Team-BHP - After Market Steering Wheels

How good are the after market steering wheels especially sports one... does the handling really improves with them or is it just for the show.. how much do they cost.. both original and fake ones.. and if fake are these reliable...does one needs any special addons to make them work after installation or they are hot swaps..on the existing ones..

invincible, i am assuming you';re talking about the aftermarket steering wheels available at the local accessory stores for 2-6K, and by a sports one i'm guessing you mean a steering wheel smaller than the stock one in most cases.

They arent anywhere close to your stock steering wheel in terms of quality.
Improved handling is a misconception.
Smaller wheel = more rotationsd to make the same turn compared to your stock steering wheel, only a fraction more to turn on your new 'SPORTS' steering wheel, but it can be viewed as a serious hassle for daily city driving where one needs to make efficient use of the steering wheel for parking.
The aftermarket steering wheels which have flooded our accessory market in the last couple of years are merely for show, atleast from the few i have seen and the couple of cars i have driven equipped with one of these aftermarket steering wheeels.

And, a slightly used wheel can probably be had for 1-2K from locals who deal in parts, chor bazaar sorts.

Btw, which car is this for?

manson.

try to opt for a steering wheel which has the same diameter as your stock steering wheel.other than that its purely for improving the aesthetics of the interiors.(im talking about the fake ones).
@manson:if you compare the stock steering wheel of the zen with an aftermarket one (like the one which i have put in my car),i found the quality to be much better than the stock s.w.the stock is just too plasticky and hardand too big.the aftermarket ones usually have a goodcontour for grip and placing your thumbs.(something like the one on the ford ikon)

I have been using an aftermarket sports steering wheel which is smaller in diameter than the stock Esteem sterring wheel. Using this for almost a year now.

I havent faced any issues in terms of handling or negotiating turns. Handling remains the same if not improve. No. of turns increases marginally but not a cause for concern at all. Lock to lock i feel only 0.5 or max 1 turn increase is felt.

I mostly drive in the city and i have not faced any issues negotiating in traffic. The only disadvantage is that the horn in in the center.

But during long drives my arms sometimes ache as i cannot rest my right elbow on the right door panel.

The wheel cost me 2.5k including the cost of the hub and installation.

However the ones that come in real leather can be more expensive.

If u really want one, go ahead. There are no serious "side effects". Just make sure installation is perfect (bolts are super tight).

Quote:

Originally Posted by hellspawn (Post 467857)

@manson:if you compare the stock steering wheel of the zen with an aftermarket one (like the one which i have put in my car),i found the quality to be much better than the stock s.w.the stock is just too plasticky and hardand too big.the aftermarket ones usually have a goodcontour for grip and placing your thumbs.(something like the one on the ford ikon)

Yeah, buy the zen is probably one of the few exceptions, but its yet somewhat better than some of the aftermarket stuff. Like you mentioned, its just about the novelty value.

manson.

Quote:

Originally Posted by reignofchaos (Post 468131)

If the current steering wheel has an airbag in it, is there any chance to get it fitted into an aftermarket wheel too?

I seriously doubt the possibility and feasibility of adding an air bag into an aftermarket steering wheel. Impossible in a sports steering all the more.

Even if it was possible to fit an airbag, i doubt any safety is guaranteed as there are no tests to determine it.

i have been using a after market steering for some time now

no issues till now i am loving and i have a feeling that i have more control over my car the lock to lock has increase much and the quality is much better than the stock steering

I have one in my Alto and did not find any improvement in handling. But the lock to lock turn has increased marginally. I fixed it purely on aesthetic grounds. I hate that 2 spoke stock ones.
You will require a hub adaptor which I think will be coming along with the steering wheel. Only issue is horn button placed in center. But one gets used to it. Emergency honking to be practised.
@Harry15
Why do you want an aftermarket steering wheel? The Swift already has a sporty one. Of course unless u want to go for MOMO / Sparco etc which cost +12K.

Aftermarket steering wheel manufacturers like Momo clearly state that their products are not meant to replace OEM airbag-equipped steering wheels, and are only for "racing" use. Basically, if you want to fit a cooler looking wheel, be prepared to sacrifice your airbag (if your car came fitted with one).
@harry15: you normally have to buy a hub to adapt to the new wheel. These are available from companies like Momo, and you have cheaper alternatives like Boss.

Original Momo steering wheels start at around 12k.