little retrim project - M steering wheel

[M3_Power 636]

So about a year ago I bought a pretty beat up M steering wheel for bugger all money - intending on taking it apart to understand how it is stitched together. The idea behind it was so I could retrim the Alcantara steering wheel myself whenever I need to (despite the fact that I actually have three of these ) ...

I am pretty handy with a sawing machine and needle and I figured this wouldn't be too hard to learn and do.

I purchased the correct CSL Alcantara material (a full yard of it) about four years ago ... have only just decided now to give this a try

Taking it apart:

Understanding how it is stitched together:

Peeling it back ... half way there:

The CSL Alcantara material in the background:

"Face off" - Will be used for pattern making

"Naked steering wheel"

More to come when I find the correct M stitching colour thread and when I've had time to cut out the pattern and saw it together.

Edited December 7, 2012 by M3_Power

[MLM 57]

Cool project.

I re did my wheel and it came out really well for a complete novice.

I used thread i found at Spotlight which matched the colours. From memory it was upholstery thread which is thicker.

All up it cost me $25 to do using leather bought on trademe and is still going strong without getting loose or slipping even without using glue 3 years on.

Post lots of pics of how you go about it.

Looking forward to the results

[Lucan 196]

I started trying to do this, also with alcantara, the problem I had was the leather had stretched and it was hard to make a proper fitting pattern..Although the leather is over 20years old I also need some decent scissors!

Will be watching with interest as my wheel is still hanging up in the garage naked

[M3_Power 636]

Cool project.

I re did my wheel and it came out really well for a complete novice.

I used thread i found at Spotlight which matched the colours. From memory it was upholstery thread which is thicker.

All up it cost me $25 to do using leather bought on trademe and is still going strong without getting loose or slipping even without using glue 3 years on.

Post lots of pics of how you go about it.

Looking forward to the results

Yep upholstery threads are the correct threads to use - either that or ones used on jeans (maybe a bit too thick, I'll have to check)

The factory leather or alcantara isn't actually glued on, instead a double sided thin foam is stuck on the bottom of the leather or alcantara, which allows it to stick to the steering wheel itself - depending on the thickness of the sticky foam used you get different thickness in the rim.

I started trying to do this, also with alcantara, the problem I had was the leather had stretched and it was hard to make a proper fitting pattern..Although the leather is over 20years old I also need some decent scissors!

Will be watching with interest as my wheel is still hanging up in the garage naked

That's easily solved.

Leather harden over time, so the only way to soften it and flatten it enough is to heat it up - various ways to do this, the quick and efficient way is to have a very hot iron on high steam, place the leather between a top and bottom layer of cotton and go nuts - but not for a long time, do this a couple of times and the leather will soften and be flat enough to trace a pattern.

If you really want to, you can cut slits into the leather so it'll flatten out more - but I personally don't think this is necessary:

Before steam ironing:

After steam ironing, ready for pattern tracing:

[Tristan 338]

Subscribed with interest.

Cool project

[328FTW 0]

I've done this before only I used vinyl. Same process with anything else, well some things might need a little heat/steam/creativity to work them.

[tttr1212 0]

Wanting to do this as well, thou I want to make the wheel diameter thicker like a fat grip.Should be easy, few wraps with electric tape I'm thinking.

Edited December 11, 2012 by power1212

[328FTW 0]

Wanting to do this as well, thou I want to make the wheel diameter thicker like a fat grip.Should be easy, few wraps with electric tape I'm thinking.

Use foam, about medium density.

[M3_Power 636]

I've done this before only I used vinyl. Same process with anything else, well some things might need a little heat/steam/creativity to work them.

VERY COOL!!

Use foam, about medium density.

I am going to pop into spotlight in the weeked to see if I can find the correct thickness foam sheeting to glue to the back of the alcantara ... otherwise plan B is to use my very expensive 3M double sided foam tape!!! (hoping I won't have to use this!!).

Sorry have some updates, but thought I'd put more up when it's a bit more 'together' so to speak!!

I was very lucky when I opened the stitching ... happened to open it from where it was actually started!!

[328FTW 0]

Good writeup I remember from a while back, this was before I had done a wheel

http://www.mr2.com/forums/mk2-interior-ste...recovering.html

Shows how to make "fat" wheel as well.

[Tristan 338]

Bit of a thread dig but did you get any further with this, Tom?

Edited November 22, 2013 by Tristan

[M3_Power 636]

Sorry Tristan ... I've not had time to complete this yet ... I have however cut the pattern on Alcantara already and have a mock up done on the wheel and it seems to work quite well. Need to pop into Spotlight one day and pick up that thin foam backing and some fabric glue and pick out the stitching haha!!

