24.04.2016

The steering wheel of a car is not only one of the main controls, but also an element that you pay attention to when you get into the car and on which depends how comfortable and pleasant it is to drive the car. Intensive use of the steering wheel leads to a fairly rapid loss of its original appearance. In this article « » I’ll tell you how to return the steering wheel to its previous appearance and make it even more attractive.

To get started you will need

1. Remove the steering wheel from the car (use the car's repair and maintenance manual).
2. Construction masking tape - 1 large roll (paper tape, ordinary oilcloth tape will not work)
3. Cling film or packaging film - 1 skein
4. A utility knife preferably with a new blade
5. Dark marker – 1 pc.
6. Cardboard (preferably medium density)
7. Strong nylon thread (the kind used for shoe repair is suitable)
8. Sewing needles are preferably hardened (take several, they may bend or break)
9. Two thimbles for the middle fingers (will protect your fingers from punctures)

Well, the most basic material to work with is leather. Better skin brother good quality, and if you want to practice, it’s better to use leather or leather substitute from old jackets, pants, bags, etc.

Making patterns

You need to wrap the steering wheel with cling film. The film should fit snugly to the base of the steering wheel.

Then on top of the film as tightly as possible wrap up the masking tape so that the final result does not turn out to be a braid larger size.

We take a marker and divide the steering wheel into four parts, make a mark on the inside of the steering wheel for the inner seam, preferably straight.IMPORTANT: number or label each piece before cutting. We cut clearly according to the marks made, you should get four patterns.

We cut out the patterns and lay them on a flat surface, press them with something heavy, and leave them overnight so that they level out and take the desired shape. Next, we transfer the aligned patterns onto cardboard (this will make it more convenient to make patterns on the skin, NECESSARILY make a reserve of 1-1.5 cm for the length of each element), and then transfer it to the skin.

We sew the elements cut out of leather in order from numbers 1 to 4, the first and last are sewn together to make a ring.

We try on the finished braid on the steering wheel; the workpiece should not dangle, but should fit snugly to the steering wheel (if it still does not fit, you need to sew it in one of the seams). If everything worked out, move on to the next stage, take the steering wheel braid and sew the edges. It is better to perform this procedure with a sewing machine, if it is not possible to sew, you can make a winding on the edges of the product (use only strong threads).

Stitch options for tightening the braid on the steering wheel

Completion of work

To prevent the braid from slipping on the steering wheel during operation, the edges can be secured with glue or epoxy resin. After all the preparatory work has been completed, you can begin to tighten the braid on the steering wheel. Upon completion of the work, install the steering wheel back on the car and enjoy the result.

How to sew a leather steering wheel with your own hands

The steering wheel is the part of the car that is more susceptible to wear. As a rule, nurses have a braid of up to two hundred thousand. But this does not apply to all car models. After 3-5 years, the steering becomes loose and scratched. Naturally, when selling a car, the buyer’s gaze is drawn to the wheel. Therefore, it is extremely important to maintain your factory condition.

This article will be useful not only to car enthusiasts, but also to those who sell cars on the secondary market. So how do you trim your steering wheel with leather? Let's see below.

material

The first problem the owner faces is the choice of material. There are many finishing options. In our case, we need to cut the steering wheel. At the same time, its quality must be at the highest level. Working on steering wheel restoration is quite difficult. Our goal is to restore the condition of the material for a very long time.

Better to cut off the steering wheel. leather or eco-leather? It all depends on the preferences of the owner. Naturally natural leather It will be even more expensive to replace (i.e. material with the "eco" prefix). It should be noted that eco-leather is not inferior in properties to natural leather. It is flexible and covers the handlebars perfectly. The material has a homogeneous structure. such helmet It looks very organic and representative. The main thing is to draw correctly.

Fundamental moment! Leather is more convenient to use - only perforated. This is the softest, most elastic, pleasant to the touch material. It's not difficult to work with him. Coverage takes all shapes (especially those who want to trim leather steering wheel complex configuration, with recesses).

Which thick material should I choose? Best value ranges from 1 to 1.5 mm. The main requirements for leather are resistance to temperature fluctuations, mechanical damage and, of course, abrasion.

Still smooth leather. In terms of characteristics, it is no different from the previous one. Here, as they say, it's a matter of taste.

tools

Before you cut yourself helmet leather, you need to prepare a small set of tools and materials. We will need:

• Rubber glue.
• Construction tape.
• Sample.
• Office knife.
• Marker.
• Pencil.
• Pliers.
• Nylon thread (requires at least one meter for work).
• Two gypsy needles (semicircular recommended).

