1st Gen R53 Cooper S Most liked posts in thread: Racing Style Steering Wheel

  1. BThayer23

    BThayer23 Well-Known Member

    Jun 12, 2009
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    #7 BThayer23, Dec 8, 2011
    Get an alcantara wheel if you're going to wear gloves every time you drive the car. Much nicer feel, tons of grip, but it gets nasty when you sweat on it. If you're going to drive the car on the street, stick with a leather wheel.
     
  2. Redbeard

    Redbeard JCW: because fast is fun!
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    #2 Redbeard, Dec 7, 2011
    Last edited: Dec 7, 2011
    Unless you making your MINI into a dedicated track car leave the OEM wheel on. It will cause you more grief that it will ever be worth with the airbag, wiring going to the wheel, the error codes that will follow along with the potential to fail a state safety inspection or get a "fix-it" ticket.

    That being said, for a dedicated track car you should be able to get a wheel from most any manufacturer. You will just have to adapt the MINI to take the wheel. There are a few folks on here with fully prepped cars that can chime in with experience/advice

    I found this: Steering Wheel Adapter Which should help you out. THat should allow you to get any generic "race style" steering wheel attached.
     
  3. minimark

    minimark Well-Known Member

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    #3 minimark, Dec 7, 2011
    There is the JCW wheel which is a bit larger in diameter, but the wheel on mine is pretty much to my liking as is! ;)
     
  4. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

    Mar 30, 2009
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    #4 Nathan, Dec 7, 2011
    Yep...I have...

    [​IMG]

    If you have a multifunction wheel now you will lose all that functionality. You also lose the airbag in the wheel.

    You will need a hub adapter and to prevent there airbag light from coming on you need to put a resister in the airbag plug. You can find information about that resistor in this thread While it is about seats the principles are the same.
     
  5. racer13

    racer13 New Member

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    #5 racer13, Dec 7, 2011
    thanks this helps tremendously, and the plan is to turn the mini into a track day car.
     
  6. SimTechDJ

    SimTechDJ New Member

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    #6 SimTechDJ, Dec 7, 2011
    what brand and model number... maybe also specs on the adapter?