MoMo prototipo, quality?

carrera1975 · 07-05-2006, 04:22 PM

I recently purchased a Momo Prototipo. I have a Momo course wheel but I thought the proto would look better on my 75 carrera. When I attached the wheel to the hub I could laterally move/flex the wheel side to side/back and forth....in addition, the white stitching looked vaguely Chinese (quality). I did tighten the Allen bolts down correctly and I do have the correct Momo hub.

My question is who would trust their safety to a flimsy alum. steering wheel, My MoMo Course is MUCH more sturdy with zero flex. If your were to hit head on or any frontal impact, I think this wheel could break at the center section leaving you holding sharp alum.

Does any racing organization test steering wheels, I cannot believe that the 917 or any other " purpose built" Porsche ever had a bendable aluminum drilled steering wheel. Were the org. ones made of steel?

I think I could pull a Lew Farigno (Hulk) and tear it off the hub, yes it is that flexible

But before you get your dander up I think it looks great

dorschman · dorschman's Garage

Maybe check your source and make sure you are confident it is really a Momo and not a knockoff.

MOMO3.2 · 07-05-2006, 08:47 PM

carrera1975:

The hub adapter on the Momo is designed to bend before the wheel in the case of a crash. I also cannot imagine that the Prototipo (a wheel that has found its way into numerous racing cars over decades) would suffer the type of failure you describe in an accident. I have to agree, however, that my stock Carrera wheel does feel a lot more stable and robust.

As far as quality is concerned, my Prototipo seems VERY well crafted. The stitching look superb to me. I could not be happier.

Mike

P.S. "MOMO" is the initials to my name. No affiliation.

jose luis · jose luis's Garage

No question about it ..........Liked or not OEM parts are Designed and Validated to comply with Government regulations or Safety ones like FMVSS's so there is no way that an aftermarket wheel could surpass those specifications.

JL Garcia
912, 1968
Toluca, Mexico.

vash · vash's Garage

on a jobsite, everytime a contractor breaks a chinese tool, they always look at me and say, "why dont you people make some better tools?". my answer? "why? as long as we have all these dumbass_________people buying them as is."

my momo prototipo has very little noticable flex.

carrera1975 · 07-06-2006, 11:14 AM

Were the originals made of Alum. or steel? no way your driving at 200mph holding on to a current Prototipo....

stormmaster · stormmaster's Garage

are you sure you have the correct adapter?....Mine is rock solid....no flex of any kind...I think you have other issues besides the MOMO

SandyI · 07-06-2006, 01:26 PM

I just bought a second Prototipo for my 914/3.2. I already drive my 911E with one. Both are rock solid with no flex. If yours flexes, return it. Any quality parts site or store should take back defective merchandise with no questions for 100% refund.

SandyI · 07-06-2006, 01:27 PM

Wait. To be clear it's the second Prototipo I own. Not the second one to go into my 914.

carrera1975 · 07-06-2006, 01:29 PM

Maybe I grip the wheel to hard, but I doubt it. I had a Momo course wheel on the car for 5 years of very hard driving with no flexing issues. Now if you drive down to 711 and get a cup of coffee and bear claw, you are probably wondering why the heck they put five gears in this thing. just kidding,

I like the look, I like the feel, but I think it flex's too much for serious driving. call me a malcontent, but no way did Porsche put "this" modern prototipo on the 917 and others, or maybe the one I purchased new was defective

somebody throw me a lifeline here...I feel I'm dying on the vine

bob tilton · bob tilton's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by vash
on a jobsite, everytime a contractor breaks a chinese tool, they always look at me and say, "why dont you people make some better tools?". my answer? "why? as long as we have all these dumbass_________people buying them as is."

That's some funny poop Cliff.

MOMO3.2 · 07-06-2006, 01:56 PM

carrera1975:

I think the quality of my Prototipo is absolutely top shelf. I will, however, "throw you a bone" and say that on radical driving through the canyons, I have felt a degree of flex in my Prototipo that was not there with my stock Carrera wheel. It does not flex from road feedback. It is from my Gorilla fisted input on the wheel. The flex is a forward back movement. I am likely using the wheel to keep my butt planted in the seat during quick transistions with a lot of suspension compression. And, yes, I have sport seats.

I had a Kart with an aftermarket Momo suede racing wheel. My brother had a BIG shunt in the kart that resulted in him getting a number of screws and a plate put into his heel. Anyway, that Momo wheel literally folded over at a 90 degree angle from his hands and arms thrusting forward. That was probably a very good thing.

That said, the little flex I get is not alarming or negative to me in any way. It may actually help disipate some of the force in the unfortunate event of an accident.

I really love my Prototipo!

Mike

Matt Smith · 02:16 PM

I have a new, official Momo distributer-supplied silver Prototipo, a 1977 black prototipo (larger diameter) and an older silver/leather large diameter Nardi. Note, the new versions of this wheel is similar size to the new prototipo.

I took the orginal wheel off to try the Prototipo and have to say the driving experience went drastically backwards after the original rim. No. 1) I think it's too small and you loose a lot of the agility in the steering. It also obscures the dials. You have to tug at it to get round in parking lots.

Worse of all, and no. 2) it is a flimsy piece of rubbish. There is none of the solidity you would expect from a steering wheel, and it flexes FAR to much for me to want to keep it on. I have the original Momo supplied hub (collapsible) plus a solid alloy hub. It feels the same on both. Useless.

The '77 version Prototipo is far stiffer. But best of all three, quality wise and feel is the larger Nardi. It bought back a real joy of driving. You can see all the gauges, it's rock solid and feels superb with the finger indentations in the back. My Prototipos are hanging on the wall.

I'm not saying the Nardi would suit a later SC or whatever, just that in my '72 it suits it best and feels like it is made properly!

Kraftwerk · 09:12 PM

It feels weird to put italian parts on a German car, but no flex on the prototipo. And it looks much better that oem. The hub looked a bit cheap IMO but it is designed to collapse.