Leather covered steering wheel:

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Finished leather steering wheels have an extra coating of protective finish on the already finished or coated leather. Perspiration and dirt are absorbed readily into the dry leather, and combined with the ultra violet (UV- radiation of the sun a chemical reaction occurs that degrades the finished leather. All of us have seen this wear on steering wheels



A finished leather steering wheel is protected with a urethane clear top coat. UV heat will allow any dirt / grease to become imbedded and the surface becomes more soiled the abrasive dirt / grit produces a shine.



Using leather oil-based conditioners on finished leather may cause delamination from the leather substrate. As the oils will permeate the leather via the stitching or any micro-cracks in the surface, once oil gets between the urethane and the substrate it causes loss of adhesion (See also Oil and Oil based Products)



Most manufacturer’s advice against using oil-based conditioners on steering wheels as it makes the surface slippery and could be dangerous if you lose control of the vehicles steering



1. Clean the wheel’s finished leather

surface with a leather cleaner (Leather Mastersâ„¢ Strong Effect Cleaner ) or a Limonen (citrus) based de-greaser (P21S Total Auto Wash) diluted 5:1 with warm distilled water in a spray bottle; dependant upon type and extent of soil or stain

2. For oil or grease stains use Leather Mastersâ„¢ Leather Degreaser (check for colour fastness) this aerosol product is ideal for cleaning this type of stain as it dissolves the oils and transforms them into a powder that is more absorbent than the leather.

This powder is what is wiped off, cleaning and degreasing the leather. Allow the white powder to dry fully. If the powder is drying to a yellow colour, it means that there are still a lot of oils in the leather.



Using a Medium / hard horse hair brush, or a soft sponge, spray and work the cleaner into a foam, lightly scrub surface and immediately wipe with a terry towel to remove excess moisture, especially around stitching (you may need to repeat this process).

3. Then use a compressed air nozzle to dry

4. Once wheel is thoroughly dry apply Leather Mastersâ„¢ Leather Protection

Ultra violet (UV) protection - 303® Aerospace Protectant will provide invaluable UV-B against photosynthesis (fading) protection; especially in a roadster or convertible vehicle



Do not use an abrasive on the surface as you’ll remove the ultra violet protective topcoat



Maintenance – hydrate the leather surface with a damp 100% cotton towel, occasionally use a diluted 1:10 degreaser (Leather Masters™ Leather Degreaser ) solution and distilled water to remove any build-up of body oils from your hands



The DCT Motorsports factory - eighteen years of experience refinishing steering wheels and developing unique aero parts for high end vehicles. They complete all work orders in-house which allows them to accept a wide range of customer’s requests. Customers can specify material colours, materials, patterns, Carbon weave, or almost any type of finish. DCT has full control of every single step in the manufacturing process, so they can assure the best finish quality and fulfil the work orders with minimum lead time



Cracked Leather Coating



Clear-Cote is a protective coating for newly refinished leather or vinyl. It provides a durable, washable surface for any leather or vinyl upholstery; available in original gloss or matte finish. Use a very fine 2000 grit finishing paper to provide a ‘key’ for the clear coat. Apply two thin coats as oppose to one heavy coat, allow to dry thoroughly – Color-Plus



Alcantara® Cleaning and Care



Alcantara® Ultra suedeâ„¢, Ecsaine, Micro suede, etc) are not types of leather but are in fact in synthetic materials, it is made from extremely fine polyester micro fibre (68% polyester and 32% urethane) it has the appearance and tactile feel similar to that of suede, and it may be incorrectly identified as such.



Leather Stitching



Its greatest enemies are; sun, heat, oil (including body oils) perspiration (that contains urea as well as organic salts and acids) and Try to avoid getting leather chemicals on the stitching or in the seams as it can discolour some threads. If the chemical gets in between panels, it may be difficult to get it out. This may even weaken the backing at the seams.



Leather stitching is usually cotton and nylon mix, nylon is attacked by solvents, they melt it and weaken the threads. An oil-based product will attract abrasive dirt / grit and permeated the leather via the stitching, the oil will soften the leather, and the abrasive dirt plus friction may cause the leather to tear and / or the stitching to fail. Do not use harsh solvent-based cleaners as this may cause the stitching to fail over time



Stitching is somewhat friable if subjected to excessive abrasion. Bearing this in mind the cleaner and applicator (a semi-soft toothbrush is ideal) needs to ‘do the work’ without relying on excess friction



a) Clean stitching using a medium / hard horse hair brush, a toothbrush or a sponge, spray and work the aqueous (water- based) cleaner (Leather Mastersâ„¢ Strong Effect Cleaner ); don`t spray on the wheel surfaces , spray on the brush, constantly rinse the brush in clean water, remove cleaner by rinsing with clean water.



b) Use an aqueous (water- based) foaming cleaner; Leather Mastersâ„¢ Foam Cleaner, shake aerosol thoroughly and then lightly rub surface and immediately wipe with a terry towel to remove excess moisture. You may need to repeat this process.



Once the stitching and the seating surfaces are clean apply Leather Mastersâ„¢ Leather Protection this will help to keep the stitching clean and inhibit the ingress of dirt and soil



Relevant Articles





1. “Alcantara® Cleaning and Careâ€� – http://www.autopia.org/forum/guide-d...ml#post1455020



2. “Leather Articles Hyperlinks� – http://www.autopia.org/forum/autopia...yperlinks.html



3. “Leather Steering Wheel Renovation� – http://www.autopia.org/forum/autopia...enovation.html



4. Leather Articles Reference Sources and Bibliography – http://www.autopia.org/forum/autopia...ml#post1474865

[spotter]

never mind...you have already responded to my question somewhere else...thank you.