Work should be carried out in a well-lit room.

Getting started is the first step

First you need to remove the steering wheel. casing leather steering wheel without this it is almost impossible. This is a very labor-intensive process. Disassembly will significantly reduce the time of work performed. To remove the wheel from the column, use a special pick-up tool. It looks something like this:

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Without this, it will be difficult to disassemble, especially if the steering wheel is removed for the first time. The mounting nut itself is also loose (use a "27" wrench). Do not try to pull the wheel by force, much less use third-party tools. This will only damage the interior.

Steering wheel reupholstery for beginners. The easiest way. Transportation and interior repairs.

Master class on images for those who want to, but do not know how to drag and drop leather steering wheel. You don't like yours helmet?

Chinese marking: 0 10px 5px 0;" SRC ="C:\Users\OLEG\Desktop\1\Images\Widescreen_FC66C159.jpg" />Now remove the model from the steering wheel and transfer each marked sector to the material (leather).

Note! You should trim your skin with a small margin. Leave 1-1.5 centimeters from the edges of the sketch for a seam allowance. You can then trim off the excess, but it will be impossible to restore the missing part.

Step three - fit

Now apply the cut material to the helmet.

After making sure that all the lines correspond to the actual size, trim off the excess edges. Then soak the material in warm water for 20 minutes. Using an awl, we make small holes every seven to eight millimeters.

Step four - score

Now we carefully collect all the details in the order in which the overlay will be made. For sewing, we recommend using nylon threads (as they are the most durable). Try not to use too much force to avoid breaking the material. Leather, especially perforated leather, not only stretches easily, but also tears. Try not to leave folds.

Next we curl the edges of our material. The wheel must be secured so that it is firmly held on the surface when sewing. It is not easy to trim the wheel. The part tends to slip out of your hands. Make sure that the steering wheel does not creep from side to side in advance.

Important point: before the final reduction, check the condition of the material. It should be evenly spaced. No folds or creases. They spoil a lot appearance. helmet even with new leather.

How to sew a seam

There are three types of seams:

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This is not to say that only one of these types is required to finish the steering wheel.

Everyone chooses to their own taste. All seams look very organic on the steering wheel. The main thing is to lubricate the wheel with rubber glue when gluing the edges. This will prevent the material from peeling off prematurely if the seam breaks. Although the themes are quite strong.

Step Five - Installation

After successfully applying the new material, wait until the glue dries. After an hour you can put the steering wheel back in place. Be sure to place this strictly on the marks that were penciled in. The nut is placed on the nut. Then the steering wheel is assembled according to the standard pattern.

If the vehicle is equipped with an airbag, disconnect the battery terminal, otherwise the airbag may deploy. Also connect all the sensors to the dashboard at the beginning their signal did not light up. This is all. After installation, you can proceed to full use.

Conclusion

So, we figured out how to trim correctly leather steering wheel. It is worth noting that this process takes a long time, and not everyone can handle it, especially if the steering wheel has a non-standard shape and wooden inserts.

Covering the steering wheel with leather is one of the types of car tuning. Often, car owners update their steering wheel after many years of use to improve the appearance and driving comfort.

It also sometimes happens that a car is perfect in all technical characteristics, but the appearance of the interior is not pleasing. This is where tuning comes to the rescue, capable of remaking the car interior to suit all the taste preferences of the owner, as well as threads.

Covering the steering wheel is a creative process and must be approached responsibly.

After all, the steering wheel is what is closest to the driver and with which he is in direct contact while driving.

When making a tight fit, you can independently choose the type and color of the leather, as well as the type of seam and the color of the threads. Any combination is possible: it all depends on what kind of steering wheel the driver wants to hold in his hands.

Let's take a closer look at what a steering wheel cover is and why it is needed

The steering wheel cover not only plays a decorative role, but can also improve the appearance of the car.

By the appearance of the steering wheel you can usually determine how old is the car, but if it’s new and beautiful steering wheel, then it will not give out all the details about the car that it can. Also, one of the most important characteristics is the thickness of the steering wheel, which, by the way, is discussed in this video:

Thanks to the constriction, this parameter can be adjusted to the individual preferences of the driver. It will not be possible to make the steering wheel thinner, but it is possible to make the steering wheel thicker 4-8 millimeters. It seems that the difference is not significant but this is 12%-24% of the usual steering wheel thickness.

