Worn out steering wheel leather

[marlinpruett]

I installed one of these on my worn steering wheel.
A pretty good option to replacing the wheel.

Before....

After....

https://wheelskins.com/

 

[Trainmaster]

Looks better than expected. The only other good choices are a new wheel from Ford ($280) or send it away to have it recovered ($325). People have also spray painted ("dyed") the leather and are happy with it but I don't know about that...

 

[TobyU]

I think that's the same one a friend of mine put on mine about 11 years ago. His wife sewed it on.
It was like 25-30 online. Real leather and you stitch it on.
It held up pretty well but I will just go for the 10.00 walmart or I bet cheaper on ebay, slip on ones. They both look alright to me.
SEM spray dye works well to refinish the wheels too.
2-3 coats and let dry thoroughly...then some leather conditioner or 303 etc.

 

[1955moose]

What about a quality rub on dye, like shoe cobblers use? My upper part is worn, should be for 19 years. I never liked spray dyes, rarely work. I like that one for under $40.00.

Sent from my N9131 using Tapatalk

 

[TobyU]

I have never found the rub ons to have the skin like of a good thick coat or spray dye.
You have to get the surface less porous so it doesn't soak in. I want a shiny slick almost plastic like coating..like new leather gym shoes.

 

[Wal92tt]

In the mid 90's, Honda sold one for my 1992 Civic at the time. Once I sewed it on, it looked like it came with the car from the factory! It's all in how you sew it on. The one the OP used looks good, but could look OEM with a different and tightly pulled stitch pattern.
On my 1999 EB I received in October, the top of the steering wheel is almost worn away and everything I've seen online just doesn't look great. You really want a folded over seam where the two ends meet at the stitching. The ones which are simply a strip of leather will never look factory unfortunately.
Anyway, last month for only $6.99 new, I found a decent pleather slip-on cover which actually looks good for what it is, until I find the right sewn-on cover. You never know what you'll find at Goodwill....

 

[Gary Waugh]

It wasn't as cheap, but I had a company come out and repair my steering wheel leather, they painted /dyed it and it matches perfectly (You cant see where it was repaired), cost about $100 and took about 1.5 hours. That was 4 months ago and it is still perfect.. Another alternative.

Gary

 

[tommyddsr]

I know it's a late post but I just recovered my steering wheel using a leather wrap you sew on. $15 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HJGR24E/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Here is a pic of mine I just finished a few days ago. This is on a 2009 Expedition EL.

 

[JExpedition07]

I’m using this stuff on mine once it’s warm enough out to cure right, some ultra fine grit paper on the top part then going to paint her up. Taping everything off will be fun:

View attachment 34691

 

[tommyddsr]

Have you tested this against your actual interior? I assume you have a Camel color interior in your 07? Just wondering how close a match it is. Thanks.

 

[tommyddsr]

So I started trying to repair my steering wheel itself. Replacing the leather was fairly easy and cheap (see above post). The center of the steering wheel if a dense foam product with a thin painted type finish. I figured I could just repaint it. So here is the attempt so far. I went though about 15 paint samples before finding one color that actually matched so you couldn't notice a patch since I didn't want to do the whole hub. I even try color matching the headrest but that was a shade too dark. Anyway landed on a Valspar color called Mink Stole CI59. Matched really well. Just Valspar interior satin latex paint. First sanded the work spots with 150 grit paper to smooth it out and actually reshape some of it. Then using a quality artist brush applied several coats of paint, feathering it out on the old parts not being painted. I might go back and redo a few spots as they are not as smooth as I would like, but overall I am pleased with the results. Here are a few before and after pictures.

 

[tommyddsr]

BTW... I would not use this on leather or anything that flexes, but the foam on the steering wheel sucked this up like the sponge it is. So I don't think it is going anywhere and cost $3.50 for paint and about $2 for a small brush.

 

[JExpedition07]

Have you tested this against your actual interior? I assume you have a Camel color interior in your 07? Just wondering how close a match it is. Thanks.

Color seems pretty close, I’m taping off the inner part of the wheel and just painting the leather portion. That way hopefully small color deviation won’t matter too much since many autos (King Ranch included) don’t always match the leather portion of the wheel to the plastic portions. That’s the hope at least, I’ll update whether it’s a success or bust. Greystone and camel interior on my 2007.

 

[The Wiped Cam]

Anyone here ever tried to order a B&I custom steering wheel w/ wood trim for the Camel leather interior?

https://www.bitrim.com/product_search.htm

I'm looking to see if their wood trim matches the factory wood.

 

[JExpedition07]

I ended up using Dupli-Color Specialty Vinyl & Fabric coating instead. Lots of newspaper and taping off but I’m happy with the result.

Before:


After:

 

[Trainmaster]

Looks beautiful. Let us know how it holds up. I bought my 2008 with 80,000 miles and the leather was shot from a fat Italian who used Old Spice perfume on his hands. I replaced the wheel with a new Ford one for about $250. Now, 30,000 miles later, I'm seeing some wear on the seam edges of the leather...

 

[JExpedition07]

Looks beautiful. Let us know how it holds up. I bought my 2008 with 80,000 miles and the leather was shot. I replaced the wheel with a new Ford one for about $250. Now, 30,000 miles later, I'm seeing some wear on the seam edges of the leather...

I’m hoping it holds up well. I’ve seen a similar product used on many boats and it holds up on the seats and wheels for years. This stuff is in an enclosed interior so less UV and weather exposure but it will see more touch contact being my trucks wheel.

Essentially what was worn on mine was the factory paint or “dye” they applied over the natural leather hide, after all no animal skin is naturally Ford “Camel” lol. The leather hide itself wasn’t worn but looked rough because of the finish color coming off. I sanded the rough spots lightly with 2500 grit finishing sand paper then cleaned the wheel and applied the coating.

 

[Trainmaster]

I thought they bought camels were that color?

 

[tommyddsr]

What color Dupli-Color Specialty Vinyl & Fabric coating did you use? Where did you get it? Locally all I can find is Tan and that looks too dark. Looks good by the way.

 

[JExpedition07]

I believe it is called desert sand