The steering wheel on my '87 745Ti is huge compared to the 240 wheel I'm used to. Will a 240 wheel fit a 700? Is there a smaller diameter wheel available from the other 7 or 9 series? There is no airbag.

Thanks,

Mark

Mark,

I measured both my smaller and original steering wheels last night. Here's exactly what I come up with:

* Smaller -- 14.75" or 375mm OD (a little over 1" smaller)

* Original - 15.825" or 402mm OD

The Volvo part numbers stamped on the smaller items are:

* Non-leather steering wheel --- 1273884

* Non-leather centre crash pad - 1273885

Now I don't have a part number for the leather version steering wheel (it looks exactly like the non-leather one but has leather in the grip area and part way up the 4 spokes). However I do have the part number for the leather crash pad:

* Leather centre crash pad - 1330548

You can get a quality leather cover for the smaller wheel from either Volvo or the aftermarket like Wheelskins. The nicer ones are the ones that stitch up around the inner diameter of the wheel. Part numbers are:

* Volvo leather cover - 1128963-4

* Wheelskins leather cover - AX (fits 14.5"-15.5" x 3.25"-3.5")

Obviously other options for smaller aftermarket steering wheels also exist ... but I've kept my focus to Volvo OEM steering wheels for the luxury OEM look. For all others you'll also need to check for adapter availability as well.

Try checking Ebay, or Volvo meets, or the autowreckers. Prices for these items new today from Volvo are quite prohibitive. They would have been an upgrade option back then. I managed to get my non-leather wheel and centre crash pad which were both used in excellent shape for $60 CDN. These items new from Volvo are $500 CDN for the wheel and $105 CDN for the pad ... and the leather pad is an amazing $206 CDN ... unbelievable, eh! I managed to get the leather pad, plus some interior trim pieces and a box full of 30 or so relays pulled from several Volvos all for only $25. Lucky day ... too bad about the leather wheel as it was left sitting out in the sun and rain in a wrecked car with no windshield. But if you're patient and look around, you too may luck into an expensive Volvo luxury option for a fraction of it's true value. Good hunting and good luck!

Wil - '89 745Ti

I'd like to change my 86 wagons huge steering wheel to something smaller. I spotted a 740 Turbo (89?) in the wrecking yard with an airbag wheel on it. It was smaller in diameter than my non-airbag model and had a thicker grip. Exactly what I need but two questions arise. How do I get the airbag steering wheel off and will it work on my 86 non-airbag steering column? I know the airbag won't function but not worried about that as long as the horn works.

Wil,

Thank you very much. I'll print this and ad to my little Volvo info stack. Robert Bentley couldn't have done better. I agree with staying with the factory wheels. The after mkt. wheels I have seen would look like crapola.

Mark

A steering wheel from a 200 series car will not fit. There is a smaller non-airbag 700 series sterring wheel available. It's about 3/4" or so smaller, don't remember exactly, but it's definitely much nicer than the big one. I found my smaller one at a Volvo meet ... it was the non-leather version. I later found a deterioriated leather one at an autowrecker where the leather grip was rotted away but oddly the leather centre section was in perfect condition so I got it for a couple bucks. I plan on getting a leather wrap for it some day to finish it off. You might luck into the smaller leather one if you look around but they're a little harder to find in good shape than the non-leather version. Either are a direct fit ... just pop off the centre section and remove the big nut and the wheel pulls right off with no puller. Good luck!

Wil - '89 745Ti (with smaller Volvo steering wheel)