Can a Cracked Carbon Fibre Steering Wheel be Repaired (Photos Included) ??
08-22-2005, 07:55 PM
#1
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Agoura Hills (Los Angeles) California
Posts: 5,184
Received 358 Likes
on
212 Posts
Can a Cracked Carbon Fibre Steering Wheel be Repaired (Photos Included) ??
I have a 3-Spoke OEM Carbon Fibre steering wheel that has numerous cracks in the clear coat. Is there a fix for this? TIA
08-23-2005, 12:19 AM
#2
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Chuck...I haven't a clue on your question and it seems like no one else does either. Would a trip to a high end body/paint shop be out of the question?
08-23-2005, 12:34 AM
#4
Racer
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 363
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I would also like to know how they got that way. I have a factory 3 point CF wheel on each of my 993TT and Boxster, and both are perfect. Seem to be a lot of damaged ones on ebay from time to time. I wonder if they were in an accident with an impact against the wheel, or kept out in the sun a lot, or used for teething, or what.
08-23-2005, 01:00 AM
#5
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Agoura Hills (Los Angeles) California
Posts: 5,184
Received 358 Likes
on
212 Posts
Randy...Good call, I might do that.
cabrio993 & LeeR..... I picked the wheel up from a Porsche Tech. He says this is very common for CF and wood wheels. I would guess that the damage is from heat, but that is just a guess. I am tempted to lightly sand it and re-coat it myself.
cabrio993 & LeeR..... I picked the wheel up from a Porsche Tech. He says this is very common for CF and wood wheels. I would guess that the damage is from heat, but that is just a guess. I am tempted to lightly sand it and re-coat it myself.
08-23-2005, 01:07 AM
#6
Nordschleife Master
Chuck,
My CF wheel also has one crack at the top. I have no idea how it got there, since I just got the car. I'd love to know if your repair method works. Please post. BTW, my car is at the body shop now... I'll ask them for their advice.
My CF wheel also has one crack at the top. I have no idea how it got there, since I just got the car. I'd love to know if your repair method works. Please post. BTW, my car is at the body shop now... I'll ask them for their advice.
08-23-2005, 02:19 AM
#7
I got a carbon fiber wheel from Max (Max911) that had several chips in it (though not quite as cracked as those shown). I was able to repair it by first
using a very sharp surgical scalpel (perks of working with them) and carefully taking the chip down to the carbon fiber. This gives you some room to work to fill in the missing sections. I then carefully filled the areas with nitrocellulose lacquer, a little at a time. When I had a bit of excess, I carefully sanded the area flat with progessively finer sand paper, up to about 2000 grit, then polished the area out with rubbing compound. While the chips did not completely vanish, they are not nearly as noticeable and after a year or more, no changes in the repair are noticeable.
If anyone has a wheel they are ready to discard due to chips and cracks, I'd be happy to try another repair to see if the wheel can be salvaged.
There may be other materials that will also work to fill in the chips but I had good luck with the lacquer adhering to whatever finish was used. My guess is that it is some type of catalyzed finish, very commonly used today.
I had considered filling in the areas with a cyanoacrylate but had good enough success with the lacquer that I never tried it.
Hope that helps.
using a very sharp surgical scalpel (perks of working with them) and carefully taking the chip down to the carbon fiber. This gives you some room to work to fill in the missing sections. I then carefully filled the areas with nitrocellulose lacquer, a little at a time. When I had a bit of excess, I carefully sanded the area flat with progessively finer sand paper, up to about 2000 grit, then polished the area out with rubbing compound. While the chips did not completely vanish, they are not nearly as noticeable and after a year or more, no changes in the repair are noticeable.
If anyone has a wheel they are ready to discard due to chips and cracks, I'd be happy to try another repair to see if the wheel can be salvaged.
There may be other materials that will also work to fill in the chips but I had good luck with the lacquer adhering to whatever finish was used. My guess is that it is some type of catalyzed finish, very commonly used today.
I had considered filling in the areas with a cyanoacrylate but had good enough success with the lacquer that I never tried it.
Hope that helps.
