Over-molded steering wheel grips?

[CX_MCHNE]

Think I'm gonna order a stitch-it-yourself leather steering wheel cover. Sending this mockup to China:

I'd love though to have sportier grips, more like this at 3 & 9:

Just checking whether anyone knows of pieces you can add between the stock leather and an aftermarket cover to make the grips more formed like that?

 

[sm1ke]

I thought I might find a 3D-printed insert or something on thingiverse, but I had no luck.

Something to consider.. if you find grips to attach to your existing wheel, you'd need to specify to the company selling the cover that you plan to add over-molded grips. Since they won't be able to measure everything out for you in order to give you something cut to fit, they would likely send an oversized cover that you may have to cut to fit yourself.

 

[CX_MCHNE]

Something to consider.. if you find grips to attach to your existing wheel, you'd need to specify to the company selling the cover that you plan to add over-molded grips. Since they won't be able to measure everything out for you in order to give you something cut to fit, they would likely send an oversized cover that you may have to cut to fit yourself.

Good point. I guess I shouldn't expect too much stretch. I might try to print something relatively small using a flexible plastic and see during installation of the cover if it seems like it'd be an improvement. Thanks!

 

[CX_MCHNE]

Update:
I received my leather steering wheel cover from China. It does have a little stretch to it, so I thought it just might wrap over some custom inserts. To get a basic shape I used some of my kids modeling clay:

Once the clay firmed up...I realized it looks pretty ghetto, and it's not going to be easy to reproduce in sketchup for 3d printing. So I scrapped the custom grips idea. I have a 3D printer and flexible filament, but I'm not confident I can design something that doesn't look like junk. Luckily the steering wheel cover came out dope af, so I'm happy with just that and the stock grip shaping:

 

[berliton]

Looks nice. May I know the total cost?

 

[CX_MCHNE]

Looks nice. May I know the total cost?

$45 https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32843376992.html

 

[MozDT]

That looks pretty cool. I've just moved to a 2018 CX-15 Sport Nav and the one thing I really miss from my 2017 Peugeot 3008 (lovely car, terrible software/electronics) is the chunky steering wheel…

…I may get myself one of those covers.

One thing occurred to me - if you used the 3D printer filament, what would happen when you turn the heated steering wheel on?

 

[CX_MCHNE]

One thing occurred to me - if you used the 3D printer filament, what would happen when you turn the heated steering wheel on?

I bet nothing. The extruder gets pretty hot to melt the filament. Much, much hotter than the heated steering wheel.

 

[HeloJoe]

I bet nothing. The extruder gets pretty hot to melt the filament. Much, much hotter than the heated steering wheel.

This. I'd be more worried about any adhesive used softening up that I would worry about the ninjaflex filament softening.

 

[hadeone]

Is this real leather?

 

[CX_MCHNE]

Is this real leather?

Yeah, they say it's nappa leather. It feels great. Way better IMO than the stock leather wheel, which I thought felt thin and papery. I'm no longer envious of the wheel on the wife's Acura.

The perforated leather feels a little less supple than the solid part. You can choose to do all unperforated, but I'm loving the sporty look of it. Haven't had her on the Dyno since installing this cover, but just by feel I can tell it easily added 25-30WHP

 

[hadeone]

Yeah, they say it's nappa leather. It feels great. Way better IMO than the stock leather wheel, which I thought felt thin and papery. I'm no longer envious of the wheel on the wife's Acura.

The perforated leather feels a little less supple than the solid part. You can choose to do all unperforated, but I'm loving the sporty look of it. Haven't had her on the Dyno since installing this cover, but just by feel I can tell it easily added 25-30WHP

I found some other "genuine" leather options which seem cheaper:

31.6C$ 67% OFF|Hand-stitched Black Genuine Leather Steering Wheel Cover For Mazda 3 Cx-5 2017 Mazda Cx-9 2016 2017 - Steering Covers - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.aliexpress.com

Page Not Found - Aliexpress.com

www.aliexpress.com

But as always with AliExpress the description isn't always the most accurate.

 

[Silly Wabbit]

I definitely would want a thicker wheel. Did you have to remove the wheel?

 

[CX_MCHNE]

I definitely would want a thicker wheel. Did you have to remove the wheel?

It might make installation a little easier, but you don't have to. I didn't. And this goes on right over the existing cover, so def helps make it thicker. Do it.