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heated steering wheel

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Matt R

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I was thinking of fabricating one of these to go with my seat heaters. I have a wheel skins cover so it'd be pretty easy to install, just some wires. Where could I find something like this?
 
Matt R said:
I was thinking of fabricating one of these to go with my seat heaters. I have a wheel skins cover so it'd be pretty easy to install, just some wires. Where could I find something like this?
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any way you can get some of that heated matt from the heated seats, and wrap it in key locations where you'd normally put your hands. You wouldn't need very much at all, and you'd have to make sure you route the wiring so it doesn't get all tangled up when turning.
 
I know that with the controls on the steering wheels and the airbag wiring there is that flat wiring thats like green and has a copper strip in it, like whats used on computers. and then it's in a spiral behind the steering wheel. I think the easiest way would be to find some type of mini hand warmer that runs on watch batteries.

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its called a clock spring. im sure he doesnt want to be replacing batteries every other day so the little hand warmers is out. the only way to get wiring to the steering wheel is via the clock spring. the problem is that it only has so many wires in it, enough for the airbag, horn, and cruis control buttons. obviously you dont want to lose the horn or the airbag. the cruis control could be rewired with new switches mounted elsewhere (not on the steering wheel) and then some of the wires in the clock spring originally for the cruise could be used for the heater element. depending on how many wires are needed you might be able to get buy with just moving the on/off buttons to something near the headlight switch. that would allow you to keep your set/resume/decel buttons on the wheel.

edit: depending on the wiring for the heater you might be able to use the on/off buttons on the steering wheel for it if the original switches are in series:shrug:



i agree that a heated wheel would be nice but it just doesnt seem worth all the trouble of rewiring the cruise buttons for it.
 
I actually would just run some wiring along the bottom plastic of the steering wheel; it'd be out of sight to me. I guess a seat heater would work, but there is far too much of it, and I can't justify buying a (now) $100 seat heater to cut up for a couple strips.

I just need some heating element wires... that won't set anything on fire. I'd prolly wire them up with the seat heater switch so they'd both come on at once.
 
Matt R said:
I actually would just run some wiring along the bottom plastic of the steering wheel; it'd be out of sight to me. I guess a seat heater would work, but there is far too much of it, and I can't justify buying a (now) $100 seat heater to cut up for a couple strips.

I just need some heating element wires... that won't set anything on fire. I'd prolly wire them up with the seat heater switch so they'd both come on at once.
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the problem with just running the wires up under the column like that is that when you turn the wheel it will snag/cut/break/bind/etc. the whole purpose of the clock spring is to get power to the wheel and still allow it to turn lock-to-lock.
 
Matt R said:
I was thinking of fabricating one of these to go with my seat heaters. I have a wheel skins cover so it'd be pretty easy to install, just some wires. Where could I find something like this?
Click to expand...

If you need some inspiration or schematics... I just bought my brother's 2004 Maxima from him. It has a heated leather steering wheel. I'll tell what, that thing is great when I was home in Michigan / Montreal this past Christmas.
 
The new GMC Yukon's have them. Also some of the new Buick's too. I would just check into getting the hardware from one of these manufacturers and using it in your car.:shrug:
 
cnewton44 said:
The new GMC Yukon's have them. Also some of the new Buick's too. I would just check into getting the hardware from one of these manufacturers and using it in your car.:shrug:
Click to expand...

The heating wires are probably integrated right into the steering wheel. As said above, I don't think it's worth the trouble. I forgot it's more complicated than just running a wire to the wheel.
 
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