PARTS COUNTER: NRG Innovations – Quick Release Steering Hub
Short Hub #SRK-170H
Quick Release #SRK-250RD
Dual Switch #WDD-101RD
Steering Wheel #ST-007R-320mm
Getting in and out of a car with a full roll cage is no easy task, especially as we get older. My Pro-Street Camaro is no exception. Despite having a stock, tilt steering column, the roll cage and the fixed position of the Kirkey Racing seat make it a stunt suitable for a yoga master.
After a full season of performing this act of flexibility and coordination, I knew that I needed to find a quick release steering hub. After a lot of research all that I was able to find was weld-on type hubs that were meant for racing only. I wanted to be able to not only get in and out easier, but I also wanted to use my horn and return the steering column back to stock if need be.
So back to research mode I went calling all of the major steering wheel companies looking for my very specific wish list. I stumbled across an online forum that had a group of gearheads with similar questions / criteria concerning a quick release hub. One of the more "vocal" users on this forum assured everyone that a company called NRG Innovations would have whatever we needed.
I was at a dead end in my research and was looking into yoga classes to help me get in and out of my car when I decided to shoot NRG an e-mail and see if they could help. Much to my surprise, I received an immediate response assuring me that they had exactly what I was looking for and absolutely no modifications were needed to my stock column. All that I needed was one of their 6-bolt steering wheels to match the 6-bolt pattern of their hub.
I must live under a rock or was grossly misinformed thinking that NRG Innovations was just for tuner cars and imports. Their selection of parts for the muscle car / drag racing scene is impressive. Their wide assortment of steering wheels is very diverse and will have something for every taste. I selected a smaller, 3-spoke steering wheel wrapped in black leather with red stitching to match the color scheme of my car. I also opted to have the one with switches already built in for my trans brake and CO2 chiller. I told NRG the color scheme and details of my column and left the rest up to them.
When my box arrived from NRG Innovations, I was immediately impressed with their packaging and how professional and detailed it was. I opened one of the smaller boxes and a beautifully crafted, red anodized quick release appeared. In the solitude of my shop at 11pm at night I uttered out a loud "woah" and "awesome" as if I was showing it to someone. All of the boxes I opened gave me that same type of response. I was a kid on Christmas morning and was completely blown away with what lived inside of every box.
The overall look of the steering wheel combined the muscle car look I was searching for with the elegance of Ferrari super car. The whole package was certainly going to class up the interior of Big Red.
A few days later, I was finally able to find the time to see if this was actually going to fit my column like they had said. The complete system fit like it was made by the GM factory for my car. The way that the horn wiring was engineered into the quick release hub was genius and made it very easy to install. In addition to the two buttons on the steering wheel, NRG sent me a two button, matching red anodized switch plate that gets mounted to the column. This will prove itself very useful for purge applications and adds another level of "bad ass" to the overall steering column.
The only thing that I had to modify / improve upon was the wiring that came with the two button steering wheel. I replaced the 2 conductor wires with a heavily insulated coil type black harness that will not only look better, but will be more practical and durable when removing the steering wheel and hanging it on the roll cage.
The NRG quick release performed flawlessly as does the horn button. When I completed the install, it passed the final approval from my 10-year old daughter / crew chief. Its funny, her "woah" and "awesome" were the exact words that I used to describe the system a few days earlier.
I am elated to say that getting in and out of my car is no longer a workout. I am so happy that NRG Innovations had the exact product I was looking for. Not only does Big Red look better, but I am grateful that I do not have to take a yoga class anymore.
Before you begin your search for the ultimate quick release hub and steering wheel combo, look no further than NRG Innovations. You will be amazed at the quality and selection of parts they have to offer.
Visit NRG Innovations at www.getnrg.com