[jeffbebe 1559]

Fancy doing my seats, Tom?

[Golfboy666GTI 68]

Hey Tom, did you ever finish this project?

[M3_Power 636]

Well .. this must be the longest project ever ... LOL

Had time this week to actually pop into Spotlight to grab a few things ... and made some progress.

Looking good so far and the pattern seems to have worked properly as the seams all line up : )

[Tristan 338]

Finally

[M3_Power 636]

More progress tonight ... half way there!!

Not the best of my work, but function over form right? haha!!!

I didn't bother gluing or double side taping the fabric down as I wasn't too sure how well it would turn out, so wanted to make sure it was reversible.

My sewing machine's stitch spacing was a little odd so I ended up changing the stitching to suit ... looks okay-ish. If I did this again, I probably wouldn't bother with the M stitching (pain in the backside to do and it isn't that easy to pull tight - I'd do the "X" stitching method with two lines, much tighter and better looking).

Edited November 9, 2014 by M3_Power

[M3_Power 636]

Done

[Arma 134]

That is awesome Tom. Looks real good - do you plan to glue the fabric down further or just leave as is? Now kindly give me your sewing machine skills. (and your m3)

Btw. Where did you source the alcantara material from?

Edited November 10, 2014 by Arma

[jeffbebe 1559]

Brilliant, Tom. My seats await you...

EDIT: You did a great job, bet you wished you glued it now! Does it slip at all on the leather underneath?

Edited November 11, 2014 by jeffbebe

[qube 3570]

so basically its just a straight line sew with red and teal then zig zag the purple thread inbetween? sounds easy enough... easily said than done though im sure

[MLM 57]

Did you do anything to stop the stitches unravelling if one of the sewn threads break? Not sure it its a real issue but could happen if there is a lot of tension pulling on these threads

[M3_Power 636]

That is awesome Tom. Looks real good - do you plan to glue the fabric down further or just leave as is? Now kindly give me your sewing machine skills. (and your m3)

Btw. Where did you source the alcantara material from?

Cheers ... Not going to glue this one down, the stitching is tied into the stitching on the original leather cover so it's not going anywhere - also I think by not gluing it, it'll allow me to change it later on should I ever be so inclined.

Sourced the Alcantara from overseas - Florida to be precise. There are other sources now that are much cheaper I am sure.

Brilliant, Tom. My seats await you...

EDIT: You did a great job, bet you wished you glued it now! Does it slip at all on the leather underneath?

Seats are easy Jooles ... I am sure you can handle them. I've rebuilt Recaro SR3s before and it was a piece of cake.

See above - actually kind of glade I didn't glue it down to be honest - if you use the wrong type of glue it'll soak through the alcantara and make it go rock hard - in my opinion, double sided fabric tape is a better option over gluing.

so basically its just a straight line sew with red and teal then zig zag the purple thread inbetween? sounds easy enough... easily said than done though im sure

Basically yep. But to be honest I don't actually like this stitching method.

Did you do anything to stop the stitches unravelling if one of the sewn threads break? Not sure it its a real issue but could happen if there is a lot of tension pulling on these threads

Actually it broke in one or two places as I had cut the fabric a little short on one section and I pulled really hard to make it fit a bit better than it would otherwise do - technically if you cut the fabric correctly there shouldn't be high tension on the thread as the lines are simply to hold the fabric in place not used to pull it tight and around the shape it's covering - when you stitch the straight thread you can adjust the tension of the top thread so it has 'give' for threading. Also you don't use cotton threads - it'll just break.

I also wasn't too concerned about it breaking as this was more or less an experiment - plus it's easy enough to thread another part in if it broke (which I had to do in two places). I actually rushed through this one as I simply wanted to see how it would look so I wasn't overly concerned if the stitching wasn't perfect - having done it now there are definitely areas that I would improve upon if I did it again. This was more or less to make sure the pattern worked as intended. It's not perfect, but it's fairly usable, so I am just going to use it as it is (actually it's in the car now LOL) - wear it out and redo it again.

I might do another one as I do have another steering wheel that I can work on - this time with changes implemented to make it much better.

Edited November 11, 2014 by M3_Power

[jeffbebe 1559]

Seats are easy Jooles ... I am sure you can handle them. I've rebuilt Recaro SR3s before and it was a piece of cake.

Front seats in the 8 look doable but the rear seat looks difficult! Would love a colour change but not sure I'm prepared to pull mine apart to make a pattern... It could take me months to finish it!!