Date:         Wed, 20 Sep 2000 19:54:02 EDT
Reply-To:     Syncro5@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Ken Herman <Syncro5@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Steering Wheel Saga (long)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Hello Volks

Last week I headed to my local wrecking yard to find a different steering
wheel for my vanagon. I wanted a smaller wheel so my driver seat swivels
around further, and to try a different look and feel. Since I have power
steering, I don't need the leverage of a large wheel.

I heard from the list that most new VW wheels fit, so I bought a GTI wheel
with the four horn buttons. When I installed the wheel it looked fine and the
horn worked (after I bent up the contact spring) but the turn signals would
not self-cancel. Past list advice (thanks PerL) said that this could be
solved by loosening the 6 mm allen bolt and move the column ass'y a bit
towards you. I tried that and it seemed that the steering shaft got real
loose, I think the bearing must sit on some sort of taper. I decided to go
back to the wrecking yard to see what else I could find.

Next I found a leather wrapped Audi wheel that looked like it should work.
The part that extends out to flip off the turn signals was longer. When I
tried the wheel it fit good and looked nice. A short drive confirmed that the
turn signals worked properly. But I forgot about the horn. Audi used a
different style horn contact, the contact ring is on the column ass'y instead
of the wheel. The wheel only has a spring loaded button.

Now I don't know what to do. I have seen Audi wheels on Vanagons. Has anyone
on the list installed a different wheel on their van? Could you please tell
me how you got it to work.

A word of caution: smaller wheels somewhat block the view of the gauges. Some
folks might not like that, I didn't find it to be a
problem.vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Ken Herman
86 Syncro Westy