R steering wheel recovering

[Squirtydog]

This is more of a theoretical question at the moment as I have other things to do on the car first (transmission service and remap) but...

Has anyone had their leather wheel recovered? And at what price?

The interior of my car is pretty mint. The hand brake had a new leather on before I bought it. So the shiny worn leather on my wheel grates just a little every time I drive it. A fresly covered wheel would be great. However, a call to an auto interior re-furber guy gave me the impression that this is going to be an expensive job.
He basically quoted "£350 quid mate, I don't want to do it, it's a pain to do".

I've bought a second hand wheel in the past but that was a wast of money... Looked fine initially but wore through in months. So not going there again.

Any suggestions?

[M-R-P]

Got any pictures of the wheel mate? there's a few trickies to bring them back a bit.

[Squirtydog]

I'll get some by tomorrow. Cheers.
Basically all the leather is intact, no defects. Just smooth and shiny, all texture gone.

[M-R-P]

Hmmm, there may be some treatments available to bring it back. Alternatively, go over it with 1000gr sandpaper and give it that alacantra feel ;)

[Squirtydog]

Hmmm, there may be some treatments available to bring it back. Alternatively, go over it with 1000gr sandpaper and give it that alacantra feel ;)

Maybe carbon wrap it instead? Lol:cool:

[M-R-P]

I've partially done a wheel with the sandpaper and it feels pretty good tbh ;)

I wouldn't recommend wrapping it tho lol.

[Squirtydog]

I've partially done a wheel with the sandpaper and it feels pretty good ...

Would have thought that would just take me a few thousand miles closer to he surface breaking down?

[Squirtydog]

May have to settle for now. If I get the transmission and remap done and the car feels like a long term keeper like the S60 has turned out. I may just invest in a new one.

[M-R-P]

Would have thought that would just take me a few thousand miles closer to he surface breaking down?
Naah - it just fluffs up the surface. You'll never wear through it.

May have to settle for now. If I get the transmission and remap done and the car feels like a long term keeper like the S60 has turned out. I may just invest in a new one.
Some Volvo wheels are £400+ :yikes:

[Squirtydog]

Naah - it just fluffs up the surface. You'll never wear through it.

Some Volvo wheels are £400+ :yikes:

:yikes:off to get some 1000gr then. Do I feel brave?

[M-R-P]

Start with 200 and work your way up til you get a texture you like. Then give it loads of leather feed stuff.

[Squirtydog]

Cheers. I'll sleep on it and see if i feel brave enough.
Few days off ahead of me. Plan to attack the paint with meguiars ultimate wax, the tyre gel you recommended for the rub strips. Swap in a fuel pressure and boost pressure sensor volvokid has very kindly lent me (very generous guy) and see if they sort the hesitation flat spot I have.

...maybe after that I'll have a stab at the wheel.

[M-R-P]

It'll all be worth it in the end mate ;)

[Squirtydog]

Thanks for the advice. I'll trust you and give it a shot.

Btw PMd you re the grille wrap.

Cheers.

[M-R-P]

Thanks for the advice. I'll trust you and give it a shot.

Btw PMd you re the grille wrap.

Cheers.
Not had an alert yet? or are you pm ing now...?


hmmmm...

[Squirtydog]

Not had an alert yet? or are you pm ing now...?


hmmmm...

Alert...

[volvokid]

Write buddy my gear stick was exactly the same, shiny and you couldn't see the blue stitching. Buy yourself a proper leather cleaner, not these leather creams, go onto the polishedbliss site and buy leather cleaner and a proper brush!!! Please try this, it made the world of difference to my gear stick its now matt in colour and I see the stitching, the leather is rubbed but thats to be expected. If you do this then put a leather cream on it you will basically attract dirt.

[Squirtydog]

Write buddy my gear stick was exactly the same, shiny and you couldn't see the blue stitching. Buy yourself a proper leather cleaner, not these leather creams, go onto the polishedbliss site and buy leather cleaner and a proper brush!!! Please try this, it made the world of difference to my gear stick its now matt in colour and I see the stitching, the leather is rubbed but thats to be expected. If you do this then put a leather cream on it you will basically attract dirt.

Sounds like a safe first alternative. Not much can go wrong with that. Cheers.

...swapping some sensors today if the weather holds.

[volvokid]

Tell you what I will clean my stearing wheel and post some pics on here.
The weather is really good here today

[M-R-P]

You mean it's only raining a bit? ;)

[Squirtydog]

Tell you what I will clean my stearing wheel and post some pics on here.
The weather is really good here today

Cheers. That would be great. Think I'll attack it this afternoon if I can buy the right stuff.

