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is a smaller steering wheel better?
Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 9:48 am
by stevo
i was watching the drift bible last night (xmas present

) and wondered if a smaller steering wheel would give a more responsive feel to the steering when having to turn it quick style?
IMO the standard E30 ones are quite big, although ive never tried an m-tech wheel
Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 10:38 am
by bmwe30mtech
Is it only me who actualy finds it difficult to get in the car sometimes as the wheel is so big?! I think a smaller wheel is supposed to be better as you dont have to move your arms as much etc.
Paul
Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 11:19 am
by charlE30
I've got an Mtec 1 and an Mtec 2 in my cars and would say the smaller (tec2) is more comfortable to drive with, your arms do less work so would imagine better for drifting. The people to ask are Karan or Davetouring

Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 11:57 am
by stevo
thanks for the replies fella's, sounds like a wee'r one would be better
bmwe30mtech wrote:Is it only me who actualy finds it difficult to get in the car sometimes as the wheel is so big?! I think a smaller wheel is supposed to be better as you dont have to move your arms as much etc.
Paul
only if my wife's been driving it

, i need to move the seat in her renault before i even get in it!
Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2005 6:07 am
by Zayyan
I think a smaller wheel is better simply because you move your hands a smaller distance to turn the wheel.
It makes the car feel more responsive and you can turn the wheel quicker.
Says Zayyan with the standard bus-sized steering wheel in both cars

Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2005 6:11 am
by Zayyan
stevo I think your best option is an M Tech I wheel.
Can be picked up for under 30 quid, are smaller and look better than the standard wheel and don't carry the silly price tag of a Tech II wheel.
I think they're the same size as Tech IIs as well which is another bonus.
Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2005 7:39 am
by Julian_Jules
depends what you r into.....
if u want looks that can kill....then smallish ones.
for drifters, I dun think it is useful to have small diameters ( for leverage & FEEL - even when u have power steering ) and spoke placement of the steering is important. I dun think Tsuchiya's steering wheels can be called "small".....
for daily use & for ppl like u & me - mtech sizes are fine.
Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2005 8:28 am
by stevo
i wouldnt say im a drifter, im more of a "tailswing and bricking it!" kind of guy!
a tech 1 does sound like a good option, 'means i wouldn't have to buy a boss kit too
like this one?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GENUINE-LEATHER-B ... dZViewItem
Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2005 9:43 am
by Zayyan
Yup just like that. If you're planning on bidding you should email the seller first and ask him if he can send it Standard Parcels (with receipt of posting which is free) and it'll cost 8 quid to post

Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2005 11:37 am
by Dan318-is
small diameter wheels are a godsed. you can use both hands while driving nad your arms are in line with your shoulders, its the comfiest thing ever
stevo iv got a mint tec one thats yours for 25 quid, drop me a PM if u interested
Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2005 11:52 am
by japcarkiller
i find the mtech ones are fine. if you go too small, say a little momo type thing then you can't see the speed O very well.plus if you go too small you can't drive with ya knees when rolling a fag. lol.
Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2005 1:14 pm
by hammoj28
Iv got a leather victor steerin wheel and its waaaay better than the standard one. Mine came with an mtec1 steering wheel which was quite nice and better than the normal ones but i stil replaced it with my victor one because i prefer it. I reckon that replacing the steering wheel is one of the best things to do.

Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2005 3:14 pm
by Dan318-is
japcarkiller wrote:i find the mtech ones are fine. if you go too small, say a little momo type thing then you can't see the speed O very well.plus if you go too small you can't drive with ya knees when rolling a fag. lol.
the good thign about the bmw small diameter wheels is that they are small but also you can still see the dials
Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2005 3:23 pm
by 6potWil6pot
I worship at the altar of the small diameter M-tech II (well used to), Stevo try not to overdo it! I almost crashed cause i went straight out to try the stuff i saw after watching the Drift Bible

Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2005 3:47 pm
by stevo
6potWil6pot wrote:I worship at the altar of the small diameter M-tech II (well used to), Stevo try not to overdo it! I almost crashed cause i went straight out to try the stuff i saw after watching the Drift Bible


he makes it look easy, doesn't he!
well i washed the car there and noticed the front n/s wing has rotted that much its burst away from the body

, so i'll need to get a wing before a steering wheel
its deffo on the shopping list now though

Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2005 3:52 pm
by M5pilot
I now have a 330mm Momo steering wheel and it really is much better to drive with. it feels like you have a quicker rack and you get much more feedback aswell because it gets heavier.
NO way would I go back to mtec2 wrongness!
The only problem you get is that you cant quite see the top of the speedo but other than that its a huge driveability upgrade.
Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2005 3:59 pm
by stevo
anyone know what size are the m-tech's are? im asuming its measured straight across the middle to the outside edges?
Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2005 8:13 pm
by Mops
stevo wrote:anyone know what size are the m-tech's are? im asuming its measured straight across the middle to the outside edges?
Yeach, well that my problem i went through recently. All BWM steering wheels that I found are 380mm outside diameter (incl my original bus style 4 spoke wrongness) I got and old skool leather 3 spoke steering wheel, which is 350mm and it's superb in terms ov feel and driveability.
The best steering wheel IMHO is momo 'competition'
it's 250mm, but very thick (thicker than any other ones out there), straight 3 spoke and no lumps on the wheel and feels SOOOO GOOOD.
Now... the only problem with 350mm wheels is that I cant see the top of the dials..... especially me, as I sit very straight up (proper racing/rally position), and seriously... all I see is the rev counter up to 1500rpm then i see 5.5k rpm... I found that all the time i bend to see the speed and revs. I might get aftermarket tacho and electronic speed display to fix that problem
but gererally speaking 350mm steering wheel is a great upgrade for an e30 IMHO, making the car feel so much better. sombine it sith shortshift and clutchstop and it feels like a beast
now... all i need is a turbo
