Homemade flat bottom carbon fiber steering wheel

AZe92 · 12-31-2015, 05:19 PM

Wanted to switch up my wheel, and wanted carbon fiber, but could find better things to spend $1k on. Never messed with a steering wheel before so I didn't really know what to expect going into this project but I was able to pick up an oem sport wheel pretty cheap and went to town on it. LOVE it so far, the extra thickness is amazing! And the carbon is some nice eye candy. Ill let the pictures do the explaining. Running my stock trim at the moment but have a custom center piece in the works. Also wrapped all my wood grain in suede

interior before/after

oem wheel de-leathered

forming the flat bottom

fiberglass to smooth it out

carbon layed out before resin

resin/clear/sanded

custom wheel vs oem wheel

stock side thickness

new wheel side thickness

stock bottom thickness:

carbon bottom thickness:

installed:

wanted to do some custom padded diamond stitched wrap but the padding made it impossible to wrap cleanly around the trim so i only ended up with a shift boot :/

snaimpally · 01-01-2016, 08:49 PM

Nice job!

Torgus · 01-02-2016, 06:57 AM

Nice! Make me one.

How long did it take start to finish?

AZe92 · 01-02-2016, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torgus

Nice! Make me one.

How long did it take start to finish?

i worked on it after work and finished it up over a weekend. Took about 4-5 days, although now that i've done it and now what works and what doesn't i'm sure i could do it a lot quicker.

thinking about taking my stock wheel and making another one to try and recoupe my money for materials and the 2nd wheel and everything but we'll see

Torgus · 01-02-2016, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZe92

i worked on it after work and finished it up over a weekend. Took about 4-5 days, although now that i've done it and now what works and what doesn't i'm sure i could do it a lot quicker.

thinking about taking my stock wheel and making another one to try and recoupe my money for materials and the 2nd wheel and everything but we'll see

Let me know!

Tim603 · 01-05-2016, 03:37 PM

Nicely done man, now get some cool floormats!

Jeff@TopGearSolutions · 01-06-2016, 04:47 PM

This is obviously not something you just winged together. Nice work!

harendre7201 · 01-06-2016, 08:45 PM

did you the aerosol fabric glue and suede fabric on the trim or suede vinyl wrap?
thanks

Jairomvp · 01-07-2016, 06:23 AM

amazing wheel man, nice job!

mashimarho · 01-07-2016, 12:56 PM

Talk about a handy man!

AZe92 · 01-07-2016, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff@TopGearSolutions

This is obviously not something you just winged together. Nice work!

ehh.. it kinda was lol but thank you!

i was hesitant to spend the money on buying a wheel and attempting this cause i had no idea how it was going to turn out. It's not PERFECT, but i'm extremely happy with it and definitely makes driving the car more fun

Quote:

Originally Posted by harendre7201

did you the aerosol fabric glue and suede fabric on the trim or suede vinyl wrap?
thanks

I used 3M spray adhesive and sprayed the trim and the back of the fabric. i did have to unwrap the small left side dash piece, it was on there pretty good but it did come off and was able to completely remove all the adhesive so it's definitely a reversible mod with a little effort

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jairomvp

amazing wheel man, nice job!

thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by mashimarho

Talk about a handy man!

That's what happens when you're cheap but you want nice things, you learn

N54Society · 01-10-2016, 03:46 AM

Nice job man! Very impressive.

classyfast · 01-10-2016, 08:59 PM

Awesome work man, the wheel is a bit thick for me but looks good!!

GripAndRip · 02-02-2017, 12:23 AM

From your expertise, do you think heating could be retained? I'm trying to convert a heated sport wheel with paddles into a heated performance flat bottom with paddles. Some of the custom wheels out there are so beautiful and are a fraction of OEM cost. But I haven't been able to find someone who can retain the heating option in the steering wheel. A heated sport is hard to come by, maybe I'll buy a heated non-sport to tear up just to see how the heating wrap works.

Ammuliu56 · 03-20-2020, 01:01 PM

The final result?

Mr. Hangry · 03-21-2020, 12:36 PM

Looks very easy to do. Might hit up a junk yard for a sport steering wheel and try this.

