Date:         Thu, 2 Jun 2005 14:13:19 -0500
Reply-To:     Joel Walker <jwalker17@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Joel Walker <jwalker17@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      Re: steering wheel size
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=response

> Does anyone know the steering wheel size for vanagon with P.S, I've
> got
> an 87. I'd like to order a wheel skin for mine and noticed they have
> a
> few sizes listed. I currently don't have mine here to measure.

the size you want to order from Wheelskin is BX  (WS10301X is the item
number). that fits the power steering vanagons.

now, what i did was to go to wally-mart and get an el-cheapo lace-up
cover and put it on first. THEN put the Wheelskin one on. makes it
thicker and a lot nicer. :)

also a suggestion about lacing up the steering wheel cover:
- get an old metal coat hanger and make a tool to pull on the laces
... so the cord doesn't hurt your hands/fingers. you want to cut the
coat hanger so you have a straight piece of wire about  18 inches
long. bend one end of it into a J hook shape. sharpen that end, so
it'll slip under/between the cover and the lacing, but don't make it
sharp-pointed. kinda pointy-rounded. :)
then move up the straight piece from the J-end, about 3 inches and
bend the hanger wire 90 degrees ... we're making the handle. from the
bend, go out another 3 inches and bend it 180 degrees (back on
itself). go back 6 inches this time (past the stem with the J-hook,
and another 3 inches further). then bend it back 180 degrees again and
come back to the stem with the J-hook and wrap it around the stem to
secure it. yeah, it's a bit of work, but with a pair of pliers and a
vise, you can do it. or two pairs of pliers. :)  you're making a
handle that looks like a T on the opposite end of the J-hook.

anyway, when you are finished, it looks like a meat hook or cargo
hook. and you fit the T-handle between your index finger and middle
finger and pull on the lacing to tighten it. makes for a better fit.

i generally lace the wheel cover about 18 inches ahead, then come back
and tighten it with the J-hook
then go on lacing again, then back to tighten. once i've back around
to the starting place on the lacing, i start over at the beginning
with the J-hook and tighten it all up again. pull firmly, don't yank;
and don't pull "too hard" .. it's hard to describe how hard to pull,
so take it easy til you feel it out. that lacing WILL break if you
pull too hard. :(

good luck! i think you'll love the feel of a nice thick leather
steering wheel. :)
joel
p.s. when you get to the spokes of the steering wheel, you've got two
choices:
- skip the holes that aren't used
or
- thread the lacing in and out of the unused holes.

i've done both and can't decide which one i like better. :(

oh, and it takes several weeks for the cover to shrink down at the
lacing .. but it will shrink a bit and become much more circular.
helps if you massage it, squeeze it, over that time .. just makes the
cover conform to the steering wheel better.