Premium 58-0600B Superskin Genuine Leather Steering Wheel Cover - Size B, Black | Non-Slip Grip & Comfort for Cars, Trucks & SUVs

Having factory leather wrapped steering wheels on our other vehicles, I was very interested in getting one for a recent truck purchase however buying an OEM one way going to be far too expensive because of the airbag R and R. So, I spent a fair amount of time reading reviews for this and other wraps, as well as watching install videos. At the end of the research phase I concluded that the expensive wraps were not any better than the low-mid priced ones, the install would take time, and that I should keep my expectations in check – it is not going to look like a factory wrap.This product arrived as expected. Black, some texture, 2 needles, and plenty of thread. The thread is more of a thin woven cord. Some reported problems with breaking needles. Past experience with needles and canvas has taught me that needles do not break unless you try and bend them. I kept that in mind and did not break either needle.Some reviews say to use an awl or nail to open the holes prior to installation. If you have ever created a new hole in a leather belt, you know this will not give you the desired result. Instead, I put a VERY small drill bit in my Dremel and hit each hole; just a quick in and out. This does pull reveal a small amount of natural color around the holes, but it is a small compromise if you do not want to fight the needle. The hole must be small enough so the needle still drags when pulling through, but open enough so you do not need pliers, gloves, or a thimble. When done, you can hit the holes with a little black shoe polish if they bother you. Mine does not bother me at all (posting some photos).I used the cross stitch, a curved pick to pull the cord tight from time to time, and spring clamps to keep the sewn part from loosening while I continued my work. In the end it took 2 hours 45 minutes including the time it took to ream the holes. The install looks great, not factory, but I think about as good as an aftermarket install is going to get. I do NOT have bubbles around the spokes, and the sizing was near perfect. It could have been a bit smaller as the seam wanted to bulge slightly in a few spots, but the product is intended to fit a range of sizes. The seam was easily flattened by putting the spring clamp on it for a few seconds. 1 hole was off. I remedied this by simply running through the hole with 2 passes to even out the stitching. I also used a small amount of super glue to ensure the knot would not come undone (tuck the knot in as per the direction, then I let a couple of drop of glue go into the seam above the knot). I did deduct one star for the small holes as the manufacture knows what needles that are providing.My tips: Drill out the holes if you do not want to use pliers. Do not bend the needles and they will not break. Get at least 1 spring clamp and a curved (hook) pick. Use the spring clamp to hold your work in place, and the pick to pull the cord tight. Make sure you do not pierce the original steering wheel, new leather, or cord (you can round off the pick tip with a file if it is new and pointed). Take your time. Do about 6 cross stitches then tighten, clamp, and repeat. Follow the tip that someone else posted about the spokes – go one hole past where you think you should stop, but this also means start one hole sooner than you think you should. Oh, and take your time!A. C. Bevan's review is right on the money. You need to prepare the cover, gather the right tools, and take your time to get this to come out right: - Prepare the cover by enlarging the existing holes with an awl or ice pick. There are hundreds of holes, just take your time (maybe an hour). - Have a pair of needle nose pliers handy - Set aside at least 4 hours for the actual installation onto your steering wheelTaking your time is the key. I got best results by loosely lacing a large section, then going back to tighten the lacing by using the needle nose pliers. I have not broken a needle during the lacing process.Getting the cover to lie flat at the wheel spokes can be tricky. I actually use a seperate loop of lace going thru the cover holes and around the wheel spoke.It's a lot of work, but once it's done, I think it feels much better than the slip-ons, or lace-on vinyl alternatives.========================================================================Addendum: May 2014I now have leather lace-on covers on all four of my cars. The 1st, 3rd and 4th covers are from Superior, the 2nd is from a competitor. The Superior covers seem to be of higher quality and fit. For my 1st and 2nd cover I used a single needle straight stitch. For my 3rd cover I also used a straight stitch. The next day I did my 4th cover and just for fun I tried the cross stitch using two needles. It is a bit more work coordinating two needles at the same time but soon I got the hang of it. The results are well worth it, the cross stitch pulls the cover evenly and tightly around the wheel. I was so impressed, I went back and undid the stitching on my 3rd cover and restitched it using the cross stitch. It was worth it, the 3rd cover ended up being tighter and smoother than before.Tips:- set aside at least 4 hours to put on your cover- avoid interruptions- make sure you have adequate light. In my case I also had a task light that I could reposition as needed.- it's helpful to unlock the steering wheel so you can reposition the wheel as needed- having the driver door open is helpful as it allows more room to work- a pair of needle nose pliers comes in handy to grab the lacing and pull it tightBTW for my 3rd and 4th covers, I did not enlarge the pre-punched holes with an ice pick or similar tool. This made finding the pre-punched holes a little more of a challenge. If this will be your first time then enlarging the pre-punched holes prior to installation may be helpful.====================================================================Update: August 2017I've purchase and installed two more of these covers, December 2016 and August 2017. The cover in December still had the original folded edges however the latest model has raw (cut) edges that still show up when the cover is laced on. This is especially apparent on steering wheels that have an increased rim thickness where you rest your thumbs. This is a disappointment and cheapens the overall look of the installation. Superior should have released a new model number for the raw edge part, and kept the existing model number for the folded edge part. For me, I'd pay more money to have the original part with the folded edges.I liked the quality of the leather, if you order the correct size and install it properly it looks really great, looks rich. I had to go in about to 4 inches and restart twice t get my technique down. The nylon lace that comes with the cover is no good. I bought some thick black waxed cord for leather work and the results were amazing. Looks classy and expensive. Don't waste your time with the supplied nylon string. order the good waxed cord for 10.00 on Amazon.I never did this before but i am good with my hands. I also removed the steering wheel from the car and made a jig to hold and rotate the wheel. I also used a spring clamp every 3 to 4 inches as i progressed. Very happy with the resultLlegó de acuerdo al tiempo indicado y de muy buena calidad, mi volante tiene exactamente 3 7/8” de grueso por lo que pensé que la medida C era la adecuada, pero realmente no lo es, porque debí apretar mucho la piel para que se cubriera el volante. Conforme fui cosiendo se estiró de lo largo y al final me sobraron unas 2”, me animé a recortarlo y lo pegué encima para ajustarlo a la medida, después de unas 5 horas de instalación y los dedos ampollados a pesar de utilizar guantes, estoy muy conforme con el resultado, se siente muy bien y se ve duradero, en mi caso la instalación fue muy complicada y agotadora, tal vez por el detalle que ninguna medida fue la correcta a pesar de basarme en las instrucciones.Restored original steering wheel off 1969 Corvair and looks great! Thread was strong and did not break and leather material did not break through hole area either. This was not difficult to put on (used cross stitch) but was hard on the hands from the constant pulling of threads. A little white tape on fingers solved the problem. I added a layer of 3/32" cork and 1/4" medium density foam to give a padded look. Very happy with the result and decided to put one on my 1965 Galaxie steering wheel as well.Excelente calidad. Sensación superior al tacto. Ajuste perfecto en el volante. Absolutamente nada que ver con las fundas con resorte.Instalación sencilla pero no es rápida (3hrs - 4hrs). Si eres una persona que le gusta dedicar tiempo a los detalles no tendrás ningún inconveniente con la instalación de esta cubierta. Si eres una persona que quiere las cosas al instante, definitivamente no es un producto para ti. El tiempo invertido vale la pena al ver el resultado.Esta muy padre, yo le puse hilo rojo, para que resalte y le hice un par de cortes, lo recomiendo, realice una segunda compra y tambien a mi viejo escarabajo le toco renovacion de volante, a este le puse hilo azul, quedo muy bien.