get around the wheel but it should be like that otherwise the fit would be not tight in the end. After you fit the cover around your wheel you find a gap about 10mm between the edges that need to be sew together. When you start cross sewing the leather will stretch and the gap will close. Remember you need to pull hard just enough to close the gap if you pull too hard the thinner thread will brakes. The gap won’t close when you pull just one side, you have to cross stitch two opposite sides before you pull the thicker thread. The trick is how to start sewing. I did it my way but I am sure there are others better cleaner way to do it.
Basically I made a nut at the end of the thread that I am going to use for stitching. The very first time I went with the needle through the underside of the cover so the nut will stay invisible, then I went through the opposite side top and pulled two sides together making a staple, like at the end of any zipper. Then you go with your needle under the stitch that is on the other side of the cover edge. Repeat the last step and pull the thread, bringing the sides together.
Please look at the pictures below, I hope it help.

 

[Vantage85]

I love it. I have also hated my plastic wheel since I bought the truck, this is a super simple way to get over it.

 

[camdz]

Clearly I must have been doing it wrong. In this pic the threads are TIGHT. I was afraid to go any tighter thinking they might break. Its not staying like this though, so I went tighter and sure enough the whole section broke and came undone. This cover just wasnt meant for me I guess :lol:

 

[<<<<]

Get it hot. Best time to do this is in the summer @ 90' weather. Leather stretches plenty when warm.

 

[DexTech]

thinking about trying this, so I searched YouTube for steering wheel cover and found several useful videos. Even found videos with different stitches.

Here is just one example of how to sew it on:

YouTube - Live demo Instalation Steering Wheel cover

You can easily find others.

With this forum, Google, and YouTube there isn't anything you can't figure out

 

[Kmvreter]

Nice mod. Going to give it a try... next summer.

 

[CAFROG]

I put one on a few years ago. It was summer time and I used a blow dryer. I was able to keep the leather pretty warm. It was an OEM leather cover and I couldn't snap that thread if I wanted to. It was pretty wide and was soaked in some type of wax to prevent ripping of the eyelets in the leather wrap. It seriously cut my fingers up bad from the hard pulling. over a hundred stitches pulling and using almost ever finger I had. And I still couldn't connect it all the way but I got it close and it came out feeling really nice. Now that I see what Vlad did with the cross stitching...I think I'll try that.....with my welding gloves on j/k. I'm gonna get the leather nice and hot too.

I like the plane leather look.....no perforations. But I cannot find one yet that doesn't have holes to separate the different sections like the Honda below.

 

[vvs75]

same cover no holes:

Black Genuine Leather Steering Wheel Cover No Hole L - eBay (item 320615537040 end time Jan-08-11 19:47:26 PST)

 

[galactic_04]

camdz, it looks like you got one for the wrong thickness steering wheel. I'd ask about sending it back since they sent you the wrong part.

I ordered one from wheelskins and it turned out great in my Jetta:
Wheelskins - The World's Finest Genuine Leather Motoring Accessories, Steering Wheel Covers, Driving Gloves and Shift Boots

 

[camdz]

camdz, it looks like you got one for the wrong thickness steering wheel. I'd ask about sending it back since they sent you the wrong part.

I ordered one from wheelskins and it turned out great in my Jetta:
Wheelskins - The World's Finest Genuine Leather Motoring Accessories, Steering Wheel Covers, Driving Gloves and Shift Boots

Yea Im almost positive its not the right size. It is marked a large, but I also noticed that I have more seams in my cover. Maybe this is normal, but I wouldnt think so.

 

[etc.]

I got mine in today. At first I thought they had sent me the wrong size, but after a bowl of Wheaties I was able to get it on.

Tomorrow I will try my hand at the sewing portion

 

[Gecko123]

It takes me forever to take picture of my steering wheel so I decided to share my mode without it.
First time I bought the cover about few years ago for my wife car when she complained about her stock wheel being crazy cold during winter days. I paid for it about $24 shipped at that time. When I installed it, I was really surprised how nice it ended up. It almost looked like it was stock factory cover. So as soon as I got my 2005 V6 SR5, which was few month ago, I bought the same cover but for $12 shipped. Now the same cover cost $6+ with free shipping.
The most difficult part is the wait time; it takes about two weeks to get it.
The picture from the action is all you need. It takes s about two hours to do it if you super slow. Ones you do the first inch you will get it and the job will go really fast. One tip I want to add – do not pull the thread too hard, you will break the cover thread which is much thinner. I manage to do it twice in my last install.
The stock leather cover that comes with sport addition that I tried at my local dealer not as soft and thick as this one.


Here is the link:
Black Genuine Leather Steering Wheel Cover With Hole L - eBay (item 220694907403 end time Jan-08-11 22:36:21 PST)

Good luck,
Vlad.

edit: finally took some pics from borrowed iphone:

It does look very nice. i'm surprised how nice a steering wheel cover can look.

 

[stanleybb50]

I just thought I'd update this thread, as it seems the pictures of this steering wheel cover are no longer showing up. The key to this, in my opinion, is using your hand/fingers as seen below to pull the cover tight, and then just pull the string to secure it, if that makes sense. As someone pointed out in an earlier post, if you pull too hard, the smaller string (that you're sewing into) will break. I managed to avoid this (luckily). But you do want the string tight... Just not too tight or risk breaking/etc.

All in all, good cheap mod!

 

[ryanbt]

Good job stanleybb50! How long did it take you? And which one cover did you order?
I've always hated how thin our steering wheels are compared to ones like in my Tundra.
Oh, and being Canadian and all.. Good choice on the Labatt Blue in your last picture!!

 

[Sungod]

I just thought I'd update this thread, as it seems the pictures of this steering wheel cover are no longer showing up. The key to this, in my opinion, is using your hand/fingers as seen below to pull the cover tight, and then just pull the string to secure it, if that makes sense. As someone pointed out in an earlier post, if you pull too hard, the smaller string (that you're sewing into) will break. I managed to avoid this (luckily). But you do want the string tight... Just not too tight or risk breaking/etc.

All in all, good cheap mod!

That is one thick steering wheel. Did you look at removing the factory leather cover first?