How To Repair Rid Steering Wheel Leather

Download Article

Download Commodity

Tired of the cracked, worn out, or outdated leather on your steering bike? Well, you're in luck! Y'all can replace the leather on your steering cycle so it looks just as good equally it did when it left the manufacturing plant flooring. Though the procedure is a bit tedious and requires dextrous fingers and a few special tools, if you've got the right gear, yous can get it washed in a few hours.

ane
Take out the key and turn the steering wheel counterclockwise to lock it. Information technology'south important that you cut off all power to whatsoever of the controls in your steering wheel before you take it off so y'all don't run a risk shocking yourself. Turn off your vehicle and remove the central from the ignition so it's not cartoon whatever power from your battery. Then, plow your steering bicycle counterclockwise, or to the left, until you lot hear it click so information technology'due south locked into place.^[one]
- Locking the steering wheel will make it easier to remove and find the right alignment so you tin can reinstall information technology correctly.
2
Disconnect the battery and wait 10 minutes to deactivate the airbag. Removing all electricity from your vehicle will make certain your airbag won't accidentally deploy when yous try to remove information technology. Pop the hood and find your machine'southward bombardment. Use a wrench to loosen the screw and remove the cablevision from the negative terminal showtime, which will accept a negative symbol (-) side by side to information technology. Then, remove the cable from the positive last, which will take a plus sign (+) next to it. Expect nearly x seconds for the power to drain from your airbag.^[2]
- Oftentimes the negative terminal will have a black covering and the positive terminal will take a red covering that you lot demand to elevator in order to access the terminals.
- Don't remove the screw holding the cables to the terminals. Just loosen them plenty for yous to slide them off.
Advertising
iii
Popular off the trim pieces on the steering cycle with a screwdriver. The trim of your vehicle covers and protects the bolts that adhere your steering wheel. Look for ii small coverings in the trim on either the sides or the height and bottom of your steering cycle. Take a flathead screwdriver and wedge it into the pucker of the trim pieces and pop them off to expose the bolts underneath.^[3]
- The location of the trim pieces varies based on the make and model of your vehicle.
4
Use a socket wrench to remove the bolts beneath the trim pieces. Attach a socket that fits the bolts to your wrench. Fit the socket over 1 of the bolts and start rotating it counterclockwise to unscrew it. Continue unscrewing the commodities until you lot tin remove information technology by hand. Then, remove the other bolt the same manner.^[4]
- Some vehicles may take bolts that fit a star bit, which you tin attach to your socket wrench to remove.
5
Pull out the airbag and unclip the wiring harness to remove it. With the bolts removed, the airbag will exist loose enough to exist pulled out of the middle of the steering bike, but there are still wires connected to it, and so don't pull it all of the way out. Utilise your hands to gently pull the airbag from your steering wheel until you can see the wiring beneath it. Then, locate the harness on the back of the airbag and advisedly disconnect them to remove the airbag.^[5]
- Set the airbag aside so yous tin reinstall information technology afterward.
Warning: Don't yank or rip off the airbag or it could potentially go off and cause serious injury.
6
Disconnect any wire harnesses on the steering wheel. If your vehicle has prowl command or extra controls on your steering wheel, there volition be additional wires on your steering bicycle that demand to be disconnected. Discover the harnesses that the wires are connected to and gently pull them apart so they're separated.^[six]
- Some wire harnesses may accept a tab or button that you lot need to press in order to pull them autonomously.
7

Unscrew the bolt from the center of the steering wheel. Locate the large bolt in the center of the steering wheel. Attach a wrench to it and plow information technology counterclockwise to loosen information technology. Continue unscrewing the commodities until you can remove it by mitt and gear up it aside.^[7]
8
Make an alignment marking if there isn't 1 on the steering wheel. Information technology's super important that y'all align the steering wheel correctly when you reinstall information technology. On the slot where you removed the center commodities, await for 2 markings where the steering wheel and shaft meet that are lined up to indicate the correct orientation of the steering bike. If in that location aren't 2 markings, take a marker and draw a small line over where the steering cycle and the shaft connect.^[8]
- Knowing the proper alignment is crucial to reinstalling the steering wheel correctly.
9
Attach a puller if there are slots on the steering wheel. Some steering wheels can only be removed with a specialized tool chosen a puller. If your steering bike has ii slots on each side of the shaft, and so y'all'll need to use a puller to remove it. Fit the puller over the center of the steering wheel and insert both of the long puller screws into the ii slots. Tighten them by hand so they're firmly fastened.^[nine]
- You lot can find pullers at hardware stores and online.
Notation: If your steering wheel doesn't have slots for a puller, then you don't need to utilise i to remove information technology. But take a firm grip on the steering wheel with your hands and pull it off of the shaft.
10

