Date: Wed, 18 Mar 2009 21:49:58 -0500
Reply-To: joel walker <uncajoel@BELLSOUTH.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: joel walker <uncajoel@BELLSOUTH.NET>
Subject: Re: Cold steering wheel
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="UTF-8"; reply-type=response
> What is the Vanagon steering wheel made of? What polymer might it
> be? On a
> cold winter day that plastic material sucks the heat out of my
> fingers
> like it's made of aluminum or some other material with high thermal
> conductivity. Or is it something to do with specific heat? I was
> doodling
> at the back of the physics class when they discussed heat capacity.
> But
> anyway, it's cold, and doesn't feel like it's very interested in
> getting
> warm to the touch. Mrs Squirrel's toes can be like sometimes.
whatever it's made of, it's colder than outside temps in winter, and
hotter than outside temps in summer. :(
i second the motion about Wheelskin leather steering wheel covers.
best $$ you can spend as an accessory for your bus!
a good place to get them is ...
http://www.autotoystore.com/WheelskinSolidCovers.html
$49.95 plus $6.95 shipping/handling
or their own website
http://www.wheelskins.com/
(turn the audio off first!) ;) they also sell gloves. :)
$49.95 each.
for the power steering vanagons, the style/size you want is
BX 15-17" outside diameter, 3-3/4"-3-1/2" grip(thickness/diameter)
it's been so long since i had a bus without power steering that i
don't recall the size. sorry. :(
but shop around, as long as it's Wheelskin brand, it's a great fit.
and it feels even better if you make it a bit thicker by wrapping some
of that ace bandage type stuff around the wheel first. :)
not much, just one layer, no overlapping.
why put one on the bus? cause (IMHO) it makes the steering wheel much
more pleasant to hold on to,
both in summer (it doesn't get as hot as the plastic) and in winter
(you almost don't need gloves).
if you really want to go crazy, the covers come in all sorts of crazy
colors. i just got black for mine.
now, a Gotcha! ;)
it comes with its own 'needle' and thread to sew up the cover. pay
attention to the directions.
but!
i found a little homemade tool was VERY helpful.
from an old wire coat hanger or thick wire (like 3/32nds inch or 2.5mm
thick) that is strong enough to stay bent after you shape it,
make a J shape on one end. on the other end, bend it and make it like
the top of the letter T (capitalized). that gives you sort of a
'meathook' looking thing. now take a file and sharpen the tip of the J
end just a bit ... get rid of the squareness.
i used this to tighten up the lacing/thread on the cover ... i'd sew
it up for a bout 8 inches or so, then go back and tighten up with the
tool, then another 8 inches or so, then back to the very beginning and
tighten up again. doing this gives you a very tight neat looking
cover.
now, after you get it all sew up and tucked away, you'll notice that
it has sort of a bulge where the thread is. that's ok ... it settles
down after a few weeks of grabbing onto it and heating and cooling and
such.
the only thing that is kinda 'bad' about it is the part where the
spokes of the steering wheel are. i've tried it both ways ... pig-tail
type 'loops' (over the ege and back under to the next hole) from one
thread-hole to the next, and i've tried just in-and-out (no looping
over the edge) from hole to hole. don't really like either one, but of
the two, i guess the in-and-out looks better.
it's up to you to see which one you like.
anyway, this is a really really nice addition ... keeps the steering
wheel warmer in winter and cooler in summer, at least it feels that
way .. doesn't burn or freeze your hands like the bare plastic does.
hope it helps. good luck!
unca joel :)