Another reason for tightening the steering wheel may be the desire to make it soft. Before covering the leather, the steering wheel is covered with porous, soft polyurethane. Soft steering wheels are used in all BMW E65 and M-series.

Tactile sensations play an important role when driving. By choosing high-quality material for covering, you get a guarantee that it will not slip and will hold well in your hands. This will definitely give you confidence when driving.

Let's summarize. Steering wheel reupholstery is not only a tuning element to improve the appearance of the steering wheel, but also a process that can improve technical specifications driving.

Types and options of covering + materials

• Steering wheel rim reupholstery

  

  The BMW E39 steering wheel rim is perfectly covered in white leather using a herringbone stitch.

  The most in a simple way is the steering wheel rim cover. In this type of work, only the rim itself is covered with leather or leatherette, and where it connects with the knitting needles, the material is sheathed and glued.

• Eco-leather steering wheel upholstery

  

  Eco-leather is an excellent material for covering the steering wheel. The main thing is that it is environmentally friendly.

  Eco-leather is an innovative environmentally friendly material.It is very difficult to distinguish it from genuine leather. The material is not very expensive, but high quality and reliable. Eco-leather is very elastic and fits the steering wheel perfectly, and the homogeneous structure of the material looks expensive and organic.

• Original steering wheel reupholstery, choice of threads

  

  If you are very creative and not like everyone else (and also love a blanket and coffee), this type of cover is for you.

  The original (standard wrapping) is an absolute duplication of the factory wrapping of the car's steering wheel. This ideal option for those who are completely satisfied with their car and the cover is needed only for updating.

  Typically, when re-tying the steering wheel this way, it is used Genuine Leather. Do not forget that there is only automotive leather and it cannot be replaced with leather for furniture or shoes.

  Automotive leather has special characteristics, such as:

  1. resistance to temperature changes;
  2. resistance to various types of mechanical and chemical damage;
  3. abrasion resistance.

  Upholstery is also possible according to your own sketches using complex geometry and expensive materials. For example, inserts made of expensive wood, which will make the car exquisite and unique of its kind.

The types of seams play a special role

It all depends on how I trim the steering wheel. Asian and American car manufacturers cover the steering wheel with four pieces of leather, resulting in four seams. German manufacturers do the same from one piece of leather, and there is only one seam.

Germans use macrame seam, it looks very aesthetically pleasing, smooth, it uses thin threads, and it does not lift the skin.


But Korean and Japanese manufacturers most often use a seam "herringbone" or "braid". These seams raise the skin, causing it to become slightly convex; thick threads are usually used.


In principle, it is not particularly important which seam will be used, the main thing is that the work is done efficiently and painstakingly, and then the result will be high quality and beautiful.



Types and options of seams. Click to enlarge

Instructions for reupholstering a steering wheel with leather at home

There is another option for re-upholstering the steering wheel. By using step by step instructions It's not that difficult to make it yourself. In order to get started, you need to arm yourself with all the necessary materials and tools.

You will need:

1. 2 strong semicircular gypsy needles;
2. nylon thread;
3. stationery knife;
4. pencil or pen;
5. awl;
6. pliers;
7. roofing scissors;
8. cardboard;
9. marker;
10. a convenient place to work where you can secure the steering wheel.

To ensure everything goes well, follow the step-by-step instructions!

• To get started, we remove the steering wheel from the car, disassemble it, wash it and dry it to perfect condition. Before starting work, of course, you need to decide on the seam that will be used.
• The next step is to make markings. To do this, take cling film, wrap the steering wheel, then wrap it with mounting tape. We apply markings with a marker and carefully cut along the contours with a stationery knife. We remove and carefully smooth out the elements - this is our sketch.
• We attach the sketch to the skin, make markings along the edges, retreating 5 millimeters. This 5 mm will be used to tighten the skin. We cut out the elements and sew them into one large round ribbon.
• Soak the resulting product in warm water for twenty minutes. We wipe it, dry it, but not completely, and put it on the steering wheel. To avoid making mistakes, we handle the leather carefully, as it is wet and elastic and can be easily damaged.
• The next step will be marking. We apply it to the cardboard through every 8 mm lines. We apply it to the leather on the steering wheel and make holes every 8 mm with an awl.

  The work must be done gradually so that the seam is even. It is advisable to sew 10 holes on each side and then continue. Treat your work responsibly and slowly, otherwise you will get dressed up and redo the work.

That's it. Share, like, tell your friends,
Ask questions and suggest your options in the comments!

