UPDATED SEP 16, 2025. We've developed several styles of DIY wrap kits using high quality American veg-tan leather. In this post we share tips and tricks for using these wrap kits to cover steering wheels, plus share some of our customer photos and stories.
Disclaimer
Steering wheels come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, so there is no one-size-fits-all solution for leather wraps. Installers will need to get crafty to adapt DIY kits for their projects. Oftentimes wheels are very unusual shapes, with variable circumferences and multiple spokes and they can be tricky.
Our products have not been designed or tested as vehicle safety equipment. Use at your own risk.
Jump to Section
About Our DIY Leather Wrap Kits
We make several styles of leather wraps that can be used as DIY kits on just about any kind of bar, rail, or handle. We're best-known for our highest quality leather, which weathers well (indoors or out!) and gains a beautiful patina with time and use.
To learn more about the qualities of our leather and how they can be used to wrap nearly anything (!), please read our blog post:
DIY Tips for Wrapping Wheels
Be sure to watch the installation video for any wrap style you're considering using. The video is in the product description of each product page.
For repurposing, there are some DIY skills you may need when wrapping a wheel with its spokes:
- Cutting the ends
- Connecting straps
- Finishing the ends
Check our DIY tutorials to learn how:
Leather Wrap Styles Used on Steering Wheels
Coil-on
This is the style we recommend for the easiest and most universal solution for steering wheels. Our coil-on style, similar to bicycle handlebar tape, comes in two different kinds of kits: Oswego Leather Wrap or Coil Leather Bar Wraps.
Available in our 4 standard leather colors, both wraps are straps of the same leather and 1.25" width the lengths and accessories are different. The length of the strap is limited to the length of a cow hide, which is variable. But the ends can be easily attached together to make a longer length.
- The Oswego Leather Wrap comes with one strap from the longest part of the hide, at least 80" long (and longer if the hide allows), two leather "cuffs" to cover transition points, and leather staples. The staples are for closing the leather cuff but can also be used to connect two lengths together. We recommend ordering two sets to be sure you have enough length to cover the entire wheel. (If you don't use the second kit, you can return it!)
- The Coil Leather Bar Wraps were designed for bicycle handlebars, so they come with two straps that are slightly shorter, at least 72" long each. Our customers report that one strap is not long enough for one steering wheel and will need to be connected to each other for an extra-long length. We recommend ordering one set with an extra set of leather staples OR needle and waxed thread stitch kit (sold separately), which can be used to connect the two straps together if needed.
Customer Installation Stories: Coil-on
Customers Tammy and Eric shared photos from their steering wheel installations using the Coil Leather Wraps:
Customer Kristina shared her tips and tricks after installing the Coil Leather Wraps on her Land Cruiser named "Doug":
Customer Story: Kristina
Pictures attached of the finished product!! Looks awesome!! It was a nice satisfying project :)
Overall the installation went smoothly. We took off the steering wheel cover off the center, that helped to make sure that it is tightly in there.
The tricky bit was covering around the spokes of the wheel. I cut some strips and taped them with electrical tape in the opposite direction of the wrap. It took a bit of finesse to get the angle correct so that there was enough coverage. I ended up wrapping the steering wheel 3x to get it right!
About 3-4 inches left over...just right!
Steering wheel is 16" in diameter and the thickness is less than 1".
I also measured a .5" overlap, I wanted it pretty wide overlap as we wanted it to feel thicker!
Sew-on
Sew-on bar wraps have a clean look on bicycle handlebars, but on steering wheels they can be really tricky to design and install.
The ideal bar for a sew-on wrap has has a uniform circumference and no spokes. But car steering wheels often have multiple spoke connections and variable thicknesses, such as where they get larger in the 10 and 2 hand positions.
Our bicycle Sew-on Bar Wraps are designed for a uniform 1" circumference and our City Grips were designed for a uniform 7/8" circumference.
We can make custom sew-on grips if given a length and a circumference, but variable circumferences and spokes are too complex.
If the circumference is only slightly variable, then small gaps can be covered with the stitching itself, as shown in this photo below (on bicycle handlebars).
Customer Installation Stories: Sew-on
Customer Pablo thought our City Grip was the perfect solution for the emergency brake in his 1967 Karmann Ghia, as shown in the photos below on the right. Our City Grip it has a uniform 7/8" circumference (a simple bar) but we can made it in a custom size to fit his e-brake.
Braid-on
We only recommend our Bullwhip Braided Leather Wrap Kit on steering wheels for folks that are crafty and comfortable with DIY installations!
It has been done, but the braiding plus the spokes can be tricky.
As shown in our installation video, our bicycle braided bar wraps kit comes with a sew-on section mid-way to cover the gap where the brake levers go. For a custom installation, we can make a set without the sew-on section. (To order, contact us.) The installer will need to anchor the ends down with electrical tape rather than the sew-on section shown in the installation video.
Customer Installation Stories: Braid-on
Customer Kendra did a great job installing the braided leather bar wraps on the steering wheel in her pickup truck:
Last Thoughts
Leftover wraps are great for tennis rackets, wheelbarrow handles, rakes, hammers, bicycle chainstay guards, gardening tools, axe handles, or brooms.
Ask us if you have any questions about your project! We offer Free Design Advice on our products, and can do Custom Work.
What do you think about wrapping your steering wheel in American made high quality leather? Let us know in the comments below!
Leave a comment (all fields required)