steering wheels illegal?

Vision Zetec · 14-04-2005, 11:58 AM

hey,
im currently looking at getting a Autotecnica steering wheel with a diam. of 330mm.

my question is are any steering wheels illegal? i would of thought not but still i want to get it clarified.

thanks

-Daniel

RG · 14-04-2005, 11:59 AM

Did your car come with an airbag from factory?

BlueRaven · 14-04-2005, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greenmeanie

Did your car come with an airbag from factory?

Thats what I was just going to say. If your car is fitted with a airbag in the steering wheel from factory than they are illegal..

12 · 14-04-2005, 12:21 PM

From VicRoads.

STEERING WHEELS

Replacement steering wheels must be not less than 330mm in diameter. If the original steering wheel was designed with a recessed or padded hub, the replacement wheel must be of similar design.

Steering wheels fitted to passenger cars manufactured after 1970 must not be replaced with any steering wheel which would cause the vehicle not to comply with the energy absorption requirements for steering columns in ADR 10.

Vehicles manufactured after June 1995, which are required to comply with ADR 69/.. (Full Frontal Impact Occupant Protection), may only be fitted with steering wheels certified by the vehicle manufacturer as suitable for that vehicle.

Vision Zetec · 14-04-2005, 01:51 PM

no i dont have airbags standard

"Steering wheels fitted to passenger cars manufactured after 1970 must not be replaced with any steering wheel which would cause the vehicle not to comply with the energy absorption requirements for steering columns in ADR 10."

so would i have to ring someone to ask if the autotecnica wheels comply with this?

thanks

jzab · 14-04-2005, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EBII Falcon

no i dont have airbags standard

"Steering wheels fitted to passenger cars manufactured after 1970 must not be replaced with any steering wheel which would cause the vehicle not to comply with the energy absorption requirements for steering columns in ADR 10."

so would i have to ring someone to ask if the autotecnica wheels comply with this?

thanks

Yep, you are absolutlely right, it is illegal to fit an aftermarket steering wheel to a car from built from 1970 onwards (I thought it was '72 but I could be wrong). The only way to get around this to do the test to show that it passes the ADR. It has to be that specific steering wheel fitted to that specific car! If you got an engineer to check out the steering wheel you want to fit and get them to compare it with the original, and it was similar in design, then you may get an engineering report to get it fitted.

I doubt Autotecnica will have done the testing, but I hope some wheel manufacturers are starting to do this.

jzab

rag top · 14-04-2005, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jzab

I doubt Autotecnica will have done the testing, but I hope some wheel manufacturers are starting to do this.

I doubt momo did it, and I doubt Tickford/FPV did it when fitting momo wheels to their cars...

Psycho Chicken · 14-04-2005, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by '67

I doubt momo did it, and I doubt Tickford/FPV did it when fitting momo wheels to their cars...

Reguardless, it's factory fit. If they didn't it's Tickford's problem, not your's.

trick_xd · 14-04-2005, 05:10 PM

If your standard steering wheel is a padded 1 then the wheel that you replace it with ALLSO has to be padded .
you cant go any smaller then 330mm as said up there ^^^^^
What sort of car is it ?
is this for a R.W.C. ?
is it for insurance ?
if none of these things then just buy the wheel you want and keep your old 1 if you are defected then just but it back on

Psycho Chicken · 14-04-2005, 05:26 PM

Just spend a bit more on the factory Momo wheel. Non-cruise can be had for $350 I'd say.

XplosiveR6 · 14-04-2005, 05:30 PM

its prob for your EB, so that shouldnt be much of a problem as it diddnt come with an airbag.

Personally i think people who replace there airbagged steering wheel with a non airbagged steering wheel are absolute idiots, and should not be driving a car

rag top · 14-04-2005, 05:53 PM

Some people also have a definition of "Factory Fitted".
If it was fitted to any model, then it can be added to yours at any time;
or
If it was fitted by Ford on the prodution line or pre delivery of the new vehicle.

I noticed on some of the late tickford modded vehicles, they came with a mod plate stating what options were fitted.

But back to the original Q's, I'd bolt an aftermarket steering wheel to an EB. Easy as, and I even replaced the original momo on my old XR6 with a different momo wheel.

Magical_ED · 14-04-2005, 06:47 PM

yeah i was thinking about changing my steering wheel from the ED, its like a bloody bus steering wheel, the thing is huge. Got a mate who has a nice momo wheel in his lancer he is willing to give me the wheel for $50 but then i have to go out looking for the right boss kit.....
He likes giving me stuff cheap

b2tf · 14-04-2005, 08:05 PM

I have never heard of someone being defected/denied an RWC because they put an aftermarket wheel on. The only time it does happen is, as has been said, if your car has an airbag in the steering wheel and you remove it to fit a non-airbag equipped wheel.

I think there may also be a ruling on what diameter wheel you can have, for that reason it would be best to stick to one the same size as the factory one.

santoitaliano · 14-04-2005, 08:46 PM

i think there is a minimum size... look on the vicroads website.. if you are in vic..

dogbreath_48 · 14-04-2005, 10:30 PM

Given there's no airbag problems, i seriously doupt you'll ever have a problem with an Autotechnica wheel...so long as it's got some sort of padding. (i.e. not polished wood).

-Stu

Vision Zetec · 15-04-2005, 12:47 PM

s**t i just rang up RACV and the person said that 350mm is the smallest diameter allowed! :@

the wheel i want is 330mm!