Steering Wheel Spoke - (How-To) Discussion Thread

[marvins_dad]

This thread is for Discussion on the How-to titled:

Steering Wheel Spoke - How-To<---click on title to go to link.

[Too Cold NB1.8T]

Nice thread, good job.

[neko]

That is indeed an easy way to fix the spokes.... However it does not last, at least it did not last for me. I pretty much did the same on my NB (you can see the steps and pictures at the old forum: http://forums.newbeetle.org/showthre...194#post548194 ) but then the paint begun to come off gain (after about 3 months). So instead than blaming my highly corrosive hands (!) I blamed the underling coating, and begun to sand it down. Sand it and sand it I'm left with the plain unpainted plastic. And surprise it is a nice charcoal gray. I put the spokes back and I am considering keeping it this way it looks really cool.
Of course I will have to make the sanding color a little bit more homogenoeous and maybe I'll still coat it with a glossy finish.

[doldori]

Do you have pictures? Maybe you can use plastic polish to finish after using finer grit? But yes, pictures.

[barrabiuri]

mine are naked..i just didnt take em off yet , came likke that from previos owner...corners are still gray...

[SMG]

The clearcoat recommended in the how-to is garbage. If your hands rest on your spokes while driving the clearcoat gums up and becomes brown and gross. I'll need to find something stronger.

[krzysztof]

How it make in Spain:
http://www.clubnewbeetle.com/viewtopic.php?t=77

[marvins_dad]

Would be sweet to get a hold of that pattern.

[Blugg]

I'm having a bit of trouble getting the spokes off. Does the airbag cover need to come off first on the sterring wheel

[Yahma]

Thanks! Did this mod last weekend and now my steering wheel spokes look like new!!

[lkchris]

Alternative:
http://shop.beetle-shop.de/epages/es...e/Products/021

[sb_beetle]

Here's what I've painted

You can get your specific car color from the dealer and it comes with the clearcoat/varnish for $24. Can't really see the color of the steering wheel spokes but they are Harvest Moon. I painted them 2 years ago and they're still shiny!

[SMG]

Wrap them with electrical tape!

[ERICWC]

I thought I was the only one with corrosive hands! My wife says I exude acid and destroy everything. I destroyed both my remotes - the rubber basically melted. My steering wheel spokes have almost all the paint worn off on the left. I know painting it will not last - my acid will eat it again. I really like the black underneath - just need to figure out the best way to remove the rest of the paint without wrecking the spokes so they are naked.

Any ideas besides sanding???

[sb_beetle]

Originally Posted by ERICWC

I thought I was the only one with corrosive hands! My wife says I exude acid and destroy everything. I destroyed both my remotes - the rubber basically melted. My steering wheel spokes have almost all the paint worn off on the left. I know painting it will not last - my acid will eat it again. I really like the black underneath - just need to figure out the best way to remove the rest of the paint without wrecking the spokes so they are naked.

Any ideas besides sanding???

Are they still connected to the frame of the wheel? They can be removed with a bit of finesse (jeweler's flathead screwdriver), light touch and patience. After that you can sand them to your hearts delight. I pulled mine and color matched them to my car with factory spray then clear coated them. They have held up nicely for over 2 years.

[ERICWC]

I can pull them off, but I would rather remove the paint than sand. If I can remove the paint, the black underneath looks awesome. I don't really want to sand and paint. Sanding will make it harder to get the original surface nice and glossy.

[Brians2000Beetle]

anyone know where you can order those chrome covers in the USA?? I'd like these best I think.



Store : HERE

[Byros]

This is the link for the thread at Club New Beetle from Spain:
Club New Beetle | ClubNewBeetle.com &bull; Información

And here's the link for the .DOC file (in spanish) that has the pattern for the steering wheel spokes, the thread over there states that 3M vynil works great.

Brazo Derecho = Right Spoke (R)
Brazo Izquierdo = Left Spoke (L)

http://clubnewbeetle.com/images/Docs...sVolanteNB.doc

Hope it helps.

[jdexter73]

I went through this post and got inspired. After prying off the spokes, I wrapped them with Autozone chrome tape ( ghetto, I know ). Looks alot like the chrome inserts but for a fraction of the cost. I found it was easier to wrap them with a piece slightly larger than the cover and then trim off the excess with an exacto knife.

[SMG]

Post a pic. Might not be as ghetto as you think, it sounds like vinyl wrapping but I've never seen the stuff.