[volvokid]

You mean it's only raining a bit? ;)

Oi it was only windy a bit ; ) ok a fair bit

[volvokid]

Cheers. That would be great. Think I'll attack it this afternoon if I can buy the right stuff.

Did you get a chance.

[Squirtydog]

Tell you what I will clean my stearing wheel and post some pics on here.
The weather is really good here today
cheers

only just got back from an impromptu trip to Ikea for wardrobe buy.
Managed to get some zymol leather cleaner - not too sure what to apply it with though...
Cloth or brush - and what kind of brush?

[stephenevans99]

Wife's toothbrush always gets my vote :)

[Squirtydog]

Well, sometimes it is better just to LITFA.

Certainly took some dirt off...

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This a before pic...

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and this, an after pic...

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Not exactly the look I was after. Seems that the dirt was just filling in the defects in the leather.:mad:

If you look closely, you can see the same areas on the before picture pre dirt removal.
Oh well, you live and learn.

[T5RatherAmusin]

got an R wheel here if you need a good spare ;)

[johnnyb]

Royal Steering Wheels do good work although he doesn't have any Volvo steering wheels pictured on his web site so it might be worth dropping him an email. I've just had my BMW wheel re-trimmed by him and the end result is fantastic. A couple of poor pics to show the difference.

Before, the standard wheel has a horrible thin rim and shiny hard leather

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r213/johnnygb/IMG_0993_zps6ccce05d.jpg

After, he thickened the rim and covered it with perforated and nappa leather although he can do any combination including alcantara

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r213/johnnygb/IMG_1006_zpsec2e03ff.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r213/johnnygb/IMG_1008_zps9641f2c3.jpg

That was £105 plus £10 delivery.

[Squirtydog]

Royal Steering Wheels do good work although he doesn't have any Volvo steering wheels pictured on his web site so it might be worth dropping him an email. I've just had my BMW wheel re-trimmed by him and the end result is fantastic. A couple of poor pics to show the difference.

Before, the standard wheel has a horrible thin rim and shiny hard leather

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r213/johnnygb/IMG_0993_zps6ccce05d.jpg

After, he thickened the rim and covered it with perforated and nappa leather although he can do any combination including alcantara

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r213/johnnygb/IMG_1006_zpsec2e03ff.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r213/johnnygb/IMG_1008_zps9641f2c3.jpg

That was £105 plus £10 delivery.

Wow! Very impressed. Thanks for that.
Might drop him a line. At that price it looks like a bargain. It does look like a quality job. Guess it depends somewhat on how well it wears over time.

Edit: already emailed him. Looks a bit too good to miss.

[Squirtydog]

got an R wheel here if you need a good spare ;)

Got some pics? Or is it attached to the car?

[Squirtydog]

Well, sometimes it is better just to LITFA.

Certainly took some dirt off...

21519

This a before pic...

21520

and this, an after pic...

21521

Not exactly the look I was after. Seems that the dirt was just filling in the defects in the leather.:mad:

If you look closely, you can see the same areas on the before picture pre dirt removal.
Oh well, you live and learn.

On the plus side for this attempt. The lighter rub marks are darkening a bit already and the leather has at least recovered a matt look and feels better to the touch.

[T5RatherAmusin]

Got some pics? Or is it attached to the car?

http://i1036.photobucket.com/albums/a441/Ian_Armstrong/IMAG1086-1_zps2d46a70b.jpg

[Squirtydog]

Cheers. Think I'm going to see what price Jamie at Royal Steering wheels comes up with. Might go for something a bit custom and try for dark blue inside to the wheel to try and match the Nordkap of my interior.

Wheel looks pretty tidy though. I assume it is in better shape than mine?

... If not then I could give you mine and send yours for recovering if I go for it.

[T5RatherAmusin]

its in pretty good condition mate. a little mark on bottom.
tbh i can see the pics you put up lol
was gonna do something similar tbh....
willing to let it go reasonably cheap ;)
http://i1036.photobucket.com/albums/a441/Ian_Armstrong/efhudskjl_zps7cc99e1b.jpg

[Squirtydog]

its in pretty good condition mate. a little mark on bottom.
tbh i can see the pics you put up lol
was gonna do something similar tbh....
willing to let it go reasonably cheap ;)
http://i1036.photobucket.com/albums/a441/Ian_Armstrong/efhudskjl_zps7cc99e1b.jpg

That's the idea, in blue. Gonna call royal today.

[Squirtydog]

Just spoke to Jamie. Very polite guy. Quoted the same. £105 + £10 postage as exchange service.
I think I'll just have to go ahead at that price - birthday present to myself.

Gonna look at some colour options later in the week. Any suggestions?
I recon black outer rim (perforated or napa?) and blue inner/thumb rests - as close to Nordkap as I can get.



Watch this space. I'll post some pics once I get the wheel back.

