Rating of sports car steering wheels

Almost every car owner strives to improve and improve their own vehicle. Someone starts with the exterior, while others are closely involved with the issues of finalizing the interior.

One of the common ideas for tuning the interior is the installation of a sports steering wheel. It is difficult to overestimate the importance of a comfortable and ergonomic steering wheel. Thanks to him, the driver can control the behavior of the car, confidently maneuver and overtake.

If the car provides for the presence of a solid amount of horsepower, or the tuning is aimed at a sports theme, then the new steering wheel must be chosen from the sports category.

Only when choosing such an element should not rely solely on external aspects, and buy a sports steering wheel only due to its attractiveness or matching the style of the car's interior. It is important here to pay attention to quality, usability, ergonomics, tactile sensations and functionality.

Sports steering wheel requirements

When choosing a steering wheel for your car, be sure to take into account personal preferences and characteristics that such an accessory must match.

Choosing the right size for the sports steering wheel you buy, as well as a diameter that matches your grip, arm length and the design nuances of the car's interior itself, the driver will feel as comfortable and confident as possible. But when the purchase of a sports steering wheel is approached purely from the standpoint of appearance, the motorist begins to have problems with the further operation of the vehicle.

There are several top-priority recommendations that must be followed when buying such an accessory:

• The steering wheel must not obstruct any of the steering column switches. Access to them must be kept as convenient as possible. Therefore, preliminary fitting will never be superfluous.
• If your standard steering wheel was equipped with an airbag, the sport options will no longer have this mechanism. This is important to consider, since it is a matter of your personal safety.
• It is not recommended to take a handlebar with a too small diameter. Especially if there is no power steering or electric booster on the machine. Otherwise, it will be extremely difficult to rotate the steering wheel.

Ergonomics, comfortable grip and the right size are considered key selection issues.

Various materials can be used to cover the sports steering wheel. Let's present the most popular and common ones.

1. Leather. Natural material with a wide range of benefits. Expensive, prestigious and noble. But it is important to choose products based on automotive leather, which has increased durability and wear resistance. Thin material wipes and tears quickly, cracks and other signs of low-quality material appear on the handlebars.
2. Leatherette. A substitute for natural leather is actively used in the production of sports bagels. At the same time, the material is perforated, has a pleasant texture, has the properties of natural leather, but is inferior to it in price. Really good leatherette will be an excellent alternative.
3. Alcantara. Not afraid of cigarette smoke, dust, the material is resistant to wear and tear. Alcantara also does not fade in the sun, does not overheat and gives a pleasant sensation when it comes into contact with the driver's hands.
4. Plastic and rubber. Suitable for a child's sports steering wheel, but not for an adult man and his car, under the hood of which there is a whole herd of horses. It will not be possible to control the movement with a plastic steering wheel. Materials slip in your hands, so you can easily lose control.
5. Combination of materials. A modern and very common approach to sports steering wheel upholstery.

It is impossible to save on the material of the steering wheel cover. Such a purchase is made once and for many years.

There are no complaints about the leading manufacturers of car accessories, since they always try to use only the best materials, carefully adjust them and create the most pleasant sensations for the driver.

What can not be said about dubious firms that seem to produce sports-type steering wheels, but in the end they quickly wear out, lose their original appearance.

On domestic cars, devoid of power steering, sport steering wheels with a diameter of 35 centimeters are often installed. If there is an amplifier, regardless of its type, then it will be possible to maneuver along narrow streets and take up places in a limited parking space with ease even with a wheel diameter of 33 centimeters.

In some situations, to fully replace a standard steering wheel with a sports one, you need to use a special adapter. It guarantees a high-quality connection, and will also allow you to fully control the situation, feeling the true advantages and purpose of a steering wheel with sports parameters.

What is important to know when installing a sports steering wheel

When installing a sports steering wheel, it is important to remember that if a conventional steering wheel is fixed to the steering shaft, then a special adapter will be required to mount a sports steering wheel. With regard to direct communication with the wheels, in the specific case, the steering shaft will be connected to them with pencil-type hinges or an elastic coupling. And this design has a lot of advantages. Including, it will help real safety in the event of an accident. Usually, the standard steering wheel does not fold in a collision and extends towards the driver. In most cases, it is the steering wheel that causes the death of the motorist. This is not the case with the sports wheel. It has the ability to fold on impact and not move towards the driver.

