Steering Wheel Size - feel the difference?

[AdC]

I'd like to replace my 270mm Alpha leather steering wheel with a suede one, and was wondering whether a 10mm diameter increase would appreciably lighten my steering (something I'd like). I know in principle it will, but if anyone has done this and can comment on whether it can be felt, it would be appreciated. Or do I have to go bigger still to get a lighter feel?

 

Thanks.

[Jonathan Kay]

It will lighten the force by 3.7%.

 

What rack do you have?

 

What sort of driving do you do, and when does it feel heavy?

 

Any... thigh clearance issues?

 

Jonathan

 

Edited by - Jonathan Kay on 10 Aug 2014 20:01:32

[Golf Juliet Tango]

I can only comment on swapping the wheel on my 21.

I dropped a size (10mm) to obtain better kneeroom as I got in and out. Sterring became too heavy (for me) and I swapped back. That said the wheel on my Seven is smaller and the steering is great.

So the difference between the 15" 205 tyres of the 21 and the 13" 185 of the Seven makes a huge difference (plus a bit more weight)

[AdC]

Thanks chaps.

 

JK - No thigh issues, I'm not sure what rack I have (it's a JW fireblade and the invoice says STD FB with a part number 'ST46'). My driving is spirited, steering is heavier than I'd like all the time, tyres are 185/60 13 A048's (about to be replaced with ZZR's). I'd just like it 'daintier'. Do you think 3.7% can be felt 'in the real world'?

 

GJT - thanks. Okay, so 10mm does make a difference in feel, albeit in a 21. The principle should carry across to the 7, I assume?

[myothercarsa2cv]

270mm should be fine. What's your camber/caster/toe like? Ball joints and bearings and rack moving freely? Do you need to do some weights? I'd suspect something else if it's too heavy. Steering on mine barely changed despite dropping from the Motolita to the Momo and that has to be a good 30mm difference. Just to add... You do notice it at slow speeds but it's still not that arduous.

 

Edited by - myothercarsa2cv on 11 Aug 2014 00:23:25

[AdC]

Thanks moca2cv. It's not a 'problem' that's recently occurred - it's always been like that, meatier than I would have thought, although I wouldn't be surprised if anyone would drive it and say "nope, that's normal!".

 

It's just that as I'm striving for a 'dainty' drive, would like to change to a suede wheel anyway, I just wondered about choosing a bigger wheel, but only if it would make a difference I could genuinely feel. I'm afraid I haven't a clue what my camber, caster, toe-in settings are - the front tyres all seem unifomly worn, and my eyeball can't detect any 'severe' settings. The car's in for its MOT next week at JW's so I can ask him to have a look at those settings.

 

Bit disappointing you say you can't feel the difference dropping 30mm, except at low speed.

[myothercarsa2cv]

I should add that I swapped when I was a rower so that might have something to do with it. Everything's heavy now

[SLR No.77]

In the last 15 years I've periodically swapped between 260mm and 280mm wheels .... for general road use my choice would be the 280mm which is what I'm currently using. The difference in weight is quite noticeable (7.7%) particularly at low speed.

 

Stu.