FEELER - Heated Steering Wheel Kits

This option would be killer .
GM , Ford , and Dodge all have the heated steering wheel option available on the Canadain trucks . If the steering wheel is made of alluminum or steel , at 45 below zero , it takes 2 hours for the steering wheel to warm up without the heated option .How does the metal warm up ? heat transfer from your hands to the steering wheel through your winter work gloves . My work gloves actually stick to the steering wheel when its 45 below .
This option or mod is needed up here in the great white North

 

doesnt matter that its solid aluminum, and getting the cover back on would be difficult, but not impossible. the heat pads used on handlebars for snowmobiles and motorcycles are thin enough that the grips slide over them, so theres no reason the cover of the steering wheel wouldnt also fit over them. it would just be difficult to stitch the wheel back together. woudlnt have to remove the whole cover though, just unstitch at 10 and 2 and slide the pads in, run the wires under the cover on the backside of a spoke, then stitch it up.

oh because people on this site only do modifications that are necessary...

 

You missed my point.

The wheel is forged from aluminum.
It is then put into a different mold, and a high-density closed cell foam is injected into the mold to surround the entire spoke/rim structure.
If it's a leather wheel, then the cover is glued and stitched over the foam.

You aren't going to get that foam off in 1, 2, 3, or 20 pieces.
Once it's off, it's not going back on.

Okay, so on a leather wheel (and most Tacoma wheels are not leather covered), remove the cover, slice the foam to allow the wires to pass to the hub, and replace the cover.
The leather cover is not going to come off easily... likely also not in one piece, and it's likely to pull chunks of the foam with it.

OP is talking about a "kit"... but this is WAY beyond the abilities of most people.
This involves upholstery... removing and replacing a leather cover that was not designed to be removed and replaced... major precision stitching involved. Removing the wheel. Installing a modified spiral cable, and finally, tying the whole thing into the electrical system.

 

X2! Nice movie reference btw.

 

LOL, I was wondering when someone would notice the quote.

 

gotcha. thanks for explaining yourself, definitely makes sense now.

 

Rich, you seem to know your shit. Do you think an upholstery place could rewrap the steering wheel with new foam? Never used a place like that, but wouldn't be a bad option to contact and find out.

 

The factory foam is injection molded around the wheel casting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_buXKx0fQg

You could probably get a suitable foam core under a leather wrap custom made, but it's not going to be cheap at all.

 

you, my friend have been driving pickup trucks, beaters, and drinking out of cans far too long.
heated steering wheels are awesome.

I think this is a good idea, but i dont know how it will happen.. i agree and disagree with rich. having the wheel properly upholstered is not impossible. but it has to be done by someone who knows EXACTLY what they are doing. if they suck at it or are even marginal, the results will not be good.

i had my steering wheel redone in my 993, and i sent it to poland to have it done the RIGHT way, about a $300 job. there are places in the states that do it as well, one in dallas i know for sure. but properly re-wrapping a steering wheel isnt a DIY. on the porsche forum we have done group buys where guys have all sent their wheels in at the same time to have them re-done. so thats an option, if the kit could work, integrate into the wheel hub, and have a viable option/system for re-covering this could a sweet upgrade. not gonna be cheap but its a sweet option to have.

i suppose its no different that a seat heat mat. ppl pay to have steering wheels re-wrapped and 'thickened', im sure a proper shop instead of using padding to thicken a wheel and thumb rests by 1/8" or 1/16" with padding could use a heating element instead.

 

Any updates on the kit? I just scratched my leather steering wheel cover and I would definitely be interested in buying a kit to try before rewrapping the wheel. Thanks

 

I'm in for under $120 bucks and less than 3 hours install time if you can make it happen.

Why hot just add th element over the existing leather and wrap that (end result=double wrap)?
It will thicken the wheel, but you won'tthe difference after a month or so...unless you drive a non-modified-taco.

My old 2001 infiniti had a heated one, it was the only baller thing about the POS.

 

Definitely not going to happen at that price and install time.

Besides, the OP hasn't posted in this thread since before Thanksgiving, and hasn't posted on the forum at all since New Years.

How ya' gonna run the wire?

 

I was thinking about this mod a couple of weeks ago when it was really cold, but not anymore.

 

Yes, my parts and labor requirements are low, but hey, I'm cheap and lazy!

The wire would go along the back, only a quarter inch from the leather to the cubby hole that the cruise control stalk comes out of? That is as far as I have thought it thru, but it't not my build either...lol

 

That's the easy part.

You'd have to figure out how to rig it so the steering wheel can turn.

Wires don't like to flex... they tend to break.
Even Toyota and GM have gotten that wrong.

That's why this thing is not going to happen for less than $100, or $200, or even $600.

It requires the modification/replacement of the spiral cable that carries the signals for the airbag, cruise control, horn, audio controls.... everything electrical that's in the wheel.
Installation will require complete disassembly of the wheel and upper column.

 

Disableing the cruise and using the existing wires for power is a no go?
Probably another crap idea, I think I read somewhere it was the ECU that controlled cruise...

 

Cruise is ECU controlled, and heaters draw a lot of current.
The existing unused wires/traces in the spiral cable are not heavy enough to handle the current of a heating pad.

 

I love heated steering wheels. Wish this could somehow work

 

It doesn't get cold enough to need one where i live.

 

Ill just leave this right here...

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...sg=AFQjCNGjcztD4e6YqNHRXTfEslIhy_hoPg&ampcf=1