Aftermarket Steering Wheel

[ChrisB]

One thing thats been bugging me. The standard wheel is huge! And me being 6' 4" it feels a bit in the way (I want to learn to heal and toe).

Anyone put a different steering wheel on a 400 series? Euro car parts and Need for Speed both have bosses listed but for companies if not heard before. Does Momo do a boss for it?

Cheers, Chris.

[Peter Milnes]

Does your car have power steering? If not that is why the wheel is big. Answer is to trade in fore one with power steering or (with an awful lot of hassle) upgrade your car to power steering and a smaller wheel (the one that is fitted to cars with power steering by Volvo).

All the best, Peter

[ChrisB]

Yeah, it has PAS. Jeeze, hate to see how big the non PAS one is!

[Mav_UK]

Has someone fitted the wrong wheel to your car at some point? I had a face lift 440, and a friend has an original, both with power steering and both with quite small steering wheels (no bigger than the wheel in my V40). It's certainly not as small as the wheel in my Spitfire (but then that is only 13"), but it's not big. Happy hunting!

Stu

[hopkin80]

I have a 1994 face lift 440 turbo, fitted with a drivers air bag. The steering wheel is a four spoke job with a diameter of 14 3/4 inches.

What is the diameter of your wheel?

Huge thin wheels bug me too, but the wheel on mine is ok.

regards

Neil

[ChrisB]

It's the same wheel for both my '93 440 turbo's.

Well, its not hugh like a bus. But having driven a few mates cars with small rally style wheels they're great. Would work really well to give the car a bit more 'pointy' steering and a bit heavier with PAS.

[hopkin80]

Point taken!

Maybe I'm getting too old.

This is my first car with PAS but I must admit it lacks "feel" when driven hard.

cheers

[Mav_UK]

As far as I am aware they were not intended as 'sports' cars, and hence lack the feel. The first time driving along a motorway I found it very hard to keep a straight line as the steering is so light (and after coming from a race prepped spitty it's even lighter :) ). However, once I got used to it I loved driving the thing on the motorway, it's a very relaxed, lazy, quiet drive. Much better for long distance than the noise and vibration of other modern cars. In my old office we had Golf and Leon diesels, Megane and 306 Cabrios and a Scenic 2.0, but although they had better weighted steering none were as pleasent to drive long distance as the 440.

Stu

[ChrisB]

Out of the few cars with PAS i've driven 440's are one of the best. It's speed sensitive as far as I know, and it seems to work.

Worst was a Ford Focus. That was horrible.
Pug 306 GTi-6 was nice, but then it's intended to be heavyish.
Vauxhalls aren't great, but it balences out a bit with some wider wheels and a smaller steering wheel.