Tighten the puller with a socket wrench and pull off the steering wheel. Fit a socket wrench over the commodities on the puller and start cranking information technology to tighten it. Continue tightening the puller until the steering wheel separates from the shaft. Then, use your hands to have off the steering bicycle and unscrew the puller to remove it.^[10]

Ad

i
Cutting the threads along the seam with a utility knife. Locate the seam where the leather is sewn over the steering wheel. Use a utility pocketknife to carefully cut forth the threads to dissever them. Continue cutting all along the steering cycle until all of the threads are cutting.^[eleven]
- Try to be as neat as yous can so you can use the one-time leather as a template.
2
Skin off the erstwhile cover with your easily. Utilise your fingers to pry up the sometime leather beneath the seams that you cut. Peel back the leather cloth carefully then information technology doesn't rip or tear. Work around the entire steering wheel to peel off the leather.^[12]
- Carefully peeling off the leather will also make the steering bicycle easier to clean.
3
Mix together warm water and dish soap in a spray bottle. Make a elementary cleaning solution that won't harm your steering bike. Take a spray bottle and make full information technology with about 1 cup (240 mL) of warm h2o. Add a few drops of a mild dish soap into the water and milkshake the bottle to combine the mixture and arrive squeamish and soapy.^[13]
- Use warm water to help the soap mix with the h2o amend.
four

Use the solution to clean off the remaining rubber with a clean cloth. Spray the soap and water over the steering wheel and apply a clean textile to rub abroad any dirt, crud, or bits of rubber that are attached to it. Use your fingers to peel off any thick pieces of rubber that you can rub off with the textile.^[xiv]

Tip: For stubborn, stuck-on bits of rubber, use a sponge with a scouring pad. Avoid using a wire brush or you could damage the steering wheel.
five

Dry off your steering bicycle with a dry cloth. Information technology's important that the bicycle is completely dry before you movement on to the adjacent step. Otherwise, your new leather might not stick properly, and y'all could wind up with mold and an unpleasant smell that ruins all your difficult piece of work. Just go over the cycle a few times with a dry cloth until it feels completely dry to the affect.^[fifteen]

Ad

1
Trace the outline of the old cover onto the new leather material. The easiest way to cut out a strip of leather that matches the dimensions of your steering wheel is to utilize the onetime leather itself. Take your new leather cloth and lay it on a flat surface so the underside is facing up. Cut your old leather at the seam and stretch it out straight. Place it on summit of your new leather cloth and utilise a pencil to trace the outline onto the new material.^[xvi]
- Look for quality leather material at car torso shops, craft supply stores, or by ordering it online.
Tip: If the quondam leather cover is too damaged to use as a template, search online for steering wheel cover template that you can employ.
two

