Anyone ever used one of the DIY kits to repair a cracked steering wheel?
or any suggestions as to the best way to fix the cracks?
Grant steering wheel cover............................
Great question, other than a cover or replacement can a steering wheel be repaired? Not redipped, but repaired?
Search the web for plastic steering wheel repair. It can be done then painted to match but time & cost is a factor. Swapping the wheel is an easy job so I'd look for a nice replacement instead.
I have a bad one in Galaxie, this would work it looks like:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsdKYtHsSc4
Eastwood has a kit also!
http://www.eastwood.com/complete-steering-wheel-restoration-kit.html?utm_content=52194Z&utm_campaign=Shopzilla01&utm_source=Shopzilla&utm_medium=Merchant-Centre&SRCCODE=1SE1532
More expensive one:
http://www.eastwood.com/master-steering-wheel-repair-kit-w-instruc.html?utm_content=52196%20Z&utm_campaign=Shopzilla01&utm_source=Shopzilla&utm_medium=Merchant-Centre&SRCCODE=1SE1532
Anyone use these? Would love to know, I have 3 steering wheels to do.
Plastic always continues to give off any VOC in it as it heats, just like rubber. What that means is that any crack fixed will probably just have another one as its' friend later. I've seen wheels with 3-4 cracks in them, as the plastic shrinks it has a tendency to try to even stress all along the length of it.
You can get out much cheaper than the kit by simply using epoxy yourself, sanding it smooth and then repainting wheel with epoxy paint to lessen wear on it. Don't be surprised if the epoxy (yours or the stuff used in the kit) cracks loose later itself, the two materials are different and cannot be expected to stay joined forever, heat will tell the tale there. The joint will last longer if you can rough up the plastic edge a bit for some tooth so the epoxy holds better, say using a thin nail file or something similar.
I personally loathe 'kits' of stuff, preferring to research and then buy only the basics needed, you usually save at least 50% doing that.
So it's best to just find replacement steering wheels I guess...