Date:         Thu, 12 Jun 2003 23:39:09 EDT
Reply-To:     BenTbtstr8@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Ben T <BenTbtstr8@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: HOW TO make other vw model steering wheels fit the VANAGON
              (GTI, Scirocco...
Comments: To: JordanVw@aol.com
Comments: cc: Thomas.Myers@USA.XEROX.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

In a message dated 6/12/2003 11:52:17 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
JordanVw@AOL.COM writes:

>
> a few of you out there are using other steering wheels on your vanagons,
> some
> of you said you are using wheels from a MK1 Scirocco, etc.  i saw a MK1
> Scirocco steering wheel mounted in a vanagon, it didnt go all the way down,
> so the
> turn signals didnt cancel.
> i picked up a really nice leather wrapped steering wheel from a '89 Jetta
> GLI 16v yesterday.  i wondered if it would fit the vanagon..  took the
> vanagon
> steering wheel off, it bolted on  - the splines matched up, but like the MK1
> Scirocco wheel, it didnt go all the way down so the turn signals wouldnt
> cancel.
>
> i then looked at why it wouldnt go all the way down - the aluminum housing
> around the splines at the back of the steering wheel was too narrow, keeping
> it
> from seating properly and the plastic tab contacting the turn signal cancel
> switch.
> so i set the steering wheel down on the floor , face down, and took a drill
> and a 1/2" metal drill bit and hogged out the aluminum housing at the back
> of
> the wheel.  prolly easier/quicker to do by my local machine guy, but end
> result
> was the same.   wheel now fits, horn works, and turn signals cancel
> properly.
> i used a large diameter split washer under the nut when bolting the wheel
> back down.   it was pretty easy to do, and best of all, i didnt have to do
> any
> mods to the van itself, just the steering wheel...
>


Chris, et al.

I myself wondered if this is an effective alternative. I like thelater style
A2 wheels which requre an adapter collar to fit earlier A1's. So what if I
cut-off the rest of the adpater and used only the toothed portion? I'm worried
that there isn't enough material for the wheel to stay on. Just like in Chris'
solution but with even less material around that conical section.

At any rate the one correct solution that I find acceptable is detailed by
Yoshi in my one of my How-to Pages at:

<A HREF="http://hometown.aol.com/realsf/howtopage2.html">http://hometown.aol.com/realsf/howtopage2.html</A>

It's the piece on the lower half of the page.

BenT