Restoring the steering wheel

[snowcone]

my original steering wheel is really sticky and in bad condition. If i clean this up real well could i repaint it with the OER dye? Or what other methods can i do to make the steering wheel look good again.
thanks

[CDesperado]

It's funny you should ask... Im doing a test tomorrow where I am placing a NASTY looking steering into my dishwasher. I have heard of people doing this, but have never seen before and after pictures. One person did this and said the wheel lasted 4 years before they needed to do it again.

Repainting with SEM dye would work, but might not last too long before it rubs off. The vinyl dye isnt going to last quite as long as truly sending your wheel out somewhere to have it professionally dyed. Still, I am guessing it would last a couple years at most, depending on how often you drive it.

Once it starts going sticky, you are fighting a losing battle. As the wheel begins to deteriorate, all you can really do is do your best to keep it clean, then re-clean it once a year or so. There are several ways to clean it. Formula409 or diluted SimpleGreen is your best. There is another cleaner you can use Do not use CitriStrip for cleaning your wheel!

Your best bet is probably to replace the wheel or find one that hasnt gone sticky.

[harbone66]

I have also heard from more than 1 person the dishwasher works great. I am lucky that mine hasnt become sticky yet.
But I do wonder if you ran it through the dishwasher then SEM dye coated it and put the SEM clear on top of that, how long it would last?

[VW_Factor]

in the past I've regularly used a dishwasher for "parts washing". Tail light housings, dizzy parts, etc.

Great results can be had.

Now that we have a new dishwasher my wife will not let me do that anymore..

[CDesperado]

LOL... did it cause any damage to your Dishwasher? Left over residue, etc?

I have a really nice DW, but I have been plannng this experiment for 6 months. I have no intention of using the steering wheel... I just want to see what happens and see if this really works so I can post before/after shots.

[VW_Factor]

I would get as much grease and oils off the part as humanly possible before using the DW. Once or twice there was a film. Ran a small glob of Fast Orange hand cleaner in an empty cycle would remove it.

(Fast Orange works great as an additive in the clothes washer for greasy clothes too)

[CDesperado]

Hmmm. Interesting. Ok.

I just dont want to get caught. LOL

[Niveus81]

I actually just cleaned my steering wheel a month ago. I have an 81 with the "rope" type wheel and it was very sticky. The first thing I did was clean it with a dishpan of soapy water and a medium bristle auto detailing brush. The soap was Method brand dish soap. It took some work, but I got pretty much all of the grime out of the crevices. I then used a clean lint free (trust me on this one) rag and went over the steering wheel heavily with 3M General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner. It took about 2.5 hours to do, but the steering wheel is like new again. On a side note a lot of what I thought was fading/discoloring was actually just 30 years of grime and cleaner residue in the crevices.

[ratpatrol71z28]

So I picked up a 4 spoke wheel at a swap meet for $40 bucks- the grain around the wheel is like a NOS wheel only because it was wrapped all it's life with that leather wrap some people do when they want comfort or who knows really why, but my main question iswhat can I do since the rest of the wheel is super nice and not sticky but the four spokes are.... So what cleaner can I use to clean just the four spokes without damaging it ?

[n2hcky]

I cleaned my son's non-rope style with purple power to get most of the greasy grime off then wiped it down a couple of times with a rag soaked in acetone. Worked like a charm and over a year later still no stickies, but the car has not been driven since we cleaned it.

[Rene Melten]

I have a sticky wheel on the shelf and used Fast Orange on a rag to clean it. Seemed to work, will see how long it lasts though.

[snowcone]

CDesperado, if you do put it in the dish washer make sure to post some before and after pics. i was thinking about doing it myself but want to make sure it will work well.
thanks

[krabben1]

I used simple green.Then sprayed it with sem landau black and then cleared it.Working fine so far.

[Dissolusion]

Does anyone know what the original "rope" style steering wheel is made of? Who contracted it etc.??? I would advise against the home dishwashing machine. Plastics will not melt at thos temps but rubber might.

[Rene Melten]

Good point.If I tried it in a D/W I surely would let it go through a dry cycle. That heating element could do some damage.