leather stearing wheel

I would imagine any reputable upholstery shop. Have you looked at Signal? They have the factory wheel that can be imported. May work out to be a small bit more expensive, but it's factory. Only downside is it may take a couple of months to get to you depending on your order timing. Took almost 2 1/2 months from time ordered to my door for my turn signal mirror covers. Love them though. Worth every penny.

 

Nevermind on Sigma. Hadn't been on their site for a little while. Just checked and it is no longer available because it doesn't fit US spec cars.

 

I just can't stand the rough sand paper feel anymore and bought a Wheelskin charcoal color for Prius G3 for $40.xx and just installed it today. It's not factory install but it's pretty decent looking and very nice feel to it and I like it very much.

 

pic please ...

 

They really have change that feeling
I am looking for a nice pair of driving gloves to leave in the car

 

Here is a quick snap of it. I think i'll redo the stitching since I don't like the thread at 9/3 o'clock positions.

 

I love my Wheelskins. I'm hooked on them for life. I think they're softer and more comfortable than the OEM leather steering wheels I've tried.

Overall, I think you did a great job of installing the Wheelskins. I see what you're saying about the thread at 9 and 3 o'clock. But I think the rest of your installation is the best I've seen.

Wheelskins should give better instructions and illustrations on doing the "dummy" stitches around the spokes. Ideally, one would want the dummy stitches to be taut but loose enough so that the leather on the spokes lays flat. But then when you get past the spokes and resume real stitching as tightly as possible, you want to avoid tightening the dummy stitches. Now, after installing my first Wheelskins, I think I figured out ways to do it right. But Wheelskins really should have explained how to do it right in the first place.

 

Thanks for the comment. I'm going to redo with the dummy stitching since I'm not very happy with the multiple cords showing at the spoke. I was worried earlier about the fit since the pictures on Wheelskin site does not quite show nice tight fit but after install, it exceeded my expectation.

Any tip/trick on doing the dummy stitch? I'm thinking of doing double stitch (stitching twice using same hole) before starting the dummy stitch. Thanks.

 

The two ideas I came up with (but have not tried yet, so I don't know if they will work) have to do with "killing" the dummy stitch in the first rear stitch hole just past the spoke, either by:

1. Cutting the thread and knotting the dummy stitch in that rear stitch hole just past the spoke; and then resume tight-as-possible real stitching after following the supplied instructions for beginning the stitching process. [EDIT: On further thought, this idea won't work because the supplied instructions for beginning the stitching process require that you don't cut the thread until you've circled the wheel and come back to the original first stitch.] Or

2. Like your double stitch idea, looping the thread tightly around the leather by stitching twice using the same first rear stitch hole just past the spoke. Hopefully, this loop around and through the first rear stitch hole will effectively kill the dummy stitching so that when you resume tight-as-possible real stitching, you will not be tightening the dummy stitching as you try to tighten the real stitches as much as possible.

Personally, I'm not going to bother doing my own steering wheel over again (for me, it's not worth the effort).

But I will be getting and installing Wheelskins for my niece as a present in the spring. When I do, I think I'll try the double stitch idea described in #2 above first. And if it seems to be working a couple of inches past the first spoke, I'll just continue to do it the same way for the rest of the spokes and wheel. Or if it's not working 100% to my satisfaction, I'll figure out what to do before completing the rest of the installation.

[EDIT: Lee -- although I see what you mean about the stitching at 9 and 3 o'clock (and the same stitching is also at the bottom two spokes) -- I think your uncommon stitching style at these spokes looks fine.]

 

I agree that is the best wheelskin installation I've ever seen.

 

Thanks, Tom for the tips & radioprius. I'll think about it some more and try it out again over the weekend. Too much cords showing at the spokes and it's been really bothering me.