Keep reading
otherwise HE will stop you:

1. Zoya

   My review

   I never thought that covering the steering wheel with leather is so important for men... now from my own experience I can say that most men do it for their image - they want to show the level of their well-being and the solidity of their car. My husband did this out of necessity when he bought a less than new vehicle. I had to use my sewing experience and cover its steering wheel, it’s good that there were examples of various techniques in the article... now, instead of the usual suits and dresses, I make good money from this business. By the way, men really like soft leather, but seams don’t matter to them!

2. Natalia

   My husband reupholstered the steering wheel with leather himself. I used the instructions given above. It's good that there are such educational sites. The entire re-upholstery process is clearly outlined.
   Did it easily and simply. It even turned out very beautiful, and most importantly, it was comfortable. The steering wheel does not slip, the hand does not sweat. We would like to reupholster the interior in the future. This process is described on the website page.

3. Svetlana
4. Andrey

   We did a reupholstery last summer on the E60 in the M package. The steering wheel was trimmed. I chose the original leather as it was, but the color of the threads is in the M range: blue and red. It looked good. It looks like in the first video. And it was very pleasant to the touch, I didn’t want to let it go from my hands. I’m definitely in favor of re-upholstery!

   Oh, why didn’t I come across this article earlier! ?My husband likes the leather steering wheel, it feels good on his hand. And we recently did the fitting, but without instructions. I sat and sketched the steering wheel to scale, and then drew the patterns. It worked the second time. But since I found the instructions, I’ll do some “work on the mistakes.” But somehow it turned out rather clumsily.

5. Laura

   Our Lada Eight was about 10 years old when my husband started thinking about re-upholstering the steering wheel. The plastic has become very worn out during use! Found soft black leather, we have an old one sewing machine Zinger, who writes well leather goods. We carefully stitched according to a pattern we had made ourselves and made a mistake. We wanted to make it more beautiful, so we took it to a workshop, where we put metal rivets on the holes for the lacing. The case turned out beautiful! But when we removed it a few years later, it turned out that the rivets had severely scratched the steering wheel. Now they have reupholstered it with new leather, without rivets.

   Covering the steering wheel with leather yourself is not a very complicated process, which will save on hiring specialists. The first covering can cause some trouble.

The most heavily used elements in the cabin are the steering wheel and pedals. The condition of the latter is not so noticeable for the driver and passengers, but the steering wheel should always cause a pleasant tactile sensation. Upholstering the steering wheel with leather yourself will help give it individuality and a stylish appearance.

Except aesthetic perception, the steering wheel must be securely fixed in the hand so that the driver can react to road surprises in time. Therefore, it is necessary to choose high-quality, tight-fitting material that prevents slippage or other troubles.

It is advisable to use soft leather with perforations as a material. It is better fixed by hand and has a good coefficient of friction. Before covering the steering wheel with leather with your own hands, you need to select the color and texture of the material. The cost of the material and its compatibility with the rest of the decor in the car depend on this. It is unlikely that a black steering wheel would be appropriate in a chic beige interior.

Leather braided steering wheel

When purchasing upholstery fabric, you need to choose it with the opportunity to buy another piece if necessary. When flashing the firmware may occur different situations, just like when cutting fabric. It is advisable to stock up on adjustment options so that you can properly restore the leather on the steering wheel or create a new pattern.

Required materials and tools

Ensuring a high-quality result can be achieved with the following components:

1. High quality upholstery material;
2. A spool of synthetic durable thread of the desired color;
3. Hardened steel needles for leather, with material hardness up to 45-50 HRC;
4. A pair of thimbles for pushing the needle;
5. A roll of construction tape;
6. A3 cardboard for making patterns;
7. 10 m roll of cling film;
8. Marker with a thick rod;
9. Nail scissors or a sharp knife;
10. Two-component leather glue or epoxy resin;
11. A powerful home or industrial hair dryer for drying.

DIY leather steering wheel cover

The number and shape of blanks for the material can only be determined experimentally. To do this, you need to create a pattern. Automotive companies producing mass-produced products receive a ready-made pattern from engineers and designers. When doing our own repairs, we will use workarounds.

Initially, you will need to make a cast from the surface of the “steering wheel”, and then, dividing it into individual components, form patterns for the finished product.

The cling film will serve as the basis for the frame. We wrap it around all the surfaces where the steering wheel will be covered with leather. The next layer is formed using masking tape. It should very tightly envelop all the required areas. No swelling or sagging should be allowed. All relaxations will negatively affect the fixation of the upholstery fabric.

