Steering wheel/column design considerations. - Wackyracer

When manufacturers design the steering wheel/ column and it's mountings, do they take into consideration that some m**** might use the steering wheel to hoist their backside up off the seat thus putting 100kg of downforce on the wheel/column and mountings?

Steering wheel/column design considerations. - Cyd

There is no legal requirement for that functionality, so maybe some do and some don’t.

However, legal requirements on injury criteria during crash (and specifically head impact to FMVSS208) will have absolute priority and may well conflict with this kind of (ab)use.

Why do you ask? Methinks it’s a leading question!

Steering wheel/column design considerations. - Wackyracer

I asked as I watched a steering wheel in a car bend while the obese driver used it as a grab handle to get in the car, Once he was in the car I saw it bend down by about 2" as he used his hands on the top of the steering wheel to lift himself off the seat to reposition his back side on the seat.

This is something I (not being obese) would never do but, I do have alot of mechanical sympathy for things. I could easily see this kind of behaviour causing some damage to steering components in question.

Steering wheel/column design considerations. - Ian_SW

Most manufacturers will do some form of 'unintended use' load calculation and test for this type.of thing as it's not in their interest to get claims for this kind of breakage under warranty. They could do with employing my brother in law for load testing door and glovebox handles though.....

However, I doubt anyone would be able to put a 100kg downward force on a steering wheel. There aren't many people who weigh 100kg, and of those only very few (strongman contestants) would be capable of lifting their own weight with their arms. Even then, I'd doubt a strongman contestant could lift their bodyweight with their arms out in front of them.

Even if people do hoist themselves in and out of the seat using the steering wheel, I'd doubt whether they put a downwards load on it much more than the equivalent of 25kg hanging off it. If you think how flimsy those grab handles above the door which are designed for that purpose are, I'm pretty sure a steering wheel would cope.

Steering wheel/column design considerations. - expat

Another unintended load would be on the ignition lock when people put a heap of keys on the same keyring as the ignition key. This results in a big weight on the lock which will eventually fail.

Steering wheel/column design considerations. - Bolt

Another unintended load would be on the ignition lock when people put a heap of keys on the same keyring as the ignition key. This results in a big weight on the lock which will eventually fail.

I have known ignition switches to short or fail, but never a lock because of weight of a key ring?

Can be irritating to the knees though!

Steering wheel/column design considerations. - Dabooka

My old boss had a Land Rover 90 that developed a fault where his starter would randomly engage.

You guessed it, it turned out his key ring with various keys and fobs was on occasion levering the key into position 3! I do recall from the times I drove it that the barrel was horrendously slack, to the point I reckon a filing cabinet key could have got it started.

Steering wheel/column design considerations. - Bolt

Ford I think are the worst for key and barrel wear, though at the time they were meant to be the best for security, so good you could unlock/open a door with a screwdriver after a few months wear and tear

Steering wheel/column design considerations. - Wackyracer

However, I doubt anyone would be able to put a 100kg downward force on a steering wheel. There aren't many people who weigh 100kg, and of those only very few (strongman contestants) would be capable of lifting their own weight with their arms. Even then, I'd doubt a strongman contestant could lift their bodyweight with their arms out in front of them.

The person did it easily, hands on top of wheel and elbows on the bottom of wheel, leaned forward and pulled up with upper arms, at which point I saw the top of the wheel move downwards by approx 2".