Covering the steering wheel with leather is one of the types of car tuning. Car owners often update their steering wheel after many years used to improve appearance and driving comfort.
It also sometimes happens that a car is perfect in all technical characteristics, but... appearance I'm not happy with the interior. 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 the steering wheel is new and beautiful, 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 driving performance.
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 is an ideal option for those who are completely satisfied with their car and need a cover 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:
- resistance to temperature changes;
- resistance to various types of mechanical and chemical damage;
- 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 from four pieces of leather, which is why there are 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 stitches 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 the 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:
- 2 strong semicircular gypsy needles;
- nylon thread;
- stationery knife;
- pencil or pen;
- awl;
- pliers;
- roofing scissors;
- cardboard;
- marker;
- 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!
otherwise HE will stop you:
- 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!
- 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. - Svetlana
- 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.
- 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! We found soft black leather, we have an old Zinger sewing machine that sews great 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.
In addition to 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 sheathing leather steering wheel You need to choose the color and texture of the material with your own hands. 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 stitching, different situations can happen, just like when cutting the 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:
- High quality upholstery material;
- A spool of synthetic durable thread of the desired color;
- Hardened steel needles for leather, with material hardness up to 45-50 HRC;
- A pair of thimbles for pushing the needle;
- A roll of construction tape;
- A3 cardboard for making patterns;
- 10 m roll of cling film;
- Marker with a thick rod;
- Nail scissors or a sharp knife;
- Two-component leather glue or epoxy resin;
- 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 out 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 way, measurement and manufacturing errors are slightly concealed.
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.
Hello, dear friends! Hope you're in good mood and are ready to receive a portion of new useful observations from your humble servant. After all, today we are discussing such an issue as re-upholstering the steering wheel.
Agree that the standard steering wheels on many cars can only be called squalid. Either they were normal, but time left marks on them in the form of scratches, cuts, torn seams, and so on.
Leather reupholstery is a fairly common service. In cities such as Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Krasnodar or Belarusian Minsk, for example, there are a number of studios where you can remake your steering wheel in just a couple of days, breathing new life into it.
Yes, of course, Volgograd, Nizhny Novgorod, Belgorod and any other, even small town in Russia and the CIS, will offer at least one master who can do such work for you.
But ordering a service is too easy. Yes, and you need to pay more. Therefore, I propose to talk about how the fitting is done with your own hands.
Choosing material
Of course, leather for the steering wheel will be most preferable. This material is natural, strong and durable, plus it fits well in the hand. Alcantara can be an alternative.
But start with the skin. Its price is not so high, plus there are many design options. To choose the leather from which the steering braid will be made, follow several rules.
- Naturalness. Faux leather won't fit, wrong properties. And in general, once you get to work, do everything efficiently.
- Thickness. We don't need thick skin. Otherwise, you will be tortured to pierce. Thin ones wear out quickly. The optimal size is considered to be 1.3 mm.
- Extensibility. Strictly average. The elasticity should ensure a tight fit to the wheel.
- Perforation. Its presence is not necessary, although working with perforated leather is more pleasant. At the same time, wear and tear is higher than that of ordinary leather. Decide for yourself. I chose smooth leather when wrapping the steering wheel.
In addition to leather for the car steering wheel, you will need a number of auxiliary materials and tools.
Tools and materials
The steering wheel trim kit for Mazda, Nissan, BMW and any other cars, even a Ford Focus, will always be the same.
You need to put together:
- skin;
- a strong needle with which you will stitch the material;
- strong nylon thread;
- a pair of thimbles to protect your fingers;
- masking tape;
- cardboard of normal density;
- cling film;
- marker or pencil;
- sharp knife (buy at a building materials store).
Everything is ready. Now your car can be transformed. Start small - the steering wheel. Covering it with leather is not the easiest task for a beginner, but it can be done. I myself once decided to suddenly do something similar. The result exceeded my expectations, so you will definitely do no worse. I'm still a jack of all trades.
The whole process can be divided into two stages:
- pattern making;
- tight-fitting
If you do everything correctly at the first stage, reupholstering will be much easier.
