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View Full Version : How to Restore this 1999 Toyota 4Runner Tan Leather Steering Wheel with heavy wear at the 12 O’clocl position?



Roger Koh
08-08-2011, 04:45 PM
Hello Everyone,

I have a 1999 Toyota 4Runner that has a tan leather steering wheel with heavy wear at the 12 o'clock position. It is past the point of conditioning and cleaning, however I am now trying to find the next best option.

I have searched the forums and found AGLA (alan gun leather accessories) listed a few places as a recommendation but then many many other bad reviews about them. Have seen the place in texas some recommend that recovers wheels but this truck is a DD so shipping the wheel off for a week won't work. I looked at Wheelskins covers, but it doesn't cover the spoke part of the wheel, and the color samples I had them send me aren't even close...and I can't find anyone that used a blk cover (only other contrasting color I can think of) on a tan wheel to see how bad that looks. Have tried 2 different highly recommended upholstry shops in my area and 1 won't touch steering wheels, the other only installs wheelskins. Have looked on ebay etc and can't find any tan replacements, and Toyota wants $900 w/o airbag!!!

So I am trying to find out if any of the restoration kits (like the leatherique kit, etc) work decently, or if I should just get the wheelskins that doesn't match and say oh well

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/07-27012a1.jpg

Roger Koh
08-15-2011, 12:02 PM
It is past the point of conditioning and cleaning, however I am now trying to find the next best option.


Visual Picture Inspection:
Notice the damage facing; it’s unlikely caused by direct heat from the sun but rather from the palms of the driver’s sweaty hand.
Sweat contains traces of urea and when fermented by the natural bacteria from the atmosphere shift alkaline.
Leather is acidic between pH 3 – 5.
Alkalinity contamination causes the protein fibers to shift ionic negative which then breaks bond with the negative fatliquor (like poles repels just like magnets).
With diminishing fatliquor, the leather fibers lose its lubrication and shrink simultaneously is the likely simple explanation of what’s happened as picture of the steering wheel shows.

Decontamination:
Decontamination recommended is a 2 in-1 process using a pH 2.2 degreaser both to remove penetrated body oils and charging the leather protein fibers below its iso-electric point positive. This acidification process will return the leather to its neutral pH chemistry integrity, follows with a pH 3.0 rinse.

Leather Rejuvenation with Hydration and Fatliquoring:
The process of leather rejuvenation comes first with a pH 3.3 hydrator thereafter follows with a pH 5.0 fatliquor. The preconditioning of the leather structure serves few purposes: a) to further wicks up suspended foreign soiling particulates, b) to relax stiff and crushed leather fibrils, c) to swells and plumbs the leather structure separating the stick together fibers – thus closing up the gaps of the cracks, d) reduces interfacial tension, e) to further charges the protein fibrils positive to hydrogen-bond with the negative pH 5.0 fatliquor. This pH 5.0 fatliquor is a water-based emulsion, where the charged fats and oils are water encased to penetrate where ever the hydrator has preconditioned it. When hydrogen-bonding takes place, the water is break-free leaving behind breathing pores for transpiration unlike stuffing oils that suffocates it. This lubricating of the leather fibrils allows the fibers to slide over one another smoothly to gives the characteristic suppleness of leather with increase strength.

The above are important steps prior to the next phases of repairs.

Structural Repairs:
Impregnating weak and crack fibrils below surface main purpose is to seal, strengthen and leveling out uneven absorption to improve abrasion resistance, for a strong foundation for further filling repairs.

Filling Repairs:
The basic step of filing repairs is to use leather stucco and they are mainly acrylic compound of a whitish paste. An advance technique is to mix it up with leather bond to give added flexibility and pigment color to reduce build-up of the surface repairs.

The next phase is Refinishing in 3 steps:
An adhesion coating is first applied, follows with color coating and ends with a luster matching topcoat.

Non-Stick Rub Resistant Protector:
A non-slip draggy feel protector is recommended.

This brief information is to ensure you that although the steering wheel damage is “past the point of conditioning and cleaning”. It is also the cleaning and conditioning that is the foundation of a holistic repair.

I suggest that the above sequence of process is easily accomplished by oneself, perhaps leave the refinishing to a pro with better equipment to accomplish a professional finish.

Routine Maintenance:
Use a pH 3.0 rinse to routinely neutralize the leather surface from “sweat” with simply spray and towel extract.

You may not see what you see for many years to come...with a maintenance routine in place!

What do you think?

Roger Koh
[email protected]

Roger Koh
08-22-2011, 02:21 PM
Here's the recommended product system:


http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/KitAP3R.jpg
Leather Doctor® Leather Degreaser Kit AP3.dr

Auto pigmented leather degreaser Kit AP3.dr - features Degreaser-2.2 with a pH value of 2.2. This is a high viscosity aqueous formulated leather degreaser; for degreasing leather of penetrated sweat, oil and grease stains from skin and hair contact. In most cases the finishes in these areas has deteriorated to allow such penetrated grease into the leather structure. Degreasing the leather structure will inevitably remove these deteriorated finishes as well. Therefore finishes restoration is a mandatory recommendation with degreasing as the 1st phase. Follows with leather rejuvenating as 2nd phase; leather impregnating as the 3rd phase; adhesion coating as the 4th phase; color coating as the 5th phase; top coating as the 6th phase and ends with a non-stick rub resistant protection for a holistic approach to leather restoration.

