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Mtech 1 steering wheel shape?

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    Mtech 1 steering wheel shape?

    Does anyone know why the top half of the mtech 1 wheel is bent towards the driver? Couldn't find anything on this, just curious.

    #2
    This is an interesting question.

    I have two E30 steering wheels. The MTech 1 wheel is NOT bent towards the driver. The stock wheel IS bent towards the driver.

    I thought the stock one was damaged and I tried to bend it back. No luck. That thing is stronger than I am.

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      #3
      Think you guys have bent wheels, all of the factory ones I've had were flat circles. Besides, making an out of plane wheel wouldn't be very sensible as it would do weird things as you rotated it.

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        #4
        Well my first e30 had the mtech 1 and it looked the exact same as this one I found at pick n pull. It looks like an intentional bend.

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          #5
          That's what my stock one looks like. It's not likely to be as a result of an accident, because that would cause it to be bent the other way.

          I also believe that it came from the factory that way. I believe this because I couldn't bend it back: it was too strong. It wouldn't even bend when I set the weight of the car on it!

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            #6
            That's bent. If you try to remove them at the wreckers without the key and the steering column is locked, then the steering lock holds the wheel in place. You can still remove them without damaging the wheel if you're careful, but in this case someone has pulled the wheel by the top with both hands (12 o-clock position), bracing their feet in the footwell and the wheel has bent. They're pretty easy to bend that way.
            My e30: OEM+ with M30B35

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              #7
              Originally posted by lukeADE335i View Post
              That's bent. If you try to remove them at the wreckers without the key and the steering column is locked, then the steering lock holds the wheel in place. You can still remove them without damaging the wheel if you're careful, but in this case someone has pulled the wheel by the top with both hands (12 o-clock position), bracing their feet in the footwell and the wheel has bent. They're pretty easy to bend that way.
              I don't understand how come I couldn't bend it back? I placed the wheel on the ground (supported by wood blocks) and lowered a front wheel of the car on to the bent steering wheel. This means that I had about 1/4 of the cars weight on the steering wheel. It didn' t bend back.

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                #8
                That's very bent. The wheels are pretty symmetrical. If you lay them down they are flat. If they don't have the key it's a pain to remove the steering wheel so perhaps, someone bent the wheel to get at the cluster easier or pull the dash on a partout? That's the only scenario that would make someone bend the wheel back towards the driver. It may seem tough but the wheels are designed to bend in an accident. Even the momo hubs are designed to absorb impact.
                Last edited by reelizmpro; 04-05-2020, 01:16 PM.
                "I'd probably take the E30 M3 in this case just because I love that little car, and how tanky that inline 6 is." - thecj

                85 323i M TECH 1 S52 - ALPINEWEISS/SCHWARZE
                88 M3 - LACHSSILBER/SCHWARZE
                89 M3 - ALPINEWEISS II/M TECH CLOTH-ALCANTARA
                91 M TECHNIC CABRIO TURBO - MACAOBLAU/M TECH CLOTH-LEATHER

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                  #9
                  I have nearly brand new Mtech 1 and 2 steering wheels on my shelf, neither are bent in the slightest. Sorry man, yours is damaged.

                  >> 1988 3.1 ITB E30 /// 2002 E46 M3 6MT / 2008 335xi 6MT / 1991 S38B36 E30 (sold)

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                    #10
                    That's so crazy that my old e30's m-tech was bent and this one is bent the same way. Well at least I know now. Maybe I'll try a press... If it's worthless as is, then it's at least worth a shot.

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                      #11
                      A press should bend it back easy enough - just watch that once they bend, they have weak spots, so when you bend it back it might not be as strong as before, or might break (the metal isn't particularly strong in the wheel - mostly so it doesn't immediately impale you in an accident as reelizmpro mentioned).
                      My e30: OEM+ with M30B35

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                        #12
                        Update: So at work we have in ground lifts, and I put the wheel under 2 of the arms (with some rags under to protect it a little), and had my coworker stand on it. Then I gently lowered it just enough to get it straight. I'll upload a picture how it came out tomorrow, I'm having trouble getting it to work right now :/

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