It's finally here -- Removeable steering hub

It’s been on backorder for 2 months, but it just arrived today from Superspoke in the UK.

It’s going to make it so much easier to get in and out, especially for my dad.

Steering wheel hub is on. Here’s the lessons learned:

The instructions and video say it’s a quick 10 min job, but

  • That’s only if you buy one of their steering wheels as well
  • If you don’t, then you get to spend time drilling out the rivets holding the steering wheel to the original hub
  • The center hub sticks out of the steering wheel so the horn button doesn’t fit flat
  • I solved that problem by putting thin washers between the steering wheel and new hub to make it flush

If you used the original steering wheel like we did, you’ll have to get longer screws with nuts to put back on the old hub if you want to swap back and forth for car events.

Boy is it easier getting in and out by popping off the steering wheel!

Hi Philip…Just thought i would make you aware of a problem with the Suoerspoke that should have now been resolved but worth you checking…they were supplied with a spacer ring that if not fitted could cause the unexpected release of the unit…I brought this to the attention of Superspoke and they said they would sort the problem, but worth you checking… detaiks on the UK forum http://forum.etypeuk.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=9659&p=75839&hilit=Superspoke#p75839
All the best… Steve

Steve, thanks for posting that! Love the info sharing!

Mine was a brand new one since they were out of stock 2 months ago when I placed the order. So hopefully they changed the design.

I can say that mine did not come with the rubber stop. But it seated fine on the collets and I don’t see any issue with it coming off in any range of the telescoping steering wheel.

But to be safe, I will email them to make sure I am good.

I need to email them anyway because they did not send me the nipple that goes over the horn actuator, and that is still needed to avoid any misalignment when putting on the steering wheel.

please post a few snappers of it installed! thats a dandy nice looking piece of machined metal. curious how it all looks together, even tho I am not in the market for a removable steering wheel, yet…

Hi Philip…the rubber buffer mentioned was already fitted to S3 cars, becaus these were not on S1/S2 cars they needed a spacer fitted (the spacer is not rubber) just make sure you confirm that the design was changed to incorperate this in yours…the problem happened when someone was pushing there car into the garage and steering through the window…the height adjusting collar on the steering coloum was set fully down…so as the driver pushed on the steering wheel the mechanism released… Steve

I just heard from Steve that I have the revised version that does not need the spacer. Still waiting to hear how to get the missing nipple for the horn mechanism.

Hi Philip…good to hear that Superspoke have done the revision…its a great product… Steve

Hi all. I fitted one of these units but find it quite difficult to re engage I asked Steve at superapoke, he said it will get easier
I have put copper slip on the ball berings but still stiff

Anyone else have this issue?

Do you mean it’s difficult to get the wheel onto the hub, or it’s difficult to get the ball bearings to engage once the wheel is on and you rotate the wheel to line up the holes for the bearings?

For ours, it can be a little fiddly to get the wheel started on the hub if we don’t have the steering wheel perpendicular to the hub, but once it’s on, the bearings always go into place with a satisfying snap.

Finally have the car driveable again. When I was doing the job of putting on the quick release, the upper plastic bushing for the steering column disintegrated without provocation – clearly the 50 year old original one. The new bushings came in yesterday and it was quick work to replace both the upper and lower ones, and I took the opportunity to renew the paint on the steering column to improve the cosmetics. Nice to have a very stable steering wheel, and I put on the new front shocks too. One of the front shocks was not dampening enough, so with the new rears shocks, new tires, fixed steering wheel, it’s a really improved driving feel.

Hi Paul…copper slip is usually for anti siezing…it does go a bit dry and crusty and could make it even harder to engage…clean it of and and just try silicon spray or a touch of white grease… Steve

It’s almost as if it cannot be lined up square. It goes on eventually but hardly a smooth action. To be fair to Steve, he did say to get i touch if it didn’t improve

So it’s hard to get it started on the hub?

It’s possible they didn’t get the machining quite right on yours. They don’t seem like mass-produced parts, so it’s very reasonable to expect variances. You might be able to sand the inside edge of the hub a little bit to give some more clearance to get it started.

Loving the removable steering wheel! It’s not only great for getting in and out, but it’s proving very nice for doing work on the car. Yesterday, I was upgrading the dash lights to LED and not having the wheel in the way was very nice.

shouldn’t the cousole be the sam shade as the seats (lt tan?)

Yep, we already covered that in another thread.