Too much?

[Wullie]

Custom recover and flat bottom wheel - I reused my airbag module as my wife is a safety nut

Re-covered by royal steering wheels (Jack) If anyone want the spec I asked for happy to provide it.

So....how much HP gains am I looking at?

[1979scotte]

So that's a stock wheel that you had flattened.
That's new to me.

[s12vea]

I've always wanted to do that.
Can I ask how much it set you back?

[Enjay]

That wheel looks really nice.  I miss not being able to easily change steering wheels in cars these days (though I'm happy about the extra safety of airbags).  I wouldn't want a flattened wheel myself (though it does look cool) but I'd love the wheel in my 2 to look (and presumably feel) as nice as that. 

Really nice job.

[Wullie]

Thanks all - I'm all about the feel (and keeping it close to original too)

Spec:
Thicker all round
Built up thumb grips
Flat bottom (getting in and out is so much easier - I'm 16st and have the quads to match)
Perforated sides
Napa on top and Bottom
Red stiching
Red centre stripe

Total cost was £215.00 delivered providing you send your wheel. I didn't want to go 3 weeks without driving my car so I asked him to source a wheel too which was £35 on top.

It looks and feels great - the thickness is good as I feel the stock wheel is a bit thin. Also there is no dial obstruction - I had that in my mind when I placed the order.

[m1tch]

Thanks all - I'm all about the feel (and keeping it close to original too)

Spec:
Thicker all round
Built up thumb grips
Flat bottom (getting in and out is so much easier - I'm 16st and have the quads to match)
Perforated sides
Napa on top and Bottom
Red stiching
Red centre stripe

Total cost was £215.00 delivered providing you send your wheel. I didn't want to go 3 weeks without driving my car so I asked him to source a wheel too which was £35 on top.

It looks and feels great - the thickness is good as I feel the stock wheel is a bit thin. Also there is no dial obstruction - I had that in my mind when I placed the order.

Looks spot on!

[shnazzle]

That does look rather nice...

[StuC]

Not seen the flat bottom on a stock wheel before. Does look good. The trim looks really well finished.

@Topdownman something to aim for with your next attempt.

[BahnStormer]

I think it looks pretty subtle and a slightly more modern version of OEM. With silver/grey stitching, that would only be noticed by somebody that knows their '2's.... but fantastic to hold while you're driving too.... I'm a BIG fan of those FBSW's...

[Wullie]

If anyone is interested in this mod and needs a wheel - you can have my original for the cost of postage.

[BahnStormer]

If anyone is interested in this mod and needs a wheel - you can have my original for the cost of postage.

Yes please! Finish on PM?

[Wullie]

Aye sure thing.

[BahnStormer]

@Wullie , thanks for the PM's y'day.... I'll be getting in contact with Royal Steering Wheels as soon as they've back from holiday in a week or so!

Can you please PM your order ref to me, so I can use that as a reference point for what I want: I'm going to ask them for exactly the same leather layout as your one, except with more neutral contrast stitching, to match the "grey" (ex-white?) contrast stitching in the OEM leather. I don't think I'll get the same bhp gains as you, but I'm willing to take the chance 

Did you find a guide on how to remove the airbag, wheel and then re-attach without setting anything off?

[Wullie]

EDIT: Added a wee picture to show the wheel off - forgive the pyjamas....

haha

I'll ping you my order sheet - I went for red stitches because of the red seats and door cards to keep my feng shui in check.

Tools:
19mm socket with extension or 3/4 if your imperial.
T30 bit to remove the screws that secure the airbag module to the wheel housing
10mm socket to disconnet negative lead from battery - in case the airbag triggers - when its not anchored to the wheel it could be painful.
Needle nose pliers - to pull the T30's enough to release the airbag

Method:
Battery disconnected - maybe wait a few mins
T30's removed either side
Drop Airbag out and disconnect the main wire from the charge - its press fit
Disconnect the horn - its a simple crimp affair
remove centre 19mm nut and pull wheel off - its press fit too so a bit of even pressured wiggling helps. Leave a couple of turns on the nut if its not shifting to save caving your face in.
Sorted.

New wheel:
Make sure the T30's are located in the wheel housing so you'll need to transplant your old ones. The wheel I bought didnt have them in. Be gentle or you will break the plastic holder/slide it sits in.
When the wheel is off the hub - the steering lock free wheels so make sure your wheels are square before you tighten the 19mm nut. When its on the steering lock will engage again - wee bit of trial and error to get the wheel centred but not too onerous. It does take a bit of oomph to feee the 19mm off so the steering lock will engage. e..g the final wheel poisiton with the lock off will differ.