Marker make markings for separation the resulting workpiece. The connecting seams will run along the marked stripes. It is advisable to cut them out so that they are not visible. Number each part in a certain order and draw up a diagram of the future assembly. Use scissors or a knife to cut the pattern along the established lines.

Having removed all parts of the workpiece from the wheel, they need to be straightened using a low-heat iron (remember to take care of the tape and film) or place it under something heavy (weights, a bucket of water, a closet). The straightened elements are transferred to the cardboard, not forgetting to add an allowance of 4-5 mm to the seam, and also remove 2-3 mm at the connection around the rim, taking into account that the measurement was carried out along a larger diameter.

Sewing the steering wheel cover

Experienced specialists, who are not the first to perform such an operation, can cover the steering wheel with leather with their own hands without gluing the parts, but for beginners it is preferable use epoxy resins or glue. This minimizes measurement and manufacturing errors a little.

When covering a car with an airbag, care must be taken to prevent unauthorized deployment. For ease of use, you can completely dismantle the wheel and do the firmware from any side in comfortable conditions.

The new upholstery is practically laced along the holes stitched in advance by a machine on the edge. You can pierce them with an awl yourself, but it is better to entrust this painstaking work to the sewing needle of a machine.

Experienced craftsmen pre-wet the skin in warm water. This makes it more elastic. Once dry, the material adheres more tightly to the surface due to its size reduction.

Having completed the firmware on all sides and dried the surface with a hairdryer, you need to let the glue dry, and only then return the steering wheel to its place. After this, you can put the buttons, decor, and pillow in their places. Fans of independent tuning often install a heated steering wheel with this operation.

The steering wheel of a car acts as a connecting link between the driver and the car. While driving, the driver is constantly in contact with this control element, which is very important for maximum driving control. At the same time, the steering wheel affects not only the ease of control, but also the interior of the car. If the material with which it is covered is frayed or worn to holes, then it is better to change the covering, since driving safety may depend on it.

When choosing a steering wheel surface material, some people prefer a smooth polished material, while others prefer the texture of snakeskin. However, most people prefer the classic option - black genuine leather.

Car enthusiasts usually strive to show individuality, originality and chic in their car. A popular and simple way to highlight the interior of your car with a noticeable and important element is to reupholster the steering wheel.

In this article, we will see, using the example of a car owner, how to reupholster a steering wheel with genuine leather yourself - for this you do not need to go to a service center and order the services of specialists.

High-quality reupholstery of the steering wheel requires some skills, as well as certain financial investments.

To cover the steering wheel you need to prepare the following material and tools:
high quality genuine leather;
masking tape – 1 roll;
thick cardboard;
strong nylon thread;
cling film;
sewing needles of high hardness, suitable for Soviet production; modern needles can bend due to the soft material;
thimble – 2 pcs.;
marker;
a stationery knife or other, well sharpened.

Step by step instructions

The first stage of reupholstering a steering wheel with leather, as well as other work with this material, is a pattern. Each has its own steering wheel, so we won’t try to figure it out, there’s plenty on the Internet.

1 . First, we take cling film and cover the steering wheel, then wrap it with masking tape. This pattern method was invented by one of the folk craftsmen, but it is perfect for covering the steering wheel with leather in a car.

2 . After the steering wheel is wrapped, it needs to be divided into several zones. We mark these sections of the steering wheel exactly as shown in the images, and then cut out the finished patterns. We put them under a press for several hours - this way they will take the shape of the patterns.

3 . To make it more convenient, the shapes of individual parts can be transferred to thick cardboard. This will make it easier to transfer the template onto the skin. We number and label all the parts - this will come in handy later, so you won’t rack your brains if you accidentally mix everything up, and you won’t use parts of the leather on the steering wheel in the wrong order.

4 . You just need to adhere to the rules for wrapping the steering wheel with leather, then the so-called gas lifting effect will not appear when the skin rotates on the base of the steering wheel. However, being a novice in this matter, the author played it safe - in order to definitely fix the skin, he treated the corresponding surface with epoxy resin.

5 . The next step is to cover the steering wheel with the leather we prepared. Stitches or seams can be made in the form you like best, with an optimal distance from the edges of 2–3 mm. The author performed the work in several approaches due to lack of time. It took him almost 4 days to get a leather steering wheel in his car.

Now with the updated steering wheel, the ride is more comfortable, and the interior looks different, more solid. To those who made their own steering wheel in the same way - have a nice trip!