Quick question re QR wheel

[Richard_420R]

Hi - what are people doing when replacing their SVA wheel on the QR boss?  Do you unscrew the QR mount and move to the new steering wheel?  I can't find just the wheel-side component on the Caterham site and ideally I'd want two interchangeable steering wheels rather than reattaching the mount.  Does somewhere supply the correct mounting for the Caterham QR Boss?

Cheers, Rich. 

[Geoff Brown]

The hideous SVA wheel comes with its own upper steering column. You will need to change back to your top column which will allow the fit of the QR or any other steering wheel.

Well that is the way it happened for me. I could not get the SVA wheel & column off & back to CC quick enough!

[Richard_420R]

Maybe I'm being dense but why do I need to take off the top of the column?  I have a QR boss currently so can't it just be moved to a new wheel?

[ScottR400D]

Yes, I should think so. I have two wheels both with QR. 

One is on the Momo that came with the car, the other I had to buy from CC which came with a now spare upper steering column, because the standard Lifeline QR has the holes positioned differently to CC for no reason I could figure out. 

Part number 30S043A

[Richard_420R]

Thanks Scott - so did you need to buy that part to simply get a new steering wheel boss or did you have to actually change the upper part of the column?  

[ScottR400D]

My son drives the car a lot. He’s taller than me. He likes the original wheel, 260mm I think. I prefer another with a flat top. 

I bought a new QR, which only comes with the upper column, fitted the QR to the new wheel and the wheels are now interchangeable. 

The new column remains unused after 5 years.......

[Richard_420R]

Okay great makes sense.  For info, do you need to fit the old wheel for MOTs or is it just the original SVA that require it. 

[ScottR400D]

I’m not sure what is meant by IVA wheel. Mine was IVA’d with a padded wheel loaned by CC that went on to the QR boss. After IVA the original, non padded, wheel was refitted. Same boss and column. 

I think there’s a lot of confusion caused by old and new IVA requirements concerning steering locks and whether they’re needed or not (the upper column is different for them). I understand they used to be needed for IVA but haven’t been for some time now. 

Either of the non padded Momos has been used for MOT, no problems. 

[Paul Richards]

Do you really want two steering wheels? You don't need any special padded wheel for MOT. 

[Billy.Whizz]

According to CC they recently told me that they have to fit the padded wheel for the test.

[ScottR400D]

They’ve had to fit the padded wheel for a long time. My car was iva’d in 2015, they did that then. 

 

[7 wonders of the world]

I asked the IVA tech line regarding the padded centre for the Momo.....

their reply was it was necessary in order to protect my head in the event of collision....

....I pointed out that since I had 6 point harnesses that if my head was to contact the padded area then my head would no longer be attached to my body....

..there was a long pause

[Richard_420R]

Well indeed - was thinking the same re my 4-point - although I guess there is some logic given most cars, and many Caterhams, have inertia belts.

Seems easier and cheaper to just switch the QR gubbins from wheel 1 to 2 then and not bother with a separate QR boss + column.

Thanks all - anyone have issues with the Momo suede rims and racing gloves?  Suede feels great and grippy with bare hands but not always ideal with gloves. 

[Paul Richards]

Padding for IVA but not MOT. Once IVA'd ditch the padded wheel.