Nicole

IMHO, most aftermarket wheels would look best on a computer game console, but not in a 928.

The 928 is a car that has been 'designed' for purpose - most aftermarket wheels have been 'styled' to attract the eye with "action" like effects - kind of like the overstyled running shoes we see nowadays. Rarely do those aftermarket steering wheels correspond to the rest of the 928 interior.

However, that does not mean all factory wheels do and look great. In fact, there are lots of standard wheels that are not particularly attractive.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and to me, simple, well thought through things are the most beautiful. The rest is not really my cup of tea...

Nicole

In the late 70ies they crash tested steering wheels of a variety of production cars in Europe. They positioned the dummy as if it would sit in the car that the wheel came out of. What they found was that the dummy rarely touched the rim of the wheel, but very often hit the hub area with the forehead. Of course, drivers' height and distance from the wheel can be a factor in this.

By far the best - I repeat: by far - was the wheel of the Citroen CX. This was a one-spoke wheels where the hub was recessed very far in. It was padded rather softly. This was the ONLY wheel they tested where the deceleration of the dummy head was in the non-critical range of under 80g. (The Citroen CX was introduced in 1973. Here are some pictures of the interior)




The heavily upholstered Mercedes wheel was already considered life threatening. Most others were even worse, with decelerations of way above 200g - which would most certainly result in severe brain injury.

Shortly after the test, Mercedes changed their steering wheels to a more "bucket"-like shape, and kept this style until the airbags came out.

In case someone cannot imagine what 80g means, picture it that way:

Right now, you are subject to forces that pull you towards the ground at 1g. In this scenario, the pressure you put on the ground equals to your weight - say, 150 pounds.

If someone hits the brakes hard on a Porsche, it will decelerate at approximately 1g. This means, the safety belt, or your arms, will have to push you back into the seat, and the force they are subjected to equals your weight at 1g, which is 150 pounds.

Next scenario, your car hits a hard object at 35mph. In the impact, the front of your car crumples, stopping the car within about 2 Feet. The resulting deceleration is usually somewhere in the 20-30g range, with short spikes much higher. Also, it can be higher on vehicles with steel frame - because steel frames don't crumple as well.

During this deceleration, your body keeps moving at 35mph, until the safety belts or airbags stop it. On average, the force you put on the safety belts would be 20-30 times your weight, or between 3,000 and 4,500 pounds. Not something you could hold back with your arms, could you?

Since there is no belt for your head, your head will continue to swing forward, while your body is held back by the belt. In this swinging motion, the head will often clear the top of the steering wheel's rim and has a great chance of hitting the hub or top spokes. Depending on how soft the hub area is, your head will decelerate from 35mph to 0 in 1/2 inch, or less. The less cushioning, the higher the deceleration and the risk of rupturing blood vessels in your brain.

Guys, this is not fun and games - this is very serious stuff! If you not only want to survive a potential accident, but walk away without major injury, take this into consideration. It is one thing to have a "cool" looking steering wheel, but it's another to have brain injury and depend on 24/7 care for the rest of your life. The money you might get from a lawsuit will not restore your health...

PS: How many of you pull your belt tight every now and then while you drive? How many take off their thick soft jackets for driving in the winter? How often does an impact come exactly from the front, not at an angle? These are all factors that could allow your body to move forward futher or more at an angle than under optimal crash test conditions.

redidrum

Nicole and All that helped,

I'll go the safest and cheapest route and keep my Lovely Blue Leather Stock wheel. Put a new picture of me holding a football. That is me before the Momo/ Schmomo/ New Wheel. Don't want to mess with the handsomeness!

I got caught in a lightning storm last night and my Shark turned into this Yellow thing. 914ish type mobile.

Thanks,

Ron

Nicole

Note that I did not write the 928 steering wheel designs are particularly safe...

blau928

Hi Nicole,

I have to sy that I actually adjust my regular belt constantly, and when I go for "Sunday Drives," I strap in with the 5 point harness.... No helmet on the street though, just on the track....

Now I need to find one (5 pointer) for Luna......

Know what you mean about the safety thing.... Ich hab ein test bei Auto Motor und Sport gesehen auf der TV, ganz anders wie Amerika... (Entschuldigung, warum mein Deutsch is nicht so gut)

Tschus..

Nicole

Yes, it was Auto Motor und Sport that did the steering wheel test. They are very independent and test all kinds of stuff down to the little detail. They do regular feature tests on child seats, summer tires, winter tires, navigation systems,... - you name it, they test it. And testing in their case means scientific testing. Most of the editors there are engineers, and they work with reputable organizations like TÜV and DEKRA to conduct these tests.

Until the European Union started their own crash testing, they crashed all kinds of cars - it was very interesting to learn what did well.

The biggest scandal ever was a minivan with the Opel badge, that was essentially a Pontiac TransSport. It was the worst vehicle they ever tested - the passenger zone just collapsed from the impact, mangleing the dummy's legs. They interviewed a high ranking General Motors Manager, who insisted that the vehicle met all legal requirements and Germany no longer sets the standards for automotive design. Guess what happened to the market share of Opel in Germany...

jserio

How I wish I had a better picture. This momo is hot.

Joe F

Here's what's in my '83 Euro S. Probably not very safe, politically correct or practical, but I like it. Cheers

Chuck Schreiber

Ditto for me,

But I like mine as well.

Joe Dyer

MOMO Jet...

Barry Johnson

Man, Joe, that interior looks good What gauges are those?

Joe Dyer

Barry,

Supercharger gauges, booste, lean/rich, water temp, engine oil temp, transmission oil temp, air temp before intercooler, air temp after intercooler.

My car is referred to as "the other white car". Marc and Susan are almost done rebuilding it after an engine fire and cracked cylinder. New factory block, crank, pistons, etc... I should have it back in the next few weeks. I can't wait.

Nicole

Hi Joe:

Did you get it stroked at the same time?

Joe Dyer

Nicole,

No, it won't be stroked. Funds keep me from going all the way

Gretch

930 wheel example