Grant steering wheels

[oasis]

I have been doing some searching this morning all over the Internet on Grant steering wheels. There is one in particular I think would fit in with the general theme of my car -- it has modern attributes but it doesn't bop you in the nose with a modern or racing look. (That's for my next car.)

What experiences do you know about dealing with Grant steering wheels?

I am asking it this way because I have read 10% bad things and 90% good things, and most of the bad things are usually couched with some vague "I had heard ..." or "I had read ..." type of stuff. In fact, the one bad thing I had read was by someone who found the remedy through a longer steering adaptor hub and is still using his Grant steering wheel in his bug.

[SoCalGL]

grant makes some nice steering wheels... but I think they like that unique feel to them.... I had one in my old car and I have a couple of buddies with em in there cars .. there cool wheels but they seem pretty generic but if it fits your theme and compliments what your doing.... and most of all you like it.. then go for it... hmm i tihkn i'm rambling because its 4:30 am.... damn you german look you have my addicted!!!

[ccain529]

My wheel is not a Grant but my adaptor is. The adaptor was very easy to install and the material and wormanship is great. You have to reuse the horn ring from the backside of your factory steering wheel. Just unscrew the three attachment screws and the old ring is a direct bolt on to the adaptor. This was a nice change from past experiences with aftermarket wheels. Most of the time I had to pray to the horn god to get the thing to blow! Not with this one.
Do yourself a favor though...Get yourself a wheel with a center opening for a horn button so you can bolt on the wheel before tightening the steering shaft nut. You need something to use for leverage. And sticking a prybar in the works is very cumbersome.

If cost isn't an issue.....here's a link. MOMO wheels are awesome and when I hit the Lotto or my inheritence come in....... Seriously, they offer some nice wheels that have a clean (Non-race) look!
http://www.momo.it/accessories.html

[Bogara_ZO]

You are right! MOMO wheels are very nice and high quality products! I have the "millenium" steering wheel..I like it very much, it's a very good size + it's elegant but gives a race look to the car at the same time. My only problem is that in Europe it's a very popular wheel..and I like uniqe things..but if everything goes right, mine will be a bit different from the others

[oasis]

Thanks for the answers, guys.

There is a MOMO I had in mind when I was going to do a full-on German Looker with a 1303. I have it stuffed away in my 1303 file for the day I get one. (My home renovations prevent an easy look-up for the model.)

I will check the link as soon as I catch up here. I don't remember if I looked at them for my 1302. I may have assumed they were racing wheels only.

As for pricey, the Grant I want is shockingly expensive. Hence, this extra inquiry. I doubt any MOMO is ... ah, never mind. I've been wrong too often lately to make a blanket statement of any kind. Maybe I will post a pic of the Grant if I can remember.

[Bogara_ZO]

Be patient if you decide to buy a MOMO product, because the whole company is moving from Italy to France, and actually it's not so easy to order anything from them. This is my steering wheel (at the moment )

[LLVWGL]

I had a grant wheel for about two years, and It was OK. It is hard to find a "normal" sized grant in all but one style. and I found that as it got older, it showed signs of age, and began to creak. Overall, for the price (~$80 including hub) it was a decent wheel.

[oasis]

Originally Posted by Bogara_ZO

This is my steering wheel

That Millenium was one of my finalists when I was leaning towards a full-blown German Looking 1303. Very nice.

Originally Posted by LLVWGL

I had a grant wheel for about two years, and It was OK. It is hard to find a "normal" sized grant in all but one style. and I found that as it got older, it showed signs of age, and began to creak. Overall, for the price (~$80 including hub) it was a decent wheel.

Eighty bucks!? <cough cough> I only wish the one I wanted was $80.

Here is the one I have picked:


I'm not sure what vehicle it is in. I would get the plain horn button and insert a "VW" sticker.

I'm not sure what you mean by "normal" sized. One of the reasons I like this wheel is its size is close to stock size -- only with a thicker grip. I know some people go with smaller wheels but I'm afraid a smaller wheel will obstruct whatever gauges I put in front of me.

[Bogara_ZO]

Originally Posted by oasis

I know some people go with smaller wheels but I'm afraid a smaller wheel will obstruct whatever gauges I put in front of me.

The main reason I love the Millenium it's the size of it: the diameter is 32cm and it's perfect! Big enough to drive the car comfortable, but small enough to fell the go-kart feeling. Don't be scared about the gauges, I can see all of them. (the angle between you and the gauges depend also from your seat height and position). As I'm a bit taller than the average a standard sized wheel would very uncomfortable for me and my knees.
By the way, what about Billet steering wheels?? They are not the cheapest, but seems high quality and well designed products for me.

[oasis]

If (and when) I have a 1303, I will go with a smaller, racing style wheel. I investigated everything to some degree before I bought my 1302 thinking I was going to buy a 1303 first. If I were going to do little or nothing with my 1302, I still might consider one like the Millenium. As I said earlier, it was a quick favorite of mine.

I haven't totally decided in what direction I am going in with gauges for my 1302. There are many great ideas on this site alone. I will likely "borrow" some of them for my own. Whatever, it is likely my front panel that currently houses the stock speedo and speaker plates will be needed. A Millenium would likely obstruct my view partially side-to-side.

Billet steering wheels caught my eye -- especially for a few ( ) extra bucks one could get a custom design. The more I thought about it, the more I realized billet wouldn't fit in with the carbon fiber/kevlar theme I had originally and would also look out of place in the 1302 I currently have.

Another concern I had was temperatures and billet steering wheels. Baltimore can get uncomfortably hot in the summer and uncomfortably cold in the winter. I wouldn't want my steering wheel greeting me that way as well. (I also wouldn't want to actually keep gloves in my glove compartment either.)

[bow]

i have a grant sterrin wheel in both my cars and the oinly problem is finding the right size because i got the one i wanted not thinking and it is tooo small there for i cant seee 40,50,60 mph but i deal with it

[tom'72]

I have that Momo Milenium wheel in my BMW and am very pleased with it, come to think of it it might look better in my bug

[Bogara_ZO]

if we are talking about steering wheels...if I was looking for a wheel I'd buy this one..thanks for the 2 spoke-design it's retro and rally style at the same time.

@Oasis! You are right, the main part of billet wheels are too much either for me, but there are 2 or 3 that I could immagine in a bug, exspecially if it is covered with their "simulated carbon fiber".

[zen]

i kind of just blew through this thread so sorry if this is redundant. i consider the steering wheel one of the most important aspects of "enjoying" a car. to me it has a HUGE affect (subliminal or not) on how i "feel" about driving a car. personal opinion here, i have found most Grants to feel substandard in quality to Momo, Sparco and others. this is mostly from shopping for wheels for the Ghia i had. not actually using them on a car. i do know from experience in my GL bug, that my Momo wheel freakin rocks.

don't scrimp on the wheel no matter what! get what "feels" right for YOU.

just my 2 cents.

[oasis]

Originally Posted by zen

personal opinion here, i have found most Grants to feel substandard in quality to Momo, Sparco and others. this is mostly from shopping for wheels for the Ghia i had. not actually using them on a car.

I couldn't agree more with what you said about how important a steering wheel feels. As for the quoted area above, I had a Sparco or two in my paws a few years ago before I bought my car. Even then, it was standing in a showroom, not in a car.

I can do some measuring and some visualization -- but it's all guesswork when you get right down to it.

So why did the Grant "feel substandard in quality?"

I certainly don't want to shell out in excess of $500 for something substandard. And, zen, you know I value your opinion.