'Legal' aftermarket steering wheel

ndragun · Postby **ndragun** » Wed Oct 21, 2015 12:37 pm

Morning all,

There must be a marked increase in police presence on the roads after dark - I've gone through an RBT and subsequently asked to pull aside while the car is given the once over literally every couple of days at the moment. I don't begrudge them at all, every encounter has been more or less good and friendly - and a low, loud mx5 with brushed black metal finish and a bright red stripe is always going to attract a second look...

They're happy with everything that has been done to the car, but there is always a comment about the steering wheel (and occasionally about the battery in the boot by the less knowledgeable ones). Never enough to warrant more than just a mention before waving me on my way, but I'm sure one day it'll be more...

Long story short, what after market options are there out there for road legal steering wheels - if any?
Obviously the issue is the lack of padding for when I strike my bonce on it after hitting a tree.

bruce · Postby **bruce** » Wed Oct 21, 2015 1:45 pm

I've got a non-legal silver spoked Momo Prototipo. I've had comments too. I'm sure if the spokes were black, people would not notice.
The only padded OK looking wheel would be something like the leather 3-spoked Nardi fitted to NA8s.
I've read the ADR regarding this and it mentions something about dish. Maybe a deeply dished wheel might be OK?

bruce · Postby **bruce** » Wed Oct 21, 2015 1:58 pm

..and don't get me started about people replacing their airbag with a non bagged wheel. Deathwish.

ndragun · Postby **ndragun** » Wed Oct 21, 2015 2:12 pm

I do still have the original Nardi wheel stashed in a box somewhere and have been using a Momo Race Evo instead. The Nardi was replaced in the first place because it was starting to unstitch itself.
Ironically the steering wheel was one of the very few non-original parts on the car for years and years... But now that literally everything has been rebuilt or restored when the ITBs went in, its become my achilles heel with the constabulary!

Magpie · Postby **Magpie** » Wed Oct 21, 2015 2:16 pm

Steering Wheels
It is acceptable to replace a vehicle’s steering wheel without specific approval, provided the replacement steering wheel does not affect compliance with ADR 10 (after 1970) and ADR 69 (after June 1995). Unless a steering wheel is marked or has accompanying information indicating it has been tested to the appropriate ADR, it must not be used as a replacement.

In addition, for vehicles required to comply with ADR 69, the steering wheel assembly must be identical to one fitted as an option to the same model by the vehicle manufacturer, or alternatively, a steering wheel that has been certified by the replacement wheel manufacturer as a complying wheel for the specific make and model may be used.

Replacement steering wheels should not be less than 330mm in diameter. If the original steering wheel was designed with a recessed or padded hub, the replacement wheel should be of a similar design.

Please Note: Removable steering wheels must not be fitted.

Electrical System
It is permissible to relocate a vehicle’s battery without specific approval, provided it meets the following requirements:
• the battery is adequately restrained
• battery cables are shielded to prevent damage
• rubber grommets must be fitted where a cable passes through a hole in body panels and/or chassis sections
• battery cables are securely mounted to the vehicle at a maximum spacing of 600mm
• battery cables are adequate to carry the electrical system’s maximum load.

Please note: In addition to the above requirements, a battery relocated in a vehicle’s luggage compartment must be fully enclosed and the enclosure vented to outside the vehicle (unless a special kind of battery e.g, a sealed gel cell is used).

Minor Modifications
Vehicle Standards Instruction G19.1
Released March 2014
Updated July 2014

sailaholic · Postby **sailaholic** » Wed Oct 21, 2015 3:14 pm

So essentially if you have a post 95 vehicle it's almost impossible to fit an aftermarket wheel legally.

Pre 95 the na8 Nardi about as good as you get depending on your style preferences as you need to retain the centre padding.

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smy0003 · Postby **smy0003** » Wed Oct 21, 2015 3:20 pm

Damn, my NA8 is late 95.
I'm sure I'll get questioned at some point about the stock nardi.

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cookie · Postby **cookie** » Wed Oct 21, 2015 6:15 pm

I have a Nardi gara 3

Plenty of options available which are legal. Just look at Oem wheels from the early 90's.

gslender · Postby **gslender** » Wed Oct 21, 2015 9:22 pm

Most boys in blue I've encountered don't know that rule and question any wheel as being non-compliant if it doesn't have a crash pad for my pre 95 car. I'm frustrated and don't follow how they can be allowed to fine on issues that they don't know the law. Really poor form.

G

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sailaholic · Postby **sailaholic** » Thu Oct 22, 2015 6:53 am

Any Wheel with out a crashpad is non compliant G. Even the early na6 had that crappy pad over the momo.

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gslender · Postby **gslender** » Thu Oct 22, 2015 8:53 am

Well, not clear about that as many (all?) ADR10 approved wheels don't have a crash pad. I'll try and read the legislation, but don't think it specifically mentions having to have a crash pad or similar.

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bruce · Postby **bruce** » Thu Oct 22, 2015 8:59 am

"If the original steering wheel was designed with a recessed or padded hub, the replacement wheel should be of a similar design."

Magpie · Postby **Magpie** » Thu Oct 22, 2015 9:11 am

However what happens if it was a grey import and complied/registered without one...

jimmy_vee · Postby **jimmy_vee** » Thu Oct 22, 2015 10:18 am

Also curious about the rules for grey imports. I bought my car with a Momo Race (which I've since changed to a Prototipo) that as far as I know is what the car was imported with. I believe there was also several versions of non-padded Nardis that came fitted from the factory on special editions in Japan, what happens if you have one of those cars?

Rolley · Postby **Rolley** » Thu Oct 22, 2015 10:26 am

I'm running a Gilles Villeneuve momo that my old man picked up from a wrecker in the 90's for one of my first cars.

It still has the original center pad but unfortunately the button was Volvo when we got it and I've never been able to track down an original helmet or signature button for it... So it copped the Mazda stock Momo button for the MX.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/857169-momo-signature-steering-wheels-overview.html

The only time I was ever questioned about it was when it was on my E36 Beemer. The Po thought I'd pulled the airbag to fit it but airbags were not standard on the 91' and I carried the original wheel in the boot just in case.
The couple of times I've been RBT'd in the MX it's never been mentioned.