12-31-2015, 05:19 PM	#1
AZe92 Enlisted Member 10 Rep 42 Posts Drives: '07 e92 Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Gilbert, AZ iTrader: (0)	Homemade flat bottom carbon fiber steering wheel Wanted to switch up my wheel, and wanted carbon fiber, but could find better things to spend $1k on. Never messed with a steering wheel before so I didn't really know what to expect going into this project but I was able to pick up an oem sport wheel pretty cheap and went to town on it. LOVE it so far, the extra thickness is amazing! And the carbon is some nice eye candy. Ill let the pictures do the explaining. Running my stock trim at the moment but have a custom center piece in the works. Also wrapped all my wood grain in suede interior before/after oem wheel de-leathered forming the flat bottom fiberglass to smooth it out carbon layed out before resin resin/clear/sanded custom wheel vs oem wheel stock side thickness new wheel side thickness stock bottom thickness: carbon bottom thickness: installed: wanted to do some custom padded diamond stitched wrap but the padding made it impossible to wrap cleanly around the trim so i only ended up with a shift boot :/
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01-01-2016, 08:49 PM	#2
snaimpally Major 136 Rep 1,192 Posts Drives: 2011 335i MT Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Austin, TX iTrader: (9) Garage List 2011 BMW 335i [0.00]	Nice job! __________________ PTF Map, Pure Turbo Stage 1, GFB DV+, Mfactory LSD, AA FMIC, B12 Pro Kit, M3 FCA, AR DP and Dynavin N6, Mosconi AS100.4, AS100.4, AS200.2, Micro Precision tweeters & woofers, Esotar2 1200
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01-02-2016, 06:57 AM	#3
Torgus Slow. 3782 Rep 7,151 Posts Drives: Single Turbo N54 on Meth! Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Boston, MA iTrader: (2) Garage List 2007 BMW E92 [10.00] 2007 BMW E90 [0.00] 2006 BMW E91 [0.00]	Nice! Make me one. How long did it take start to finish? __________________ E92 ACF ST 6466 + Meth Motiv / E70 #1 fully deleted 2.8 race flash / E70 #2 JBD / E90 & E91 both retired Psalm 144
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01-05-2016, 03:37 PM	#6
Tim603 Colonel 483 Rep 2,283 Posts Drives: 2007 335i E90 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: North Canton, OH iTrader: (8) Garage List 2007 335i [0.00]	Nicely done man, now get some cool floormats! __________________ Build Thread
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01-06-2016, 04:47 PM	#7
Jeff@TopGearSolutions 3441 Rep 79,212 Posts Drives: C6 Z06, 09 335i, 10 335xi Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: www.TopGearSolutions.com iTrader: (37)	This is obviously not something you just winged together. Nice work!
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01-06-2016, 08:45 PM	#8
harendre7201 Lieutenant 67 Rep 393 Posts Drives: 2015 M3 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (2) Garage List 2011 BMW 328i [0.00]	did you the aerosol fabric glue and suede fabric on the trim or suede vinyl wrap? thanks __________________ Harry I. Los Angeles 2011 AW 328i 2015 AW F80 M3
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01-07-2016, 06:23 AM	#9
Jairomvp Banned 119 Rep 348 Posts Drives: 2011 335i xdrive Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Northborough,ma iTrader: (1)	amazing wheel man, nice job!
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01-07-2016, 12:56 PM	#10
mashimarho BimmerPost Supporting Vendor 2105 Rep 13,876 Posts Drives: E92 M3 & F80 M3 & G82 M4 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Lynnwood, WA iTrader: (45) Garage List 2021 BMW G82 M4 [0.00] 2011 BMW E92 M3 [0.00] 2015 BMW F80 M3 [0.00] 2012 BMW 335i xDrive [9.78]	Talk about a handy man! __________________ Mashimarho.com /// Instagram /// Facebook /// Youtube /// sales@mashimarho.com /// (425) 582-7939
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01-10-2016, 03:46 AM	#12
N54Society Major Private First Class 449 Rep 1,327 Posts Drives: 2010 E90 335i M Sport Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: US, NA, Earth, Milky Way Galaxy iTrader: (2)	Nice job man! Very impressive. __________________ 2008 E92 335i 6MT: FBO + MMP Silicone Inlets \| Stage 1 LPFP \| 335is clutch + MFactory SMFW \| Custom BuraQ + MHD tune \| 3.5Bar N20 sensor [SOLD] 2010 E90 335i M-Sport AT: 5" Stepped FMIC, Stage 2 LPFP - MHD V7 E60 Tune running 100% E85 - VRSF DPs
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01-10-2016, 08:59 PM	#13
classyfast Banned 669 Rep 2,219 Posts Drives: e36m/e46m/E92 LCI 335/f30 335 Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: CT iTrader: (0)	Awesome work man, the wheel is a bit thick for me but looks good!!
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02-02-2017, 12:23 AM	#14
GripAndRip Lieutenant 84 Rep 317 Posts Drives: 2011 E90 335xi Auto Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Denver iTrader: (0) Garage List 2011 BMW Dinan 3 xD ... [0.00]	From your expertise, do you think heating could be retained? I'm trying to convert a heated sport wheel with paddles into a heated performance flat bottom with paddles. Some of the custom wheels out there are so beautiful and are a fraction of OEM cost. But I haven't been able to find someone who can retain the heating option in the steering wheel. A heated sport is hard to come by, maybe I'll buy a heated non-sport to tear up just to see how the heating wrap works. __________________ 2011 LCI E90 335xi Auto \| Wedge Performance Custom Tune \| Pure Stage 1 \| Dinan Free Flow Exhaust \| VRSF CP \| Secondary Cat Delete \| K&N Drop-in \| VRSF Catless DP \| VRSF 5" FMIC\| Stage 2 LPFP \|
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03-20-2020, 01:01 PM	#15
Ammuliu56 Registered 0 Rep 3 Posts Drives: Bmw e90 Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: LA iTrader: (0)	The final result?
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03-21-2020, 12:36 PM	#16
Mr. Hangry New Member 0 Rep 15 Posts Drives: E90 335xi, e70 x5 Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: New England iTrader: (0)	Looks very easy to do. Might hit up a junk yard for a sport steering wheel and try this.
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