Remembering how out of hand the door lever debate got I thought I would ask another.
For those with the right type of steering wheel you will notice the spokes are set at an angle.
Should these be pointing up or down?
My opinion is down so it leaves more space at the top to see the speedo

Damian

Uh oh - here we go again

Depends a bit on how you hold the wheel. I tend to hold it with my hands in the 10 to 2 position (palms down), so the spokes are more comfortable if they point downward. I've noticed many Europeans hold the wheel with their hands in the 20 to 4 position (palms up) so the spokes will be more comfortable pointing upward.

With only a relatively small speedo directly in front, it probably makes little difference which way the wheel is mounted.

When all is said and done, in an Italian car who looks at the speedo anyway

Chris

Definitely down, up would look just wrong.

Vitesse said:

Definitely down, up would look just wrong.

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Personally, as I am not a purist I like my steering wheel. There is another reason here though, a smaller diameter wheel allows my legs to fit underneath the wheel and getting in and out is easier.

Cheers
Hugh Jarce

Vitesse said:

Definitely down, up would look just wrong.

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You know what, I've just looked at mine up and down and you're right. Up looks wrong and down looks right. I don't know why it just does

Oh No!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Down is definitely correct!

Mine points down and you're right, it looks correct that way, though you'll always find a photo somewhere of one mounted the other way.

Another one of the mysteries of the Universe solved - now I know how Isaac Newton must have felt

Chris

Maybe it depends on what side of the world you are?


The 500D uso e manutenzione shows it to be down.

Franko500 said:

Maybe it depends on what side of the world you are?

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The article I took the photograph came from was published in November 1965 in Car which I think is a UK magazine. Maybe they had an Oz editor at the time

Chris

Bambino said:

The article I took the photograph came from was published in November 1965 in Car which I think is a UK magazine. Maybe they had an Oz editor at the time

Chris

Click to expand...

Yeah but Chris who is to say the wheels are pointing straight ahead in that picture. I could get my steering wheel to look like that.

I like the comment at the bottom of that picture. I am not sure if it is referring to cheeky bottoms or not?

I made a particularly good job of rubbing down the rear quarters of my little Fiat; when doing it I almost forgot he's a boy. But he does have a very pert bottom.
I am almost sure the steering wheel needs to be a particular way up for the self-cancelling to work on the indicators. If so, I am baffled how I seem to have it the wrong way. I will get a look at it tomorrow.
I have checked and my wheel has never been detached from the column. Spokes point upwards (I accept this is wrong:bang and the pinch bolt at the steering box is exactly at the top position. It would make sense that this will be more accessible in the bottom position when the spokes point down.
In the present position using the indicator stalk is a bit fiddly and I'm not sure the indicator does self cancel. I haven't been able to use the car enough to get really familiar as I still await confirmation of the reg. number before it is legal to drive it.

So now I have the wheel the "right" way up but can anyone say if this gap between the stalk assembly and the wheel is right...it doesn't look right. If so, how to shift it?

Peter,
after restoring my column I found that if you have that kind of gap between the column and the boss of the steering wheel, then the horn wont work as the contacts aren't touching. there is no adjustment on the column bolt to move it further up the column (only tilt up and down).
Therefore the only way is to slacken the pinch bolt on the column/steering box shaft and push the column further down on the shaft.

What I just worked out are two things.
1. There is a little bit of wiggle room where the lower pinch bolt goes through the cutaway in the input shaft of the steering box.
2. The elongated holes in the bracket for the top support of the column allow you to push the indicator/light stalk assembly upwards toward the wheel. But I think you have to have the nylon activators for self cancelling just in the right place.
All is sweet now and I think it confirms that the wheel has to be spokes down for indicators to be automatically cancelled after a turn....but I'm not sure.

how do you sleep at night?:shrug:

You have bugged me now. I am going to have to go out in the cold garage and have a look.

Tony, don' t torture yourself!
PS. Do you have a little blue cover over Luigi for the winter? Just ordered one from VDL as well as some tailored mats.? Pics as soon as I get them.

Too Late.
I had exactly the same issue originally and it was the pinch bolt at the bottom of the shaft that was causing it. It felt like it was secure until one day I got in the car and pulled the steering wheel upwards and it move up about a 1cm. The pinch bolt wasn't going through the cutout in the shaft it was just tightening across the splines.

Yes Luigi is tucked up in bed, he is living under a breathable blue indoor cover I used to have for the Triumph. Yeah I need some mats, so will be interested to see.

I do have one little job left to do. As I had some spare cash and treated myself. All will be revealed soon!!!!!