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No issues when removing B from my alcantara wheel. Had to cut and remove many times to get it right. Very easy to remove without damaging the alcantara.
The gaffer tape was beginning to fade and look worn, and while I could have replaced it with gaffer's tape again, decided to use a vinyl wrap as the marker. I think it looks cleaner and does not look like cloth tape. Got the idea from the GT3 forum.
Its mostly for racing applications as it helps you identify slip angles. As tires wear, the relationship between steering angle and direction recedes, and the centering stripe helps you see this wear. It's also very valuable when you are sliding sideways, or recovering from a spin, and you've been sawing the wheel back and forth or shuffle steering...and just before you are about the get some traction back you realize you might not be pointed where you think you are. It also makes it easier to see movement of the steering wheel on video.
What was the process for applying the vinyl wrap to the leather wheel?
I cut a piece 15mm X 110mm. Wrap it around to the position you like, use a trim tool or your fingernail to tuck in the edges. Using some heat from a hairdryer set on low will help shape the vinyl as you tuck in the edges. I put the vinyl over the existing gaffers tape to give it a meatier look, but I guess you can get the same effect by putting on layers of the vinyl as well.
What is the point of this? People can't tell where the steering wheel is pointing without the red tape?
I haven't seen the correct reply to this question yet - so here it is. The only ones that routinely mark their steering wheels like this are Rallye car drivers, because they are sawing the wheel back and forth violently in sections and it gives them a quick visual of where their wheels are in relation to the ground - helpful when sideways over jumps..
That's also why they paint the stripe on the hood - to assist in orientation in which way the car is pointed, hence the term "Rallye Stripe"
Here's the interior of Sébastien Ogier's championship VW Rallye car, for example.
I thought it would be fun to try this. I don’t have any color in my interior other than black leather and aluminum accents. As such, I went with 3M 1080 vinyl in white aluminum. It accents the interior very subtly, and now I’m prepared for those rallye’s on 485 during rush hour.
Was itching to have a bit of yellow in my interior. Thanks to this thread, I was able to do so quickly and easily, without having to remove my steering wheel or be without my car for any period of time.
This is done with the 1/2” JVCC stage tape purchased via Amazon.
Either the tape or the stitching on my wheel is a bit crooked, so I will need to tweak it a bit, but that’s mostly because I’m very particular.
I haven't seen the correct reply to this question yet - so here it is. The only ones that routinely mark their steering wheels like this are Rallye car drivers, because they are sawing the wheel back and forth violently in sections and it gives them a quick visual of where their wheels are in relation to the ground - helpful when sideways over jumps..
That's also why they paint the stripe on the hood - to assist in orientation in which way the car is pointed, hence the term "Rallye Stripe"
Here's the interior of Sébastien Ogier's championship VW Rallye car, for example.
Doc, in addition to your great explanation, is it/ was it also for help in the pits so drivers and crew know the steering wheel orientation?