[SuperArt]

Looks like a F30 BMW wheel which is no bad thing.

[Enjay]

Wullie's instructions are pretty spot on but if you want to see a video too, SpyderLEE changed his wheel and the process is on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlP2KJyPnPs

Wheel removal starts at about 2.40

[ilovejapcrap]

How did it get a flat bottom ?

[Topdownman]

How did it get a flat bottom ?

I have been wondering that too!

Looks very smart.

[1979scotte]

Heated and hammered?
Or cut and welded.

[Wullie]

Hard to tell the method for flattening out the bottom - I can't feel any obvious welds because the new leather is more padded.

From a practical point it would make sense to remove a middle piece, square off the bottom then join the two pieces together in the middle? My metal working understanding is basic at best

Two weeks in and its still putting a massive smile on my face - more so than usual!

[ManInDandism]

Hard to tell the method for flattening out the bottom - I can't feel any obvious welds because the new leather is more padded.

From a practical point it would make sense to remove a middle piece, square off the bottom then join the two pieces together in the middle? My metal working understanding is basic at best

Two weeks in and its still putting a massive smile on my face - more so than usual!

I'm sold!

Have just renewed my insurance and added sports steering wheel as one of my mods even though I've not changed it yet (so I don't get charged a fee when I do)  Obviously there is a lot more clearance with say a Momo, but something in the back of my head isn't allowing me to dispense with the airbag. So this is a tidy compromise.

All black for me tho.  Maybe some alcantara.  Decisions, decisions!

[The Other Stu]

As per the other thread, unless you cage or half cage it, you're unlikely to pass an MOT without the airbag.

[ManInDandism]

As per the other thread, unless you cage or half cage it, you're unlikely to pass an MOT without the airbag.

Which specific 'other thread' is that? 

I'm still finding this supposed ruling a bit ambiguous.  http://www.ukmot.com/Your-MOT-Questions/Airbag - sounds like the answer to this Jap import query (2nd question) ain't right then? 

[The Other Stu]

As per the other thread, unless you cage or half cage it, you're unlikely to pass an MOT without the airbag.

Which specific 'other thread' is that? 

I'm still finding this supposed ruling a bit ambiguous.  http://www.ukmot.com/Your-MOT-Questions/Airbag - sounds like the answer to this Jap import query (2nd question) ain't right then?

This one which I quote...

With the new MOT regs, I'll fail because of;

    the original steering wheel has been removed, and thus the airbag. I need to be able to remove the steering wheel to get in and out

https://www.mr2roc.org/forum/index.php?topic=65052.0

[ManInDandism]

As per the other thread, unless you cage or half cage it, you're unlikely to pass an MOT without the airbag.

Which specific 'other thread' is that? 

I'm still finding this supposed ruling a bit ambiguous.  http://www.ukmot.com/Your-MOT-Questions/Airbag - sounds like the answer to this Jap import query (2nd question) ain't right then?

This one which I quote...

With the new MOT regs, I'll fail because of;

    the original steering wheel has been removed, and thus the airbag. I need to be able to remove the steering wheel to get in and out

https://www.mr2roc.org/forum/index.php?topic=65052.0

OK ta.

As said earlier, am minded not to remove air bag, but just to play devil's advocate     - the latest revisions to the MOT do not include anything about airbags.  Here's a list of the changes:

New items
New items that you will test from 20 May 2018 are:

brake fluid contamination
additional braking device performance
daytime running lamps
front fog lamps
reversing lamps
bumpers
prop shafts
all rear drive shafts
cab security
cab steps
floors
passenger hand grips (quads and heavy trikes only)
noise suppression material
undertray security
emission control equipment:
oxygen sensor
NOx sensor
exhaust gas recirculation valve
other emission control equipment
engine malfunction indicator lamp
diesel particulate filter (DPF) tampering
fluid leaks - engine, transmission and so on

So the rules for airbags are as you were and as far as I can tell, there is some grey area and it can come down to the interpretation of the tester. In the thread you linked me to, tester knows full well that factory-fitted airbag has been removed, and so has threatened to fail car on that basis.  However scooting through t'web, I found this comment from another tester:

The failure would be 'an airbag missing where fitted as standard'

If there isn't a airbag light on or a gaping hole where an airbag was, visible wires hanging out etc. how would the tester know one is missing? You test the car how its presented, not how you think it should be presented.

As a MOT tester I would pass it (as long as there is no light on)
Testers will have a difference of opinion on it however, rightly or wrongly.

My Mk2 once failed an MOT due to 'excessive play in steering'.  I took the car home, looked up how this was checked and didn't agree.  So I immediately took the car to a second test station where it passed!