Nardi steering wheel on 230sl

[john123]

I purchased a Nardi steering wheel for my 1966 230sl. The seller says that it’s supposed to go right on after you remove the push plate from the original wheel. We have removed the original push plate that you see in the first picture, and we are still unable to understand how to install this Nardi steering wheel in my 1966 230sl.
This is what the original push plate looks like:


When we remove the original push plate what we see is this:


 
In the black area are the two wires that come up through the steering column. One is hot.



This is the rear of the new steering wheel hub.  It has two brass-colored pins on springs.
 



This is the inside of the front of the Nardi steering wheel. There is one red wire there.


The rear of the new horn press has marked a positive and a negative wire connection.
 

Could anyone please provide a more detailed explanation of how this is supposed to be assembled.
Is there supposed to be an adapter part that is missing?
What does the red wire connect to?
What connects the the Positive and negative terminals in the new push plate?
Aren’t the brass spring pins supposed to slide on something?
Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
John

[john123]

Sorry, I can't figure out how to insert pictures

[Peter van Es]

Topics on posting pictures: https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=30082.0
https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=31410.0

[rogerh113]

I installed a Nardi on my '66, and assume mine is the same as yours since I cannot see the pictures. 

The horn actuator at the end of the steering column is manual contact - activated by pressure on the upper ring contacting the lower ring and completing the circuit.  The Nardi (at least the one I got) was basically a switch which closed when you pressed the horn button.  These two are obviously not strictly compatible, since the switch cannot press down on the upper ring.

I really like the Nardi, as I think it is much more pleasant to use than the big steering wheel.  I solve the problem by routing the two wires from the contact plates down the steering column to an existing hole in the column on the lower left.  There I put a push button switch which activates the horn.  Has worked well for years.  I would prefer to have the horn button work, but there was no way I could figure out to route the wires up through the horn button.  Even if I managed, the constant turning of the wheel would likely work harden the leads, and they would break before long.

One solution.  Possibly not the best, but works well for me.  Love the Nardi, and don't use the horn much....

[stickandrudderman]

There's plenty of information on here about early and late steering wheels and their different hubs. All 230s have early steering wheels and you need the correct hub to fit a Nardi to a 230.
Suppliers seem to have difficulty understanding this and will insist on selling you a late style hub which cannot be used on a 230.
There's a guy in the states who custom makes the correct hub but I can't remember his details.

[john123]

I purchased a Nardi steering wheel for my 1966 230sl. The seller says that it’s supposed to go right on after you remove the push plate from the original wheel. We have removed the original push plate that you see in one of the first pictures, and we are still unable to understand how to install this Nardi steering wheel in my 1966 230sl.


Could anyone please provide a more detailed explanation of how this is supposed to be assembled.
Is there supposed to be an adapter part that is missing?
What does the red wire connect to?
What connects the the Positive and negative terminals in the new push plate?
Aren’t the brass spring pins supposed to slide on something?
Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[BobH]

Hello John, you received a few answers to your first post, see here

https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=36749.msg268787

I searched "Nardi" and found lot's of posts, and there is also a write up in the technical manual, above left, search "steering wheel"