Pattern
I will give sequential instructions to put everything on the shelves and convey to you the main idea.
- Remove the steering wheel. I don’t know what kind of car you have, so I can’t give specific instructions on how to remove the steering wheel. Look in the repair manual if you don't know, watch a video or simply act instinctively. No, I was joking though. We work only strictly according to the instructions;
- Get rid of the old braid. It's not difficult. You can simply cut the seams and remove the worn material;
- Wrap the steering wheel with cling film. Do not skimp on the material, but wrap it carefully so that there are no differences in height or unevenness;
- Painting tape is wound on top. Be sure to use a marker to mark the places where the seam will go;
- Cut the previously wound tape along the marked lines. Essentially, you will have several elements for the layout. Since they are curled up, straighten the tape and place something heavy on it. Leave it overnight. The next day the layout will be smooth and neat;
- The tape components can serve as a template for making a more durable cardboard base. That is, attach the tape to a sheet of cardboard, circle it strictly according to size and cut it out. Although this is not necessary;
- Now the leather is cut out according to the pattern of 4 layout elements (usually there are 4 pieces) required sizes. Here, try to cut carefully, without violating the dimensions. Otherwise, you will have to trim, level, and so on. Why do you need extra trouble;
- Number the pattern elements so you know which piece of leather will go where.
In principle, the base is ready. Not as difficult as it seems at first glance. But then an equally important stage awaits you - sewing. If you have ever sewed, then you roughly understand what we are talking about. Those who have never even darned their own socks in their lives should not approach tight socks. I'm serious! Otherwise, the result may be very disappointing. Basic skills are a must.
Wrapping procedure
If you are careful and consistent in your actions, you will succeed and your car will have a truly beautiful handmade steering wheel.
- Take strong thread, insert it into an equally strong needle;
- You need to retreat about 2-3 mm from the edge of the skin. If you sew too close to the edge, it will simply tear under tension;
- All the blanks need to be connected, resulting in a ring. This is why it is important to mark your patterns with a marker;
- The inner seam will be on the inside, so don’t worry about this;
- When the ring is ready, place it on the steering wheel, align all the edges so that everything matches;
- The leather will “walk” around the wheel if it is not secured. Here I solved the problem this way - I processed the steering wheel epoxy resin. It held the skin firmly, but at the same time allowed the material to be slightly shifted until drying;
- Sew all edges neatly. If you are good with thread and needle, you can get a beautiful decorative seam;
- Stretch the skin evenly so that the tension is approximately the same everywhere.
The formation of small folds on a new case should not scare you. This is normal for the skin. In a few days everything will smooth out and look perfect. Be patient.
I told you what the process of covering the steering wheel looks like. Yes, the task is not the easiest, but it is doable. If you are not ready for it, take the steering wheel to a workshop. They will do everything for you there at its best, although for a decent amount of money.
The steering wheel is like nothing else close to the motorist, since it is in close proximity, and besides, the driver has the longest contact with it during a long drive. It is the steering wheel that has to endure the cuffs and blows of its owner in case of troubles on the road, such as: a sharp maneuver by an overtaking person, a woman driving :-), or a traffic police inspector appearing out of nowhere...
Anyway, enough of the lyrics, let's get down to business!
As you already understand, the steering wheel is quite important detail, therefore, its surface should have a pleasant appearance; you must admit that if you have to spend hours, or even days, behind the wheel, not everyone will want to hold on to a shabby, scary steering wheel. One day I was simply tired of my mediocre steering wheel, with its scuffs and unevenness, after which I decided that I would do steering tuning, I don’t know how, but I will do it :) After digging a little through forums and websites of craftsmen, I found something what information that made me understand what I would have to face, but how exactly I would act, I did not yet know.
The steering wheel trim varies, but the most popular is leather. According to experts, leather steering wheel trim is the optimal solution to improve the contact of the driver’s hands with the steering wheel. Perhaps someone is a supporter of wooden inserts, or all kinds of inlays with Swarovski rhinestones, but at home, for an “ordinary driver”, the usual reupholstery of the steering wheel with black leather will be enough.
