How Do Quick Release Steering Wheels Work | All QR Hub Types

How do quick release steering wheels work? A steering wheel quick release kit is quite simple. There is a splined or hex-shaped sleeve that is adapted to the steering shaft that extends through the column to the steering box or rack. The steering wheel quick release hub engages the splines or hex with a corresponding female assembly that incorporates some sort of pin or spring-loaded bearings to lock it onto the sleeve. Then, the steering wheel is bolted to the hub. Depending on the design, removing the steering wheel is as simple as pulling a pin or lifting a collar.

Another thing to consider when looking at a quick release steering wheel for the street is the elimination of the factory airbag. While not an issue on old cars, modern cars are designed with that airbag as a crucial safety device. There’s no way to run an airbag with a quick release, so this will affect the safety and legality of a late model car. While most cars equipped with a quick release steering wheel will also have added safety equipment like a five point seat belt harness and a roll cage, it’s still important to carefully consider the wisdom of eliminating the factory airbag.

Aside from the general safety concerns of the quick release design and the airbag issue that we discussed above, another important safety factor in determining are quick release steering wheels illegal is the horn. Do quick release steering wheels have horns? Typically, the answer is no. Though they are often required by state safety inspections, a horn is almost always ditched when a quick release wheel is installed. The historic alternative is a quick release wheel with a coiled cable, similar to what your grandma had on her landline telephone, to make the necessary connections to the wheel, especially on a drag racing steering wheel where additional functions are often used to cut reactions times. Fortunately, there’s a solution to this less than desirable situation. The Speedway Motors Racing Quick Release Steering Wheel Hub Kit for Button Wires uses integrated wiring to allow a custom horn button on the wheel to connect to the car without the “phone cord.” That means that you can keep the horn button on the wheel where it belongs, along with buttons for other specific drag racing quick release steering wheel functions like a transbrake, line lock, or nitrous.

Also, consider that the pedals, shifter, and steering wheel are the points of connection between the driver and the car. In a racecar, having the feel of these interfaces exactly how you like them can be critical when races are decided by a thousandth of a second. So, another handy use for a quick release hub is that it can permit fine tuning by allowing different custom steering wheels to be easily fit to the same car. Or, for the same car to be tailored to multiple drivers. Also worth noting, some proponents of quick release hubs in street cars advocate for the anti-theft component. The idea here is that it’s hard to drive off in a car that has no steering wheel. This is true, as long as you’re willing to carry your steering wheel with you into the restaurant or shopping mall.

The most difficult part of the install will be the adaptation of the splined or hex sleeve to the steering shaft. Typically, the sleeve will have a machined recess in the end that faces the front of the car and is designed to slip over the existing steering shaft. Are quick release steering wheels universal? With enough fabrication, this design can be adapted to just about anything, though it will be much more difficult in some applications than in others. It’s common to see a ¾” I.D. on the adapter sleeve to accommodate the typical ¾” round or DD steering shaft. Some quick releases bolt on to the existing steering hub. In either case, it’s critical that the splined adapter is securely attached to the steering shaft. This is the link between the driver and the front wheels. If you’re using a weld on steering wheel quick release sleeve and in doubt of your welding chops, have this part done by a professional.

Another option is to start with a dedicated steering column designed for a quick release. Speedway Motors sells a universal hot rod column that comes with a steering wheel quick release hub already installed. Likewise for racing, consider a collapsible racing column for an added measure of safety. Also, replacing the existing stock column with a purpose-built racing column will likely shed some weight.

Consider the various types of quick releases when deciding what’s right for your car. First, do you want a hex or splined hub? Both offer a positive connection, but with a hex, the wheel can only go on in one of six orientations. A splined adapter, on the other hand, offers as many different orientation possibilities as there are splines. This can be a positive or a negative depending on the car type and driver preference. Second, what type of retention method to you prefer? It’s common for quick releases to use a pin to lock them in place. That pin can be removed in some designs, but often is spring-loaded and retained by the hub so that it can’t get lost. Another design is the “rim-style” quick release, which uses a spring-loaded collar to lock the hub. This style is generally the most intuitive and doesn’t require hunting for the pin location in an emergency when every second counts.

Also, don’t forget to match up the bolt pattern in the hub with the steering wheel you want to run. The most common steering wheel bolt patters are 3-bolt on a 1.75” diameter, 5-bolt on a 2.75” diameter, and 6-bolt, also on a 2.75” diameter. Depending on the application, a steering wheel adapter may be available to make things more universal.

Steering wheel quick releases are an economical way to add ease of entry and exit to a race car. They can also serve as an adapter for steering wheels that allow ergonomics to be fine tuned to the driver and track conditions. When applied properly, quick releases can make a car safer for a driver to exit in an emergency, but other factors need to be considered before installing a quick release steering wheel in a car that will spend time on the street.