Just upgraded the standard 4 spoke steering wheel on my Focus to a tasty 3 spoke RS wheel.

I covered the original plastic..yes plastic...wheel with a leather cover from MR Steering (ebay jobbie). Had to stitch it on. In fairness it was a big improvement to the plasticy feel. I also carbon wraped the silver surrounds in a bid to make the wheel look smaller.

Discovered (cheers Lenny) that a 3 spoke wheel will fit on I got a nice RS leather wheel from a scrappie complete with airbag.

Improves the appearance of the cabin no end

Fair play... I tend to prefer the four spoke. Have it on my Ghia (although it was leather as standard)!

Thanks mate - if mine had been leather to start with prob would have left it too!!! - cant belive a car that is around 22kish euro new has a plastic steering wheel. Maybe I was had coz I never really took much notice till I had the car home - maybe all Focus Style have the plastic wheels????still its a ill wind that blew some good!!! the cabin looks a lot sportier.

Had to get a mechanic friend to fit it for me I have to admit. I didnt want to mess around with Airbags going off. - quick job, took him about 10 mins.

He used a little mirror while sitting in drivers seat to see behind the steering wheel to pop off the ring for the airbag

tricks of the trade!!!

Thanks mate - if mine had been leather to start with prob would have left it too!!! - cant belive a car that is around 22kish euro new has a plastic steering wheel. Maybe I was had coz I never really took much notice till I had the car home - maybe all Focus Style have the plastic wheels????still its a ill wind that blew some good!!! the cabin looks a lot sportier.

Had to get a mechanic friend to fit it for me I have to admit. I didnt want to mess around with Airbags going off. - quick job, took him about 10 mins.

He used a little mirror while sitting in drivers seat to see behind the steering wheel to pop off the ring for the airbag

tricks of the trade!!!

Yeah, I don't blame you for changing it - I would have too. I had no idea that they didn't do leather on certain trim levels - I'd have thought it would have been standard on all of them. Strange.

I didn't even know they ever put the 4-spoke wheel on as standard on cars that didn't have cruise control. Every Focus I've seen so far with 4-spoke wheels had cruise control, because the cruise control buttons fit into the gap between the two spokes at either side.

Looks a lot better though - a good job, and a nice find at the scrappy.

Haha, yeah, my dad's a mechanic and although I'm getting quite competent, I rarely attempt any new jobs without him at least supervising! Always good to have a mechanic in your arsenal of people you can call on - my dad's probably saved me thousands in labour and parts costs (staff discount, hehe!) over the years.

Love the RS wheel!

Cheers,

The wheel is a nice upgrade too. I had to get a steering wheel with an Airbag as the 4 spoke wheel airbags are seemingly different from the 3 spoke.

Would you believe Ford Quoted me over 600 Euro for an airbag!!!!! Madness. Picked up my "new" RS wheel with airbag for 300 all in - big investment I know, but as your hands are basically always on the wheel you might as wheel be handling a quality product.

Any lads out there with the 3 spoke standard leather wheel an upgrade to an RS or ST steering wheel should be pretty straightforward. Loads on ebay

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-FOCUS-RS-STEERING-WHEEL-/190696494553?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2c666595d9

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-Focus-ST-Genuine-Three-Spoke-Leather-Stearing-Wheel-Handbreak-Cover-/170872269844?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item27c8c7ec14

Would recommend though getting someone experienced to remove airbag - they are expensive to replace :(

the standard zetec 3 spoke wheel on the mk2 is the exact same as the rs and leather as well cant understand why you would spend 300 to have the same steering wheel? the only difference mate is the rs badge which are available of ebay for a fiver i know i have one and just compared the pictures you could have bought the 3 spoke zetec wheel for http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENUINE-FORD-FOCUS-3-SPOKE-LEATHER-STEERING-WHEEL-INC-CHROME-SPOKES-2005-2011-/360463075947?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Car+Make%3AFord|Model%3AFocus&hash=item53ed460a6b

I hear ya barkin mate!!!! Had to spend the 300 squids coz the wheel came with an Airbag.(needed a different air baggie to my own) The Airbags in a lot of cases are dearer than the steering wheels themselves. I appreciate that I could have got a cheaper standard zetec 3 spoke but I really wanted an RS or ST one....just like the stitching on it, the chunkiness of it,and has the perforated leather too.

But....piggy bank well and truly broken now

just saying theres covers that you stitch youreself and the badge altogether 50 quid or scour the scrappies as you say its the airbag thats the issue theres a guy who goes into my local scrappie with a duffle bag buying up ashtrays steering wheels switches etc cleans them then sells them on ebay for a heck of a lot more than he bought them for looking at those prices might do it maself

.........meant to say it cost €300 euro....which is about £240 ish Sterling.........

To be fair the standard Zetec and the st/rs wheel are slightly different. The st/rs do have the extra thumb grip support, which the Zetec has but is almost pointlessly small. leather grip and perforated sections where the Zetec one has just a plasticky leathery material, not even sure what it is really but not as comfy as the st one. I know this as a mate had an st and was much nicer feel to it than mine. Personally wouldn't change the wheel as the price is a bit much for a bit of comfort but everyone is different

Speaking of the badges on a three spoke wheel, does anyone know how to make the lower chrome 'accent' grip tighter on the spoke. Mines loose, and although it doesn't cause any issues at all, it's just a slight niggle that it moves!

The piece comes off in two pieces.

Remove the rear bit and glue/tape the exposed pin to tighten it.

Loving the RS wheel mate! A lovely addition to a great car B)