In addition to convenience, reupholstery is also a good opportunity to stand out and give the interior of your four-wheeled friend a steering wheel tuning , which, in addition to leather reupholstery, provides for changing the shape and size of the steering wheel.
Like any job, reupholstering the steering wheel with leather will require certain skills from you, and of course, financial investment.
So, in order to cover the steering wheel with leather, you will need:
- High-quality leather on the steering wheel;
- Sewing needles, preferably “Sovdepov” hardened, needles of the new type are not suitable, they are too soft and therefore bend (tested);
- Two thimbles (safety first);
- One roll of masking tape;
- Thick cardboard;
- Cling film;
- Marker;
- Stationery (or any other, but very sharp);
- Nylon thread (the stronger the better).
Well, gentlemen, if you are ready, I propose to begin the procedure code-named “do-it-yourself leather steering wheel”
Reupholstering a steering wheel, like any other work with material, begins with a pattern.
1. The first thing you need to do is cover the steering wheel with cling film, and then wrap it with masking tape. I admit honestly, this version of the pattern does not belong to me, it was invented by some folk craftsman, and I saw it when I was planning O sew leather steering wheel on your car.
2. After wrapping the steering wheel, you need to conditionally divide the steering wheel into several parts, drawing it as shown in the pictures, then cut it out ready-made patterns. You can put them under a press for several hours so that they take the shape of the patterns.
3. For convenience, you can transfer the shapes of individual parts onto thick cardboard, this will make it more convenient to transfer the template to the skin. Don't forget to number and label all the parts, this will save you headaches in the future if you mix everything up. This is necessary so as not to accidentally sew steering wheel leather not in the correct sequence (as was the case for me 🙁).
5. If the steering wheel is reupholstered with leather according to the rules, then you will not experience the so-called “gas lifting” (an unpleasant phenomenon in the form of the steering wheel trim turning on the base), but since I am an amateur in this matter, I decided to play it safe and add some for good measure. epoxy resin. This solution will avoid this unpleasant phenomenon.
6. The next thing we need to do is cover the steering wheel with leather , which we have. I did this in several steps, in my case due to lack of time. In short, it took me about 3-4 days to make my own leather steering wheel. The stitch or seam option, as you like, had to be chosen differently from the one originally planned, due to the fact that the thread was not strong enough (that’s why I said at the beginning that the stronger the nylon thread, the better, don’t repeat my mistakes) it was constantly torn, so it was necessary to increase the distance from the edge of the skin to 5 mm. And this, as you understand, affected the consumption of the thread itself. If you buy a normal thread, the optimal distance from the edges will be 2-3 mm.
At this point the work is completed, I hope you managed to cover the steering wheel with leather, and your dream has come true, for which I congratulate you!
You can see what I got in the photo; you should get approximately the same result. As for me, considering the lack of professionalism and the lack of any skills and abilities, I managed to cover the steering wheel with leather quite well , At least I’m not ashamed to show it to people. Of course, if you order such a steering wheel from some tuning studio, where this work will be done by professionals who have done this hundreds of times, the quality will be much better, but the price will be completely different... Go ahead, try it and reupholster You will definitely succeed in using leather steering wheels at home!
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 how comfortable and pleasant it is to drive a car depends. 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
- Remove the steering wheel from the car (use the vehicle repair and maintenance manual).
- Construction masking tape - 1 large roll (paper tape, ordinary oilcloth tape will not work)
- Cling film or packaging film - 1 skein
- A utility knife preferably with a new blade
- Dark marker – 1 pc.
- Cardboard (preferably medium density)
- Strong nylon thread (the kind used for shoe repair is suitable)
- Sewing needles, preferably hardened ones (take several, they may bend or break)
- Two thimbles for the middle fingers (will protect your fingers from punctures)
Well, the most basic material to work with is leather. It is better to use good quality leather, and if you want to practice, it is 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 make the braid larger. 
Take a marker and divide the steering wheel into four parts, make a mark on the inside of the steering wheel for inseam preferably evenly.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 blank 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 stitch the edges; it’s better to perform this procedure sewing machine, if it is not possible to stitch, 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.
