I'm wondering if there is a way to allow the wheel to drop a few degrees more when adjusting it. I'd like it to fall to completely vertical if it's possible.

 

Seriously...? It's called a tilt steering wheel...pull the lever below the steering wheel down, let it drop, then push the lever back up to lock it back in...

 

ewww...why would you want that. Not only would it be uncomfortable to drive I don't know if anyone could actually get into the car under the wheel. You would have to adjust it every time you got in and out which would be a total PITA.

 

I understand the concept of a tilt wheel. I want my wheel to tilt more.

Devilboi, I don't think it would be uncomfortable at all. I like my wheel to sit straight. It just feels like I'm reaching. Is there a stop that can be removed or modified somehow?

 

Scoot the chair forward.

I can't imagine dropping the wheel. I already have to do a goofy move where I slide my *** in first in order to get my legs around the wheel with it at its HIGHEST setting. I don't think you'll get more than the standard tilt without serious modification to the steering column.

 

Completely VERTICAL? Either you are really short or really tall.

 

You must be really short

If anything, I'd like the steering wheel to tilt AND telescope... why did Mazda cheap out and omitted the telescoping function???
A little more seat travel backwards wouldn't hurt either, seeing that I'm 6' 6" tall.

 

Completely vertical? Like bus style?

You must mean completely horizontal.. I don't think you can override the tilt function without your entire wheel falling off.

Maybe you could try altering the control shaft? Get an aftermarket wheel. Of course that would remove the airbag and you wouldn't be able to drive it on the road.

 

Horizontal would be more "bus style"

Vertical = "Up and Down"
Horizontal = "Left to Right" Think of the Horizon :-p

 

I was thinking relative to the control shaft. But yeah if you were thinking relative to the actual wheel it would be as you say.

 

Not tall, not short, I'm 6' tall.

I just like the feel of the wheel down a little lower. A telescope would likely work too, but additional tilt seems much easier to create than telescoping.

Adjusting the seat won't work because the slider brings me too close to the dash and the back tilt brings me too straight up. Sucks that comfort is just a matter of cm's away.

Has nobody been into the steering column? What does the mechanism look like that controls the tilt? Is there something I can dremel out or a bump-stop I can extend?

 

I wouldn't mess with the steering wheel much. What if when you hit the brakes during emergency and the wheel suddenly tilts forward? I learned this when I was in 2nd grade.. The right hand grip from my bike came off when I was going down a steep dirt hill. Lets just say I got some boo-boos.

 

Wow...you fit in the car a lot better than I. I know that if I put the wheel all the way down now I can't get in or out. Heck I can't even drive with it all the way down as my thighs stop the wheel from turning. Another option is to supposedly replace the rails that the drivers seat is on to make it lower...would help with the few cm's...but not with your tilt.

 

I guess it's just the way I sit in the car. I also have an AT, so I don't have to worry about my left leg hitting the wheel. The wheel falls between my legs, not on them. I may have to raise it when I get in/out of the car if I can get this mod done, but I had to do that in my Grand Prix and didn't mind it.