High-quality sports steering wheels produced for cars from leading manufacturers are thoroughly and comprehensively tested. For this, various vehicle tests, tests and analysis of the product's behavior in various driving situations are carried out.

Not only changes in vehicle behavior and driver experience are assessed, but also safety issues. A sports steering wheel must comply with strict rules and regulations that prevent it from causing injury or death in an accident. Therefore, the engineers think over the design in detail, not forgetting about the issues of comfort and pleasant sensations, as if driving a real racing car.

Advantages of installing a sports steering wheel

The steering wheel provides a subtle connection between the motorist and his vehicle. Only the steering wheel can provide an understanding of how the car behaves and in what condition it is.

Not surprisingly, steering wheel replacement has become such a popular and sought-after tuning procedure. But before changing the standard steering wheel to a sports steering wheel, you should carefully study the strengths and weaknesses of such a solution.

Several obvious advantages are worth highlighting.

1. Exterior and redesigned interior. No special explanations are needed here. Even in an ordinary city sedan from the budget category, the interior will look completely different than when using the standard steering wheel. Moreover, quite often, a simple replacement of only the steering wheel leads to a significant improvement in the perception of the interior.
2. The most comfortable grip and comfortable fit. Sports steering wheels are specially designed to provide these qualities.There are places for fingers, creating a comfortable and secure grip. Also the upholstery and the optimally selected diameter play a role.
3. Enjoyable and comfortable driving. Reducing the steering wheel radius allows you to get rid of the need to wave your arms in different directions, maneuvering among other cars, or bypassing any obstacles in the form of puddles and pits. The sports accessory provides the ability to make a small but fast and confident movement. As a result, it is possible to better maneuver, moving at high speed.
4. Increased free space. Since the sports steering wheel is usually smaller in size than the standard one, it will take up less space, while simultaneously freeing up space around it. This is especially important for small cars or large drivers. Landing in the driver's seat, when the steering wheel is compact, but provides confident maneuverability, is significantly better.

These are strong arguments in favor of removing the factory steering wheel and replacing it with a quality sports steering wheel.

But there is no need to rush into a decision. You also need to look at the counterarguments or just at the disadvantages of such tuning.

Disadvantages

There are also weaknesses in the installation of a sports steering wheel. And they should be taken into account when planning to carry out a similar tuning of your vehicle.

Reducing the radius gives not only pluses, but also certain minuses. The driver may find it difficult to turn the steering wheel. Although this is more true for cars without an electric or hydraulic amplifier.

The basis for the manufacture of the frame of the sports steering wheel is often metal. Hitting it can cause serious injury. In terms of injury risk, sports models are noticeably inferior to standard steering wheels.

The design of the standard steering wheel, thought out to the smallest detail in terms of safety. It provides for special deformable zones that can crumple and fold at the moment of impact in collisions and accidents. This is done in order to reduce injuries.

Sports models were originally designed to be used for racing. Sports cars are equipped with appropriate seats, special seat belts and, in addition, a helmet. This eliminates the possibility of hitting the steering wheel. In a civilian car, all this is not, and therefore the risk of injury from hitting the steering wheel increases, installing a more solid sports model.

Although recently, an active release of sports steering wheel options more adapted to ordinary city driving has begun. They have become softer, more elastic, and have similar deformable elements. But at the same time, they remain faithful to the design features characteristic of a sports steering wheel.

The big problem is that there are so many fakes on the market. By purchasing an initially high-quality steering wheel from a leading manufacturer, in practice it turns out to be a cheap and extremely poorly executed knock-off. The lack of certificates and compliance with state standards leads to dire consequences in accidents and road accidents.

Given the design features of sports steering wheels, you should not expect an airbag in them. This is another reason to be wary of accidents and collisions.

There are some models that, due to their construction and design solutions, can obstruct the view of the dashboard, interfere with switching the steering column units, etc. This is more a matter of the wrong choice, but it can also be considered a disadvantage.

