Helpful hints: Black, sticky steering wheels

by Alan Richer and Mike Rooth

Have a steering wheel that on those cold, damp mornings is like gripping tar? Tired of goo clinging to your hands that is more difficult to get rid of than anti-seize? Well, paint it! All the coatings on older steering wheels basically is is a paint - on steering wheels meeting this description, the enamel's worn away and the Bakelite crud underneath is making its revolting presence known. Pull the silly thing off, sand it to clean it up and use a 2-pack epoxy glue to patch cracks and the like. Once the epoxy is thoroughly dry, then sand everything again to smooth it up and spray/brush it with a black epoxy appliance paint or something equally hard. Give it 3 or 4 coats per the manufacturer's paint instructions and then let it dry thoroughly (preferably for a few days if possible to cure). If you can find/get it, I've heard Finnegan's Smoothrite is excellent for this. Were it not for the 6- week dry time, I'd be tempted to try Hammerite on this application. If you want a quick(albeit temporary)fix try this. Rub the rim with Brasso or similar metal polish,and rub off. Then use a spray on furniture polish,and rub that off,too,as per instructions on the tin.

Voila - no more dirty hands and a nice, shiny wheel!