Steering-wheel renovation

Expert tips for the renovation of Steering Wheel

Steering-wheel renovation

Fenice technology can be used to renew any type of leather or plastic steering wheel quickly.

This can be done inside a car, or after removing the steering wheel for greater simplicity.

Clicking on each step below, you will find a more detailed explanation of what to do to renovate a Steering Wheel (we recommend following the instructions closely and reading the descriptions of each product.)

Lean and degrease the steering wheel thoroughly to ensure lasting results

Step 1: Cleaning & Degreasing

A. Remove surface dirt by cleaning the steering wheel with a Stain Eraser Sponge soaked in Power Cleaner diluted with water, rubbing with circular motions. Remove any excess product with an absorbent paper towel or clean, dry cloth and leave to dry.

Clean and degrease the steering wheel thoroughly to ensure lasting results. Spray a thick coat of Leather & Textile Degreaser on any greasy area and leave to work for at least 4 hours. The white powder produced will absorb any remaining grease from the leather. Do not dry with a heat source, as this will inhibit degreasing. Remove the powder from the leather using a vacuum cleaner with a soft tip and then use a dry sponge.

B. Use Deep Cleaner F to clean the steering wheel and improve adhesion. Apply the product with a clean, absorbent paper towel or cloth, throwing them away when soiled. Clean the steering wheel with Power Cleaner to remove any excess residue.

A. Power Cleaner + Leather & Textile Degreaser (if necessary)

B. Deep Cleaner F

Fill in deep cracks and heavily worn areas using Mender

Step 2: Repairing Scratches to Ensure a Smooth, Even Surface

A. Mender is a white paste used to fill in deep cracks in worn areas. Mender may be mixed with up to 10% matching (or slightly darker) Touch Up Pigment to achieve better coverage of the repair to be done. Apply gently using a spatula or rigid plastic card to fill deep cracks and holes without leaving any excess product on the leather surface. Leave to dry naturally for at least 4 hours, or overnight if possible. Avoid drying with a heat source, as this reduces product performance and adhesion.

Once dry, lightly rub with 400-800 sand paper to smooth out the finished surface. Remove any dust particles with a clean cloth or a soft-tipped vacuum cleaner. Repeat if necessary.

A. Mender

Ensuring Adhesion & painting the steering wheel

Step 3: Ensuring Adhesion & painting the steering wheel

A. For better adhesion, you may use the water-based Adhesion Promoter mixed with 7-8% Eco-Crosslinker or 1-3% Crosslinker AZ5. The more powerful, solvent-based Extra Adhesion may also be used, but it’s less environmentally friendly than the water-based solution. Use masking tape to cover any part of the steering wheel not to be painted. Spray on to create a light coat. Dry with a professional heat gun.

B. Apply Texturing by spraying in light, multiple coats to reproduce the original leather grain and plastic finishing of car interiors that have been worn by daily use. Leave to air dry.

C. Paint as required. Mix the color by choosing the matching tones of Touch Up Pigment. Mix Touch Up Pigment with 3-5% Color Bonder to confer exceptional adhesion to even the most difficult surfaces. Color Bonder is an impregnation agent that greatly improves adhesion!

A – Use one of the following combinations:

Adhesion Promoter (water-based product) + 8% Eco Crosslinker or 3% Crosslinker AZ5
Extra Adhesion (solvent-based product) without crosslinker
Plastic Primer S, for steering wheels without a leather cover

B – Texturing

C – Touch Up Pigment + Color Bonder

Sealing and protecting the steering wheel

Step 4: Sealing and Protecting the Steering Wheel

Application of a top coat is the final step in protecting leather. It protects against any color transfer and restores all its original physical properties. Examine the leather and decide the level of sheen desired in the final finish. Top Coat Matte and Top Coat Gloss can both be mixed in any ratio. Remember that a matte finish hides defects better and lends a more natural look and is now standard in car interiors. A quantity of Eco-Crosslinker equal to 8% of the total of the top coat mixture, or 3% of Crosslinker AZ5, must be added to ensure that the original physical properties are restored. All top-coat mixtures containing crosslinkers must be used within 8 hours. Select the sheen required, mixing the two top coats if necessary, to obtain the feel desired by adding a maximum of 3% of FM Slip Additive (feel modifier – silky hand) or FM Non-Slip Additive (feel modifier – waxy hand). To give the leather a natural scent, add Leather Additive Fragrance in a quantity of up to 0.3% of the total weight of the final mix. Spray a coat of the mixture onto the steering wheel. Use a professional heat gun to speed up drying. Repeat. Rub resistance may be checked after 48 hours by rubbing a wet, white cloth on the leather when dry and inspecting for any color transfer.

A. Top Coat Gloss or Top Coat Matte + Eco-Crosslinker or Crosslinker AZ5 + FM Slip or Non-Slip Additive (feel modifiers) + Leather Additive Fragrance (a perfumed essence to give leather a natural scent).