Inexpensive but quality steering wheel source

Am a bit inspired by getting my Miata back on the road and the recent thread on steering wheels.

I checked the links in that thread and checked Ebay. Anyone had any luck with suppliers on Ebay for steering wheels under $100?

In exchange I'll give a bro tip to anyone coming to VIR for the Ultimate Track Car Challenge. Eat at Short Sugar's BBQ. Good and inexpensive.

here's the dished wheel we used in our Jeep XJ-R, it was around $25 or less shipped, dont remember exactly. it's not exactly $300 momo quality, but it feels decent, though not plush and luxury at all but for the price i couldnt be happier. i'm not sure what the 6-bolt pattern is as i just made my own adapter but i thought it was pretty standard.

I think the Grant line-up actually isn't that bad---plenty of adapters and their racing line is pretty solid. I've got one of their small formula car wheels in the LeGrand.

+1 on Grant. I've found quite a few of their wheels to be pretty nice and they have adapters for everything.

I've done Grants before, decent quality but I'm a cheap berkeley. I take the old steering wheel apart with a hack saw, remove the hub in the center and bolt the Grant to the stock hub. Put a door bell button on the column for a horn and you're golden.

I think hub adapters cost as much as a wheel.

Dan

Not quite below $100, but if you want a top-quality name brand at a low price Personal makes some steering wheels in polyurethane. I've seen them around $120, so with a little searching you might find it cheaper.

Ooh Ooh Ooh! This thread is relevant to my interests!

I also need a good and inexpensive wheel for my Shelby Dodge CSX. Something with this style bolt pattern, but Challenge-friendly. I'd rather find a bolt-on replacement that works with the Shelby adapter kit than have to get the Grant-style setup.

(sorry for the hijack )

That's a Nardi or Lecarra pattern. Basically a Momo pattern, but a larger bolt circle. Javelin and I had a conversation about this with his new 944 and a wheel he had laying around.

There are adapters available to go from that larger pattern to a regular Momo pattern and back.

Plus Grant sells a 5-bolt Grant to a Momo pattern adapter.

Or you could simply build one out of a chunk of aluminum round stock, a drill press and a tap set.

BTW, the Shelby wheel shines up really nicely under that black paint. The outer wrap can be repaired as well for $$$$.....

Back in the day- when I was looking for steeting wheels- a lot of Momo boat wheels came up at what seemed to be cheap prices- are the marine wheels any different than car wheels, outside of being robust to water?

I never got one....

In reply to turboswede:

Thanks for the info. All the Lecarra ones I've seen are different though. They have the 6 bolts, but they are in different places than the Shelby wheel. See how there's two on the top? The Lecarra's I've seen have a single bolt at the top and bottom and 4 on the sides. the only ones that look like they might work are the reproduction Corvette and Trans Am ones.

And Nardi wheels? Big bucks!!!!

I just got a MOMO wheel off ebay for $55, it is a bit worn but much better than the one that was in the car.

If they make this in beige I'd be all over it.

Just scrounge CL, cheap wheels come up occasionally, but then you need a hub adapter, etc.

914Driver wrote: I've done Grants before, decent quality but I'm a cheap berkeley. I take the old steering wheel apart with a hack saw, remove the hub in the center and bolt the Grant to the stock hub. Put a door bell button on the column for a horn and you're golden. I think hub adapters cost as much as a wheel. Dan

This is a good idea bordering on genius. With the right kind of wheel design I'm thinking that drilling a hole in a spoke (or two) would allow for wheel-mounted horn buttons, too.

FWIW, DilysiDave once fabricated a hub for one of my Honda-mounted aftermarket wheels. He did a fantastic job and it still works great.

I got a Grant wheel from a junkyard for $10.

Matt B wrote: Not quite below $100, but if you want a top-quality name brand at a low price Personal makes some steering wheels in polyurethane. I've seen them around $120, so with a little searching you might find it cheaper.

We used to sell a ton of those at Automod back in the day. I believe that wheel was intended for the boat market. It worked just as well in a 240Z, too.

SilverFleet wrote: In reply to turboswede: Thanks for the info. All the Lecarra ones I've seen are different though. They have the 6 bolts, but they are in different places than the Shelby wheel. See how there's two on the top? The Lecarra's I've seen have a single bolt at the top and bottom and 4 on the sides. the only ones that look like they might work are the reproduction Corvette and Trans Am ones. And Nardi wheels? Big bucks!!!!

In other words, the pattern is rotated by 30 degrees. That's easy enough to deal with. Just put the adapter on the steering shaft a few splines off. And if you're looking at the same basic pattern but a different bolt circle, get out the drill and put your second bolt circle in with a 30 degree rotation.

I've built a couple of steering wheel adapters out of either cast-off bits or using some factory parts. Easy stuff.

I've had Grant steering wheels in a couple vehicles. Not bad quality and they held up really good with the abuse I gave those cars. The last one I got was from Autozone and the wheel and adapter cost me $100.

alfadriver wrote: Back in the day- when I was looking for steeting wheels- a lot of Momo boat wheels came up at what seemed to be cheap prices- are the marine wheels any different than car wheels, outside of being robust to water? I never got one....

I did in fact buy one of these Momo Boat Wheels and it served me well for many years in my civic until I found a real leather Momo for a steal on the ebay. I still have it mounted in one of my "not running at the present time cars" I think it cost a total with shipping of 20 bucks but it did not have a working horn button in the center instead just a momo emblem, I just put a push button on the column for the horn.

ebay is a good place for the wheel... figure out what size wheel you want and find yourself one that size on ebay... and summit has grant wheel adapters cheaper than about anywhere else...

You guys kick major arse. Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll pursue the various options here and post the end result so all of you get the release you so richly deserve.

To conclude, another bro tip. If you're working on the plumbing in your bathroom, don't chew your fingernails.

I think I bought my Lecarra/Nardi/Dino knock off on eBay for a few bucks.

Either way, the adapter can be used to mount up a Momo to the Shelby adapter as well.

http://www.evasivemotorsports.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=EM&Product_Code=T1R_HUB_CONVERTER

In reply to turboswede:

Sweet, Thanks for the info! I'm thinking that thing plus a cheap Ebay knock-off wheel will do the job.

In reply to LopRacer:

Excellent to know. Thanks!