And one more problem. This is a technical inspection. The presence of a sports steering wheel in a civilian car often leads to the fact that maintenance cannot be completed, and experts force the steering wheel to be replaced by returning the standard product to its place.

Objectively, sports steering wheels have significant drawbacks, although they also have advantages. Whether or not you install such a product in your car is a matter for everyone. But the driver should definitely evaluate all the pros and cons, choosing wisely between the appearance of the cabin and his own safety.

Current rating

No one will argue with the fact that a sports steering wheel looks great in almost any car. But here, too, it is important to observe a sense of taste and proportion.

If you buy a similar accessory for yourself, then choose only among the best and trusted manufacturers.

There are several current favorites that have earned high places in the ranking of the best sports steering wheels.

• OMP Corsica. Three-spoke sports steering wheel from an Italian manufacturer. The upholstery is suede. The 95mm deep hub is worth noting. and a diameter of 350 mm. In total, there are 5 versions of such a steering wheel.
  
• R333 manufactured by Sparco. An excellent model in a suede case with an overhang of 39 mm. and a diameter of 330 millimeters.
  
• OMP Rally. Another representative of an Italian brand that is actively conquering the market. Offers an original two-spoke steering wheel with a classic 350 mm diameter. The hub can be black or blue.
  
• R383 from Sparco. Similar to the previous version, a three-spoke steering wheel with a diameter of 330 mm. Has a more interesting design, according to consumers themselves. There are no significant differences in terms of characteristics.
  
• GTR2. Universal sports steering wheel manufactured by Momo. The diameter of the product is 350 mm. Made of black leather with silver needles. Additionally, Alcantara inserts are provided.
  
• L550 Monza. An extremely interesting version of the sports steering wheel with an offset of 63 mm. and a diameter of 350 mm. Enclosed in leather, has a white hub with a black rim. In addition to its stunning looks, the handlebars provide excellent grip and a pleasant tactile feel.
  
• Sparco Drifting model. The model name perfectly matches the purpose of the accessory. A specially designed drift version of the steering wheel. The hub is black anodized. There is a special silicone coating that guarantees a firm and confident grip. The diameter is 350 mm and the projection is 78 mm.
  
• Sabelt GT. Suede sports steering wheel with a diameter of 330 millimeters and zero offset. Has an original design reminiscent of the device of racing cars.
  
• L360 Ring. A steering wheel designed for circuit racing and highway driving. An excellent choice for owners of fairly powerful cars. The manufacturer is Sparco. The steering wheel diameter is 330 millimeters. The model is presented in leather and suede versions.
  
• Competition 350. Developed by Momo in the form of a black three-spoke sports steering wheel. The upholstery is made of high quality leather. Extremely comfortable grip that creates a strong contact between the handlebars and the driver's hands. The mount is made on the basis of stainless steel. From the name of the model it is already clear that the diameter is 350 mm.
  
• Trecento. OMP compact leather sports steering wheel. The diameter is only 300 millimeters.
• Sardinia SW699. Excellent version of the sports steering wheel made by Sabelt. The upholstery is made of suede material, and the diameter is suitable for most cars with electric or hydraulic booster, and is 330 mm.
• Quark Black. Another worthy representative of the Momo brand. This is a steering wheel with a diameter of 350 millimeters, made on the basis of polyurethane with black leather upholstery, complemented by color inserts.

This is just a small part of the range on the market in the sports steering wheel segment. But these brands managed to declare themselves, form a good reputation and justly gain the trust of consumers.

If you do decide to buy a sports steering wheel for your car, do not skimp on such a product, buy only high quality devices from certified sellers.

It is worthwhile to understand what positive and negative aspects are fraught with the installation of a sports steering wheel. Therefore, be careful, carefully weigh all decisions. It is much more correct to put such a steering wheel in the cabin as needed, leaving on specialized tracks, additionally wearing a seat belt and even putting on a helmet. In everyday life, a sports steering wheel is not a must. Even at the design stage, each automaker tries to think over the design of the standard steering wheel in order to provide all conditions for a comfortable and safe ride. The choice is yours.