Steering Wheel Update

[richard5933]

Decided to tackle the look of the steering wheel today. It was tolerable last year, but it seems like the extreme cold this winter didn't do the plastic steering wheel any favors. You can see the cracking getting bad in the 'in-progress' photo as I'm sewing on the leather cover. Seems as though these old plastic steering wheels have a definite end-of-life.

I was unsure what I'd use to cover such a big steering wheel (it's 22"), and then I found http://wheelskins.aapd.net/t/wheelskinsspecialorder where it was possible to order a custom made steering wheel cover to fit perfectly.

I was a little concerned at first since I couldn't get them on the phone and they didn't respond to email, but I finally decided to just follow the directions on their site for measuring and order the thing. Order was placed on Monday for a custom cover, and it arrived today. That's quick, especially for a custom order.

Not sure my install was perfect, but the end result is so much nicer to look at than the cracked wheel.

I know there are others driving older or vintage rigs, so I thought I'd share this in case someone else finds it useful.

[manholt]

Wheel looks good.  Don't tell me they still deliver milk by the 5 gallons!   My Aunt would put fresh milk in them, then set them in the stream to cool off.  The Co-Op, would come by and get all, but one.  That one was strained and put in cellar for family and sharing! 

[richard5933]

1 hour ago, manholt said:

Wheel looks good.  Don't tell me they still deliver milk by the 5 gallons!   My Aunt would put fresh milk in them, then set them in the stream to cool off.  The Co-Op, would come by and get all, but one.  That one was strained and put in cellar for family and sharing! 

Thanks.

No on the 5-gal milk delivery. We still have a milk man, but they don't bring it in the cans, just 1/2-gal bottles. We keep the can to hold a flower pot in the summer.

[manholt]

WOW!  A milk man???  Have not had that since late 50"s!  Lucky you! 

[richard5933]

This is the Dairy State, after all. Would you expect anything less? ☺️

Something very cool that I've only seen up here is the little milk door with a cubby inside it which is built into an exterior wall of the kitchen in many homes, especially those built before WWII. The milkman would leave the milk delivery inside the little cubby built into the wall rather than a box on your porch, that way the milk didn't freeze in the winter.

Our milkman just leaves the delivery in the fridge we keep inside the barn.

[manholt]

In Norway, we had the cubby.  Not at the main house in Oslo, Consulate,servants!  But at the Summer house.  My Aunt married a farmer, loved going there for any length of time! 

OK, Sorry I wandered.  Back to steering wheel...why not natural color?

[richard5933]

30 minutes ago, manholt said:

Back to steering wheel...why not natural color? 

Are you talking about a natural color leather or the natural color of the steering wheel?

Steering wheel was white from the factory, so I kept the cover white. I thought about going with something different, but the only other color that would work would have been black to match the vinyl and trim in the front. Just couldn't imagine a black steering wheel being that comfortable if the sun was shining in the windshield for a while.

[manholt]

Point taken!  I was thinking of beige, or light tan!

[wildebill308]

When I was young we had a insulated milk box. When the roads were closed by snow in the winter I would walk about 2 miles to a neighbors dairy farm and get milk towing a wooden box on a sled.

That steering wheel is looking good.

Bill

[kaypsmith]

Thanks for sharing Richard, the cover looks good. I also have an older rig, but found a cover at a truck stop which I am using now. I have also seen some older steering wheels that had been epoxied and fiberglass covered that looked very good in the end.

[rayin]

My wheel is leather-covered, it's -er, cream colored to match all the leather seating. I can't imagine a black wheel again(been there done that) either.

[manholt]

Unless your seats are custom covered...it's vinyl and you  use Windex to clean them! 

[rayin]

On 4/19/2019 at 2:50 PM, manholt said:

Unless your seats are custom covered...it's vinyl and you  use Windex to clean them! 

Read the advertising brochure link in my sig. and give me your opinion, it says "Leather Villa Furniture" Under "driver conveniences" and "interior" sections.

[manholt]

Ray, my 2007 WB Tour, 2011 Allegro Bus and current bus, is/was, Leather Villa (faux)...look it up on web.  Most Home & Coach (leather) is Faux.  My best friend just replaced his house sofa...Fake leather $900/real cow hide, $3,600...he got the fake!  Real hard to tell the difference!   Easy way is in regards to cleaning instructions!

[rayin]

12 hours ago, manholt said:

Ray, my 2007 WB Tour, 2011 Allegro Bus and current bus, is/was, Leather Villa (faux)...look it up on web.  Most Home & Coach (leather) is Faux.  My best friend just replaced his house sofa...Fake leather $900/real cow hide, $3,600...he got the fake!  Real hard to tell the difference!   Easy way is in regards to cleaning instructions!

I appreciate the explanation. I should have realized advertising is-ah, advertising, not necessarily the whole truth. Whatever it is must be good stuff, it still looks like "real" leather after 19 years. I could have been saving money, I've been using Leather Cream cleaner $$ on it all this time.