Wheelskins

I’ve installed these custom steering wheel covers on three vehicles so far. I’m pretty sure I’ll install them on all my future vehicles.

And when I say “installed”, I mean stitched a cover onto my steering wheel.

If you think about it, the outside diameter of the steering wheel is quite a bit larger than the inside diameter. But no one wants a bunch of puckers & pleats around the inside of the steering wheel.

Leather has a bit of stretch naturally, so go out to the car first thing in the morning and stretch the cover around the steering wheel. Do it after your coffee as this bit of leather is going to fight you. As you fit it onto one side, the opposite side will come off. And repeat. And again.

Give it a few hours on a warm day, then come back to sew it on.

The instructions say to wear a pair of gloves. Definitely do this. You need to pull a fine waxed cord super tight. Without gloves, you’ll tear up your hands.

I also use a hook to get extra leverage.

Another trick is that I don’t start off by making it tight. I start my stitches well before the bottom of the wheel and do four or five stitches before I really start cranking down.

When I work my way around the wheel, I re-stitch those loose ones and pull the beginning (loose) stitches out.

It’s a pretty simple job, but takes a bit of time.

When it’s done, the wheel is a bit thicker and more comfortable in the hand. The Wheelskins leather is softer and smoother than the Honda leather I covered.