86 560SL Any compatble steering wheel from other models? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

ttnguyen23 · #1 06-05-2009, 06:09 PM

Hi everyone,

I read a lot threads regarding to 560SL steering wheel swapping. But no one can tell me exactly what is the actual model steering wheel that can be interchageable with 86 560SL.

I have the problem with the steering wheel on my car is too big. I would like to know what is other MB steering that I can purchase and swap without any problem. The key here is to get a small diameter of the wheel with Air bag. I can understand the small wheel with cover from seeing the instrumentation but I live with it.

I need to know the car model, year,..... of the compatible steering wheels.

Any experts?

rocky raccoon · #2 06-05-2009, 07:20 PM

A replacement wheel offers ample opportunity for undesireable functional tradeoff.

1. A smaller wheel (which I would dearly love to have on my 88 560SL) will obscure some of your instrument panel. Since the 107 cockpit is so dimensionally tight, the ability to change spatial relationship between seat, steering wheel and instruments is limited.

2. More importantly almost any aftermarket wheel and probably most later MB wheels may result in loss of your airbag. This makes changing wheels to what I would really like (a 13 to 14 inch wooden wheel) a safety non-starter, at least for me.

Although this does not answer your specific question, I urge you to put some more thought into such a change. As long as you are agile enough to struggle into and out of your 560SL, my recommendation is to keep what you have. In my case, I dressed it up with a nice two-color leather wheelskin.

ttnguyen23 · #3 06-05-2009, 10:44 PM

Thanks to respond my questions. I just have a hard time to get in and out the car that why I want to change it and I do not want to loose the airbag option. My concern to get the correct wheel to fit on the existing hub and I can modify the power to airbag by changing the connector to fit on the existing connector.

Where do you get the two tone leather for the wheel. What size do I need to know>

Let see the other people did successfully changing the steering wheel can provide me some hint.

rocky raccoon · #4 06-06-2009, 06:17 AM

www.performanceproducts4benz.com

Click on your Benz model and you will get the right size.

coleyjf · #5 06-06-2009, 04:18 PM

Hi there

The Euro's don't have airbags ( in Europe it's been illegal to drive without a seatbelt for ages )

Airbags only came in later.

Cheers

Jim

Strife · #6 06-06-2009, 07:31 PM

I have a wheel with airbag (which is NOT actually connected) to anything on my 85 380SL, which supposedly came from a W126, and it has a smaller diameter. Unless you are very short, it definitely will cut off the top of the gauges. However, this is not as bad of a problem as you may think. You can see where the speedometer needle is anyway, you should check the gas gauge once in a while anyway and with an auto transmission, do you really need to know the RPM.

HOWEVER (and this is a BIG however), I would VERY CAREFULLY check that the connectors (commutator rings and wipers) that connect airbag to the airbag controller, on the back of the steering wheel, EXACTLY MATCH before installing it, because otherwise the airbag might not work or possibly work UNEXPECTEDLY!!!!!!!!

Richard Wooldridge · #7 06-06-2009, 07:33 PM

One consideration you may not have thought about is that with a smaller wheel and the very "quick" steering ratio the car already has, it may be a little difficult to handle. I think they used the same steering box the 114's had, but the 114's had a much longer wheelbase, and with the shorter wheelbase the difference is noticeable. With a smaller diameter steering wheel it would be even more noticeable. Just a thought.

ttnguyen23 · #8 06-08-2009, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Strife

I have a wheel with airbag (which is NOT actually connected) to anything on my 85 380SL, which supposedly came from a W126, and it has a smaller diameter. Unless you are very short, it definitely will cut off the top of the gauges. However, this is not as bad of a problem as you may think. You can see where the speedometer needle is anyway, you should check the gas gauge once in a while anyway and with an auto transmission, do you really need to know the RPM.

HOWEVER (and this is a BIG however), I would VERY CAREFULLY check that the connectors (commutator rings and wipers) that connect airbag to the airbag controller, on the back of the steering wheel, EXACTLY MATCH before installing it, because otherwise the airbag might not work or possibly work UNEXPECTEDLY!!!!!!!!

So you actually replace 380Sl steering wheel with model 126 but you not connected the airbag.
Is it model 126 including 300 SD, SEL 500 SEL 420 SEL and 560 SEL. What is the one you have?

Did you notice the commutator are the same as 380SL steering wheel? I wonder why you do use the airbag connection?

ttnguyen23 · #9 06-08-2009, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocky raccoon

www.performanceproducts4benz.com

Click on your Benz model and you will get the right size.

Thanks for the link

David Langsam · #10 06-08-2009, 10:47 PM

Do we really think the airbag is going to work 23 years later?

SPDMETL · #11 06-09-2009, 09:55 PM

Are people really paying $600 and up-WAY up- for steering wheels ?

williammawataol · #12 07-22-2009, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ttnguyen23

Hi everyone,

I read a lot threads regarding to 560SL steering wheel swapping. But no one can tell me exactly what is the actual model steering wheel that can be interchageable with 86 560SL.

I have the problem with the steering wheel on my car is too big. I would like to know what is other MB steering that I can purchase and swap without any problem. The key here is to get a small diameter of the wheel with Air bag. I can understand the small wheel with cover from seeing the instrumentation but I live with it.

I need to know the car model, year,..... of the compatible steering wheels.

Any experts?

I had mine, 83 380SL, swapped out with one from a 300E, I think. I don't remember the year but I think it is from an early 90s model.

bgkast · #13 07-23-2009, 02:52 AM

There is a 1988 300SEL at the junkyard with a leather airbag steering wheel that looks just like the one in my 560SL. I tried to grab it last weekend, but the nut was stuck. Hopefully I can get it off...the SL's leather wrap is falling off.

ttnguyen23 · #14 07-28-2009, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgkast

There is a 1988 300SEL at the junkyard with a leather airbag steering wheel that looks just like the one in my 560SL. I tried to grab it last weekend, but the nut was stuck. Hopefully I can get it off...the SL's leather wrap is falling off.

Let me know if you can swap to 560SL?

Thanks

bgkast · #15 07-28-2009, 11:54 PM

I got it off the donor car and have compaired it to the SL steering wheel. It looks identical. I hope to swap it on this weekend. I'll post back how it fits.