* Degreasing System
* Dye and Ink Stain Removal System
* Restorative and Periodic Cleaning System
* Leather Rejuvenating System
* Leather Scent Non-Stick Rub Resistant Protection

Degreasing System Instructions
1] Shake very well until it turns to an opaque gel.
2] Apply direct and agitate with horsehair Brush-1 to penetrate into the stain.
3] Let dwell 5 to 30 minutes or before it dries for chemical reaction to occur, follows with towel extraction.
4] Suspended residue is to be rinse with Rinse-3.0 and towel extract until towel shows clean.

Leather Rejuvenating System
Rejuvenating system is the process of restoring the original fatliquor diminished through aging and cleaning to return to its characteristic suppleness. Leathers, when wet and then dry again, have the tendency for the fibrils to becomes stick together - known as the Van der Waals or London force phenomenon. This results in stiffness and when flexed, may lead to premature cracks, as often seen on neglected leathers. It is recommended to hydrate these exposed leather structure and replenish the diminished fatliquor while it is still damp. When dry thereafter, the leather fibrils will be well separated and lubricated to slide over one another smoothly during practical usage.
Instructions
1] Apply Hydrator-3.3 with the foam brush to the exposed absorbent areas, especially the stitching seams and perforated panels.
2] Semi-absorbent panel is best applied through a layer of paper towel acting as reservoir, to allow a slow seep through the micro cracks.
3] The entire seat is thereafter wrapped with clear plastic sheet, to control evaporation for an overnight dwell.
4] A visual and hand massage inspection are to ensure thorough hydrating, with structure softness without blotchiness.
5] Fatliquor-5.0 follows the same procedure as the Hydrator-3.3, with in between drying application as water evaporates.
6] When dry the surface is check for strays from milky to clear, using the hydrator to further drive the fatliquor into the leather structure.
7] The rejuvenated leather is left for slow natural drying for extra softness.


http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/Repairer5.jpg
Leather Repairer (5):
Leather Structure Impregnator,
Leather Bond,
Leather Bonding Aid,
Leather Stucco &
Leather Patch.


Leather Doctor® Impregnator-26
It’s a Leather Surface Repairer for Pigmented and Aniline leather types.
This is a protein compact resin blend compound impregnator.
It’s for impregnating worn leather grains and micro cracks.
It’s to seal, strengthen and leveling out uneven absorption for further coating process.
It fills and tightens with good leveling properties that is film forming for improve abrasion resistance.

Leather Doctor® Leather Bond-3D
It’s for leather structure bonding repairs.
This is an aqueous medium soft polyurethane leather bond that will not lift the leather finishes unlike other solvent based glue.

Leather Doctor® Leather Stucco-90
It’s for leather filling repairs or in conjunction with leather Bond-3D colors and dyes.
This is aqueous high concentrated compact resin blend leather stucco.


http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/Auxiliary3-1.jpg
Leather Dyeing & Coloring Auxiliary (3):
Leather Adhesion Coating,
Leather Topcoat Crosslinker &
Leather Colorcoat Flow Controller.


Leather Doctor® Adhesor-73
It’s an auxiliary for Pigmented and Aniline leathers refinishing.
This is an aqueous compact resin adhesion promoter to ensure proper adhesion prior to color coating.
It's also added to Aniline Dye-21 for dye coating absorption resistant areas to reduce color blotchiness.
And it’s also used after WaxEffect8.6 prior to top coating.

Leather Doctor® Thickener-48
This is an auxiliary aqueous carboxylated acrylic co-polymer thickening agent to stabilize color during spraying.
It’s to adjust the flow of color to improve hold-up especially on vertical panels and antiquing two-tone fashion leathers.
It is highly effective and maintains the viscosity over the period of use.


http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/Micro-Pigment12.jpg
Semi-Aniline Leather Coloring System (12):
Micro-Pigment Black Color,
Micro-Pigment White Color,
Micro-Pigment Tan Color,
Micro-Pigment Ochre Color,
Micro-Pigment Maroon Color,
Micro-Pigment Yellow Color,
Micro-Pigment Orange Color,
Micro-Pigment Red Color &
Micro-Pigment Blue Color.
Micro-Pigment Gloss Topcoat,
Micro-Pigment Satin Topcoat &
Micro-Pigment Matte Topcoat.


Leather Doctor® Micro Pigment-54
It’s micro-pigment for semi-aniline leathers.
It's an aqueous soft compact resin blend high performance pigment color; strong against UV light than standard pigment.
Standard colors available in Black-512, White-505, Tan-586, Ochre-584, Maroon-502, Yellow-

Leather Doctor® Micro Topcoat-72G, S or M
It’s a choice of gloss, satin or matte finish for Micro-Pigmented, Semi-Aniline leathers.
This micro-pigment topcoat is an aqueous soft polyurethane leather topcoat.
It is lightfast and non-yellowing.
It has excellent flow and leveling properties.
Recoatable and forms a flexible film coat.
It gives good performing results when used for fine semi-aniline effects.

Roger Koh
[email protected]