After market steering wheel - question for tall people

Technical Area Steering & Suspension
2

Hi all,

 

New member, won a '98 mx5 on eBay recently but know that fitting an after market wheel will make it easier for me to fit in.

 

Ive been in a few '5’s and while i could just about drive them, my knees graze the wheel. I’m 6’3 and most of my height is in my back. 

 

I’ve already looked into doing the foamectomy on the seat and have heard swapping out to a 350mm wheel will also help with the leg room. 

 

Just wondering what people’s thoughts are with dish/non-dish wheels for driving position & leg room. 

 

Cheers

3

Hey Bob, not sure about the newer, airbag wheels but in the older ones (I had a Mk1 G reg) a smaller wheel coupled to a hub which brought the wheel a couple of inches away from the dash towards you really helped with the knees.

6’ 5" in my case 

4

Hi, thanks for the response (good to know people taller than me are in them!!)

 

Was more the difference between the dished / flat wheels. If the Boss + dished wheel would potentially move it a bit too close to be a comfortable drive.

Looking at buying one, but don’t want to splash out on the wrong one, i.e. if flat > dish for tall people…

 

I’ve seen people change out the airbag whels, just have to swap back for MOT now… 

 

 

 

5

I’m also 6ft5 and put a spacer between boss and wheel on my na and it made a huge difference. room for knees to sit behind the wheel rather than on it. it does move the wheel a bit further from the indicators stalks which is middly annoying but not a show stopper. 

6

Hi, just bear in mind that the further the wheel (thinking dished here) is from the OEM mounting point, the further that indicator/ wiper stalks will be from the rim of the new wheel. Not a deal breaker but worth considering. I fitted a 9 hole MotoLita wood rim wheel to my mk1 so needed their adapter, ended up with a flat wheel, restoring the wheel rim position to OEM. In your case, a slightly smaller diameter wheel would help, possibly?

Barrie

 

EDIT: Apologies to goatboy, didn’t read your post, discussing the same issue! Barrie

7

Why not get yourself to a club night or drive and see what other owners have done to theirs.

8

Interesting ideas - I have a 2012 3.5 (NC) and I’m 6’4" and about 15st.  I fit pretty well for legroom, although the steering wheel/leg interface is a little snug. 

I was thinking of trying a smaller diameter wheel, but that looked like being difficult/expensive to do whilst retaining the air-bag, but the spacer would be a great solution, as an inch or two behind the wheel would lift it off my thighs.

$64,000 question - has anyone done this/know of it being done?  If so is there a boss out there that fits the NC? 

9

I"m 6’3" and 17 stone and just about fit in a Mk1 

A small wheel is essential - but my other tips are : 

 

remove armrest, sunvisor and clutch foot rest . 

 

These little mods make the world of difference 

10

Don’t think my wheel is necessarily smaller, but is dished on a boss and now gives clearance to left leg, I’d already taken the door pull off and replaced it with a strap (so room for right leg), and took the sagging roof liner our so wasn’t feeling the need to duck all the time. Made a world of difference as not getting out with a sore neck now!!

11

I took the clutch foot rest out and that’s made a massive difference for me!  Left leg sorted Smile

I could do with a flat panel in there now…I may have a go at “modifying” (i.e. butchering) the footrest to see if I can get something more “discrete”