Cutting out the pattern from the new leather with pair of scissors. Accept a pair of scissors and cut along the lines that yous traced. Utilize smoothen and consistent cuts so the new leather doesn't appear inclement or accept jagged edges so it will exist easier to sew.^[17]
3
Stretch the new material over the steering bike to make sure it fits. Take the new leather that you cut and place it on the exterior of your steering cycle. Stretch the textile and connect the 2 ends to brand sure it fits securely around the steering wheel. And so, remove the leather so y'all can sew together the ends together.^[18]
- If the material is too large or loose, use pair of scissors to trim it and then information technology fits.
iv
Clip the 2 ends together with a small binder prune. Take the leather strip and concur it so the underside is facing out. Line up the edges of the ii ends of the leather strip. If they're uneven, trim the edges with scissors and so they line upwards perfectly. Have a pocket-sized binder clip and attach it to the ends so they're held together.^[19]
- You tin discover binder clips at office supply stores.
five
Sew the ends together with nylon thread and a curved sewing needle. Choose nylon thread that closely matches your leather material and thread information technology through a curved sewing needle. Commencement at 1 border and push button the needle all the way through the ends of the leather, loop it over, then push button it through once again. Continue sewing along the ends and tie a knot at the end to secure the stitching.^[20]
- Curved sewing needles piece of work better for sewing leather.
- Expect for nylon thread and curved sewing needles at your local arts and crafts supply store or past ordering them online.
half-dozen
Wrap the new leather over the steering wheel. With the ends connected, accept the leather material and stretch it over the steering bicycle. Line upwards the edges of the leather strip and so the steering bicycle is in the center of the textile so you tin sew them together evenly.^[21]
- If the material is besides loose, remove it from the steering wheel, undo the stitching, trim the edges dorsum, and then sew them together once more.
7
Employ 2 curved needles with nylon thread to sew the leather to the steering wheel. Thread 2 curved sewing needles with nylon thread. Starting time at the edges that you've sewn together and push 1 needle through i side of the leather and push button the other needle through the other side so they're straight across from each other. Sew together the fabric together past alternating the needles back and forth to form a baseball run up over the surface of the steering wheel. Pull the thread tight each fourth dimension you button the needle through the leather.^[22]
- Have your fourth dimension and insert the needles evenly forth the edge of the leather to course a tight and strong stitching.
- Don't insert the needles into the steering wheel itself, simply the leather textile.
eight

Trim the leather effectually the spokes with scissors. When yous reach a spoke on the steering wheel while you lot're sewing, use a pair of scissors to trim back the fabric so it lines up evenly with the edge where the spoke connects to the steering wheel. Then, continue sewing past the spoke until you lot reach the next one and so trim that one back too. Continue sewing along the steering wheel and trimming effectually the spokes until the leather covers the steering bike.^[23]
nine
Gum the leather around the spokes with leather glue to create a seal. One time y'all've finished sewing the leather to the steering wheel, take some leather glue and add a small drop below the leather around the spokes. Apply business firm pressure level for most x seconds and so smooth out the material so create a tight seal.^[24]
- If any glue is pushed out from beneath the leather, use a wet cloth to wipe it up immediately then it doesn't dry.
- You tin find leather glue at department stores or by ordering it online.
Advertizing

1
Slide the steering wheel dorsum onto the steering shaft. Fit the steering bike over the shaft and so it'due south facing upward. Thread whatever wiring through the slots on the steering cycle and push the cycle onto the shaft and so the edges are affluent.^[25]
- Try to orient the steering bike so the alignment mark on information technology is above the shaft.
two

Plug in whatsoever wire harnesses that y'all disconnected. If your steering wheel has additional wiring for controls, insert the wires into the harnesses that yous disconnected them from. Push them until you hear a click and then they're firmly attached.^[26]

Tip: Make sure the wires are secure by gently tugging on them. You don't want to have the accept the steering wheel dorsum apart to reconnect them!
3

Align the steering wheel with the alignment markings. It's super important that y'all align the steering wheel with the shaft so yous can install it without any bug. Locate the alignment markings on the bike and shaft that yous either made or were already there. Turn the steering wheel so that the alignment markings perfectly lined up so the steering bicycle is oriented correctly.^[27]
4

Spiral in the center bolt with a socket wrench. Keeping the alignment marks in line, slide the eye bolt into the slot and utilize your hands to rotate it so information technology'due south threaded correctly. Then, have a socket wrench and plough the bolt until information technology'south as tight every bit you lot tin can make information technology.^[28]
v

Reattach the airbag to the steering wheel. Locate the wire the powers the airbag and plug it into the harness on the underside of the airbag. Then, slide the airbag into the steering bike. Replace the airbag bolts on the sides or the tiptop and bottom of the steering wheel and so it'due south held securely.^[29]
vi

Put the trim pieces back over the bolts and reconnect the bombardment. Take the plastic coverings that you removed to expose the airbag bolts and push them into the slots until they snap into place. Slide the bombardment cables over the correct terminals and use a wrench to tighten the bolts and then they're held securely.^[xxx]

Advertising

Inquire a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a bulletin when this question is answered.

Submit

Things You'll Need

Screwdriver
Socket wrench
Puller
Utility pocketknife
Scissors
Dish soap
New leather cloth
Pair of scissors
Ruler
Nylon thread
two curved sewing needles
Leather glue
Binder prune

About This Commodity

Thanks to all authors for creating a folio that has been read 12,356 times.

Did this article help you?