A quick-release steering wheel is any steering wheel that is mounted to a quick-release hub. The hub allows the steering wheel to be removed from the steering shaft with the push of a button or the lifting of a collar. Used on racing and competition vehicles, the rapid-release steering wheel is used to aid a driver’s entrance and exit from the tight confines of the racing cockpit as well as aid in the easy removal of an injured driver by safety personnel. Typically offered in one of two designs, a hexagonal or splined hub, the steering wheel is also offered in steel or lightweight aluminum for most three-bolt steering wheel mounting patterns.
There is a quick-release steering wheel in practically every racing vehicle in use around the world, from cars to trucks and even boats. The use of the modern rapid-release steering wheel in the tightly-designed cockpits of modern racing vehicles has aided in the survival of drivers involved in severe crashes.