[Squirtydog]

My plan for the wheel. Check out my awesome artwork!
Opinions?

21568

Hoping to get a blue to match the volvo badge.




Edited for upside down pic!

I give up.

[M-R-P]

Hope he does the wheel the right way up lol ;)

[Squirtydog]

Hope he does the wheel the right way up lol ;)

Bloody iPhone keeps doing that.

[Harvey]

Hope he does the wheel the right way up lol ;)

Very easy to turn around when its on the car.:lol:

[V70 Graham]

Design looks good though.

[Squirtydog]

Wheel back. £120 delivered. 1 week turnaround.
Happy man.
Can recommend Jack at Royal Steering Wheels clicky (http://royalsteeringwheels.com/gallery/)

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[T5RatherAmusin]

Looks beautiful matey!

[volvokid]

Wow that looks great.

[Squirtydog]

Interior is pretty tidy. Seats not showing much wear so a knackered steering wheel was a shame. Hoping it will give a nice fresh feel. Really pleased.

[Harvey]

Very nice ,no I done need to do my one........

[V70 Graham]

It does look very nice, money well spent.

[Squirtydog]

Very nice ,no I done need to do my one........

Do it do it:dgrin:

[Squirtydog]

Just cos it looks even better with the blue dials behind...

21812

[Harvey]

Just cos it looks even better with the blue dials behind...

21812

I must say its very nice , Lovely bit of workmanship,no have got some cash to blow but I don't think I will. Yet.

[MIKESC70T5]

Wheel back. £120 delivered. 1 week turnaround.
Happy man.
Can recommend Jack at Royal Steering Wheels clicky (http://royalsteeringwheels.com/gallery/)

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I can vouch for his work to, as my old M3 wheel was done by him. I'm about to get the new M3's wheel done by him to.

[volvokid]

I want this done. But I dont need it lol

[MIKESC70T5]

I want this done. But I dont need it lol

I'm in the same boat mate, don't really need it, but a fresh wheel looks so good and feels great in the hands. I'm going for perforated leather padded sides with alcantera top and bottom this time.

[M-R-P]

Just cos it looks even better with the blue dials behind...

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that's proper sexy that!

Luckily, my steering wheel is less than a year old (thanks Wayne ;)) so feels great still :D

[t5 pete]

That looks awesome I wonder if they can also do the wood inlay like on the s70 v70 wheels

[M-R-P]

That looks awesome I wonder if they can also do the wood inlay like on the s70 v70 wheels

Why not just use a V70 wheel?

[Squirtydog]

Don't know about wood. For a little more he will thicken up a standard wheel and build up the thumb rests - say if you have a standard S60 wheel, not the R.

[johnnyb]

Looks great. It really is one of the best ways to make a car interior look "fresh".

[t5 pete]

Why not just use a V70 wheel?

because I only want the wood at the top and the v70 wheel is also the wrong colour wood

[LeeT5]

I must say that is a great result! I'm thinking about having mine done the same as yours accept the blue i'll have as Atacama Orange!!

[Squirtydog]

I must say that is a great result! I'm thinking about having mine done the same as yours accept the blue i'll have as Atacama Orange!!

Nice.

It really is good work. Cheapest way to feel like you are driving a new car.
I'll be using him again when I'm ready to do the Elan wheel.

[LeeT5]

In the mean time i managed to clean my steering wheel and gearstick with Volvo's own Leather interior cleaner. Works a treat, removes all the muck (the cloth was black) and the blue stitching is clearly visible again, especially on the gearstick. Now it's not all shiny and smooth.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e11/LeeT5/Phase%202%20V70R%20AWD/IMG_1413_zps096c420e.jpg (http://s36.photobucket.com/user/LeeT5/media/Phase%202%20V70R%20AWD/IMG_1413_zps096c420e.jpg.html)
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e11/LeeT5/Phase%202%20V70R%20AWD/IMG_1415_zpsc529ce79.jpg (http://s36.photobucket.com/user/LeeT5/media/Phase%202%20V70R%20AWD/IMG_1415_zpsc529ce79.jpg.html)
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e11/LeeT5/Phase%202%20V70R%20AWD/IMG_1414_zps7b43f09a.jpg (http://s36.photobucket.com/user/LeeT5/media/Phase%202%20V70R%20AWD/IMG_1414_zps7b43f09a.jpg.html)

[silverhorse]

Thats come up nicely Lee. I have seen that leather cleaner in my local dealer. Will get some as the creme leather in her C70 is a bit mucky in places.

[Squirtydog]

That has come up well. What mileage on that wheel? Mine had no texture left at all at 84k .

[LeeT5]

That has come up well. What mileage on that wheel? Mine had no texture left at all at 84k .

133k.