MANY people have asked when i will be doing steering wheels and while i have done some and i am almost done with a final pattern i asked my wife what she thought and her first question was what would the legality of this be if someone found that removal and installation of the steering wheel caused a car crash. So i contacted a lawyer and insurance firm to see what my premiums would be to cover me and holy crap i was not expecting what the cost would be and how long i would have to maintain it if i went that route. So i had another thought. To sell a kit i send you the foam and leather ready to be put on with the holes punched so someone can install it them selves at a much discounted price because i would not have much labor involved in it. Would the fiero community be interested in this. Last i heard dallas steering wheel charged someone north of 350 for a steering wheel recover. i am looking at the kit to cost some where between 125 - 175. You would have to remove the leather and brown goo from your steering wheel put on the steering wheel leather and stitch it up with the thread provided. What are your thoughts? Tooling to go this route might take about 4-5 months and the costs for setup would be pretty steep so i am just gauging interest.
I was just thinking about this the other day. Well actually thinking if I could just replace the padding in the wheel and re-stitch the old leather, however new leather already ready would be even better. Would you include instructions on how to do the stitching? I think you have a great idea.
I like the idea. The kit should have everything needed though, as not many people have large darning style needles laying around.
On another though, did you ask you lawyer about a disclaimer form that people would have to sign? I mean you are one major step outside the process, as you are not the one removing or reinstalling the steering wheel. If you were the one actually doing that, I could see problems. But as the end user is doing that work, you "should" not be able to be held liable.
Now, as far as DOT and construction, thread, materials, padding and all that, this is the area where you could still have issues. Even if an end user puts it on their steering wheel. it was your supplied materials.
It is so sad that we have to worry about all of this stuff. We live in such a "sue everyone you can" society now
EDIT: Thinking on this more, I do not think it would be a problem. You can buy kits just about anywhere to re-wrap a steering wheel. You know the type, those cheap ones with the punctured holes in them, and the long bit of plastic rope to wrap around it to hold it in place
[This message has been edited by JohnWPB (edited 09-02-2014).]
I like the idea. The kit should have everything needed though, as not many people have large darning style needles laying around.
A comparison could be made to Mr. Mike's seats. His kit included the hog-ring pliers, which are presumably easily obtainable, but something that pretty much nobody ordering his kit would have yet.
Sounds to me like the lawyer & the insurance agent are trying to take you for a ride. Imagine this...
Pablo has a flat at home and removes the tire and rolls it to the tire shop. Tire shop guy finds a leaky valve stem core and replaces it and adds air. Pablo returns and puts tire back on car but forgets to torque the nuts. Wheel flies off at 50 mph and he crashes into a bus full of school kids. How is the tire shop at fault?
Now if the tire shop guy gives advice to Pablo on how to tighten the lug nuts and then we may have a case on unclear info and "he said" "she said".
If this kind of stuff stands up the business owners may as well go out of business.
Spoon
------------------ "Kilgore Trout once wrote a short story which was a dialogue between two pieces of yeast. They were discussing the possible purposes of life as they ate sugar and suffocated in their own excrement. Because of their limited intelligence, they never came close to guessing that they were making champagne." - Kurt Vonnegut
I agree with Spoon. Your lawyer/insurance rep is taking you for a ride. Another scenario could be: putting in a big power stereo/speakers in your car. With the volume up, you didn't hear the siren, so you got T-boned by a fire truck! Is this the fault of the stereo manufacturer? Definitely NOT.
Sounds to me like the lawyer & the insurance agent are trying to take you for a ride.
Agreed.
If you were making a new steering wheel assembly, that would be a different matter, because that would need to be tested for strength and crash worthiness etc.
Recovering a wheel is no different than repainting your dash or putting new covers on your pedals.
If you were making a new steering wheel assembly, that would be a different matter, because that would need to be tested for strength and crash worthiness etc.
Recovering a wheel is no different than repainting your dash or putting new covers on your pedals.
