I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on steering wheel replacement __
I don’t like the standard steering wheel on my 2015 ND .Too big , too thin rimmed and too slippy . In the days before multi functional wheels festooned in buttons I always had a Momo Veloce wheel on my cars . I fancy a Momo Prototipo on my MX5
Thinking about it , the only control I really use on my wheel is the volume control. I occasionally flick through the mpg/average speed read out but never use cruise control or the phone. The volume has another control which just leaves the read out control .
Anyone put on a new wheel? Any issue with insurance , as effectively I am deleting an airbag ? Any ideas on replicating read out control elsewhere ?
Nothing too technical- I struggle to wire a plug - but general views, especially those informed by experience are welcome .
I don’t think you can do this. Removing an original equipment airbag is an MoT major defect and therefore an immediate fail.
From Mot tester’s manual:
7.1.5. Airbags
This inspection is for all airbags fitted as original equipment other than on Class 3 vehicles.
A passenger airbag that is switched off is not a defect.
Just swap wheels before and after MOT. Job done. Fit what you like then.
I assume you’ll get a dash warming light if it doesn’t see the stock wheel tho, I haven’t looked but it’s bound to happen.
I went with Royal Sterling Wheels. Mainly so I retained SWC functionality (cruise control etc) but also to alleviate insurance and MOT issues. I did consider having two wheels to swap at MOT time, you can get a resistor to trick airbag sensor into thinking it’s still connected. However, God forbid that you get involved in an incident/accident, the insurance may not like the idea of an airbag delete. I did tell my insurers the wheel had been recovered and they were fine about it
Insurance will cover you removing the stock wheel as long as you tell them. It’s simply one of the things they class as a modification. They class anything as a modification tho, even fitting a different aerial is a modification.
As for safety issues of having no airbag, there isn’t one on my motorbike Make your own decision if you’re happy to ‘risk it’.
My Seven didn’t have one either- but that was legal and not an MOT fail . If removing the bag would fail an MoT I am not even considering it . Thanks all for the thoughts - some links to check out now - but no wooden ones thanks- bit retro for my taste .
I had a spacer but it drove me mad having to take my hand off the wheel to reach the stalks. I’ve found a US seller of telescopic steering columns for about £200 do that’s my next plan.
Whilst the steering column on the ND1 is only adjustable for “rake” on the ND2 it is adjustable for “reach” as well, not a heck of a lot, but it does help,
Ludicrously expensive compared to the cost of of a “normal” spacer for an aftermarket wheel, but it allowed me to get the wheel as close as I wanted when I had the seat back where I wanted the seat base to be
Look up 5 posts. You will see I already said about the telescopic column. You can get one delivered for circa £200 from USA. Over here they are £684 I priced one up.
You only have so so half of the column.
When I called Mazda they priced it but when I said I was fitting it to a ND1 they refused to sell it to me saying it wouldn’t be legal because it changes the cars type approval, so if you do go that route lie and say you have an ND2 already and need to replace the thing after a shunt.
Look up 2 posts before you mentioned steering columns. You will see my custom steering wheel (which I fitted with a spacer) has Racing Orange stitching and a Racing Orange stripe…
Make your own decision if you’re happy to ‘risk it’.
