Smaller steering wheel for a SL

[Inglewood]

Hi forum - first time logged on today after registering

Just bought a 1985 280 SL and wanted to find out what options I have to use a smaller steering wheel. The original; as we all know is huge and my knees struggle to get under it. I want to put an original Merc wheel on the SL but find a smaller one from somewhere. Its it straight forward to put another wheel on or do I have to carefully choose i.e. what model, age of wheel, diameter of column thread and airbag type one (albeit the SL wont have an airbag).

Any helpful suggestions would be very welcome to a first timer on the forum.

Many thanks

Mark

 

[television]

Hi Mark and welcome you can get smaller wheels give you some more details later

 

[roofless]

i think you can use a w124 wheel it's a bit smaller & still looks original

 

[roofless]

found this clip of a SL500 w107 with a w124 e-class s-wheel http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3H12SGOs89Y&feature=channel_page

 

[Inglewood]

Hi, many thanks for this info - would a 300CE be the same as a W124?

 

[roofless]

yes it's a 2 door w124 86 0n

 

[woolf]

Hi Mark

I had the same trouble as you and eventually found a smaller SL wheel on Ebay. Bear in mind that fitting a smaller wheel may obscure your gauges, I can no longer see my speedo between 30 and 90 without ducking, nor can I see the temperature without leaning over

A simple check to see if a wheel will fit is to look up the universal boss for the cars in question and see if they are the same reference. I never found any that were the same as the 80's SL - it's a different size spline.

Hope you're otherwise pleased with your new car

 

[roofless]

1980 on are all the same size except the g-wagon

 

[television]

Hi Mark

I had the same trouble as you and eventually found a smaller SL wheel on Ebay. Bear in mind that fitting a smaller wheel may obscure your gauges, I can no longer see my speedo between 30 and 90 without ducking, nor can I see the temperature without leaning over

A simple check to see if a wheel will fit is to look up the universal boss for the cars in question and see if they are the same reference. I never found any that were the same as the 80's SL - it's a very small spline.

Hope you're otherwise pleased with your new car

Thats a nice car that you have there

 

[woolf]

1980 on are all the same size except the g-wagon

I don't think it's as clear cut as that, Inglewood's '85 SL would have a 21mm spline, but some 80's Merc's have a 15mm spline.

Here's a useful site for checking whether the adaptors are the same....

http://www.myhotmercedes.com/mercedes_benz_products/E_Class/Steering_Wheel_Hub_Adaptors/1986


p.s. thanks Malcolm

 

[Inglewood]

Hi guys

Many thanks for the info, its great to get so much support and helpful tips. I took a bit of a gamble but off eBay I bought a 300CE leather wheel (I hope it will fit and if not I will give it to someone who needs one (total cost off eBay was £15 inc postage). Starting to look out for a couple of parts i.e. passenger sun visor (any ideas)?

Cheers again for everything so far.

Mark

 

[roofless]

info on this is hard to find but in the case of woolf his car a 280sl is the only 107 to have three parts numbers listed for the steering shaft & all the other 107s are the same & euro car parts list a steering boss for the 124 with the same part number as the 107 as do ebay sellers & a few others on the web so i think you will be ok http://www.eurocarparts.com/ http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mercedes-All-80on-Steering-Wheel-Boss-1336_W0QQitemZ300278704709QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item300278704709&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1301%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318 http://www.moto-lita.co.uk/our-products/bosskit-product-detail01.aspx

 

[Myros]

sun visor- ouch

I needed one, and got on from e-bay after much looking. The prices are horrendous. Having said that you can get nearly all the trim bits from the dealers or SLS in germany.
Like others, I fitted a smaller wheel. Easier getting in and out of the car, but have to move my head around to see the fuel gauge. and the rev counter. and the top of the speedo. Still, it gives the steering a better feel than the old bus wheel that was on before.