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DIY Steering Wheel Removal

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Old Jul 2, 2008 | 05:55 AM
  #1  
DY8's Avatar
DY8
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DIY Steering Wheel Removal

**I can take no responsibility for any hassle incurred whilst doing this or having done it!**

Parts Required
- FETT steering wheel boss available from NEWERAPARTS
- Steering wheel of your choice ( I know Momo, NRG, Sparco and Nardi fit)

Tools Required

- Full socket set (including long sockets)
- breaker / wrecker bar
- rubber mallet
- flat head screwdriver

Time

45 - 60 minutes


Instructions

This is fairly simple and can be done in about an hour including leaving the car for a bit.

1. Remove negative terminal on the battery to allow the charge to die from the electrical system (please note you'll have to reset the DSC and radio after this)
Leave for 20-30 minutes to be on the safe side

2. Either side of the steering wheel are small circular caps (about 20mm wide,one each side), simply pop these out to expose the nut holding the airbag unit. Remove these nuts to free the airbag unit

3. Carefully pull the airbag unit towards you, this is held on by a rubber band which you can simply slip off. Then remove the orange clip and then the yellow clip to remove the airbag system from the steering wheel. Having done this, then remove the radio control connector and the horn connector.

4. Using a breaker / wrecker bar, remove the nut holding the steering wheel to the steering column, this may take some strength depending on how long the steering wheel has been on for! One the nut is loose, do not completely remove it, instead thread it up to near the end of the bolt.

5. With nut at the end of the steering column bolt, try to pull the steering wheel towards you, if it is not budging, gently tap it from back with a rubber mallet to ease it off the bolt, once loose, remove the nut and remove the steering wheel.

6. Take your boss kit and fit it as required.

7. In the boss kit there will be two resistors, add these to the airbag connectors

8. fit the steering wheel and attach the horn

Fini!

It's a fairly simple job, but be careful when doing it Also be aware this is removing a safety device and may not be road legal

Thanks

I will try to update with pics when I do the swap again!
Any questions, feel free to ask

Last edited by DY8; Jul 3, 2008 at 06:09 AM. Reason: To add link to actual part
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Old Mar 26, 2013 | 08:47 AM
  #2  
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Can't believe nobody replied to this! Great DIY write up, question how safe is it to remove the steering wheel with the battery off.....

I'm a bit scared lol

Sorry for reviving old thread
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Old Mar 26, 2013 | 08:52 AM
  #3  
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From: Between Cones
perfectly safe.
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Old Mar 26, 2013 | 02:20 PM
  #4  
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About to do this tomorrow! will post pictures
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Old May 3, 2013 | 07:11 PM
  #5  
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From: california la
Originally Posted by DY8
**I can take no responsibility for any hassle incurred whilst doing this or having done it!**

Parts Required
- FETT steering wheel boss available from NEWERAPARTS
- Steering wheel of your choice ( I know Momo, NRG, Sparco and Nardi fit)

Tools Required

- Full socket set (including long sockets)
- breaker / wrecker bar
- rubber mallet
- flat head screwdriver

Time

45 - 60 minutes


Instructions

This is fairly simple and can be done in about an hour including leaving the car for a bit.

1. Remove negative terminal on the battery to allow the charge to die from the electrical system (please note you'll have to reset the DSC and radio after this)
Leave for 20-30 minutes to be on the safe side

2. Either side of the steering wheel are small circular caps (about 20mm wide,one each side), simply pop these out to expose the nut holding the airbag unit. Remove these nuts to free the airbag unit

3. Carefully pull the airbag unit towards you, this is held on by a rubber band which you can simply slip off. Then remove the orange clip and then the yellow clip to remove the airbag system from the steering wheel. Having done this, then remove the radio control connector and the horn connector.

4. Using a breaker / wrecker bar, remove the nut holding the steering wheel to the steering column, this may take some strength depending on how long the steering wheel has been on for! One the nut is loose, do not completely remove it, instead thread it up to near the end of the bolt.

5. With nut at the end of the steering column bolt, try to pull the steering wheel towards you, if it is not budging, gently tap it from back with a rubber mallet to ease it off the bolt, once loose, remove the nut and remove the steering wheel.

6. Take your boss kit and fit it as required.

7. In the boss kit there will be two resistors, add these to the airbag connectors

8. fit the steering wheel and attach the horn

Fini!

It's a fairly simple job, but be careful when doing it Also be aware this is removing a safety device and may not be road legal

Thanks

I will try to update with pics when I do the swap again!
Any questions, feel free to ask
Great dyi so I followed your instructions it worked great what are the ups and down of having a diffrent steering wheel. I noticed there was some parts removed. The dsc button doesn't work. My air bag light is on my traction control light is on. Is my abs still going work. Properly ? Thanks
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Old May 3, 2013 | 07:18 PM
  #6  
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From: california la
Originally Posted by memorx8
Great dyi so I followed your instructions it worked great what are the ups and down of having a diffrent steering wheel. I noticed there was some parts removed. The dsc button doesn't work. My air bag light is on my traction control light is on. Is my abs still going work. Properly ? Thanks
I did the 20 foot stomp got rid of the traction control light and my button works is there anything to expect. Can I connects horn ?
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Old Aug 11, 2013 | 01:16 PM
  #7  
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From: Throwing Sonic Booms
Stupid question... reattaching the air bag is pretty simple right? I am just swapping out OEM's.
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Old Aug 20, 2013 | 05:30 PM
  #8  
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Originally Posted by chunbelievable
Stupid question... reattaching the air bag is pretty simple right? I am just swapping out OEM's.
Be sure to unhook your battery before doing ANYTHING involving the air-bags.
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Old Aug 20, 2013 | 06:56 PM
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Thanks, will do for sure.

I haven't taken the wheel apart yet. I am mostly wondering about the rubber bands that get unhooked. Is it easy enough to hook them again?
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Old Sep 9, 2013 | 01:08 PM
  #10  
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From: Leeds, England
DSC / Traction Control Will Not Work

Hi All,

Not a bad write up but once me and my mechanic got the steering wheel off there were more things we had to do like take of the plastic dash trim to release a part I think connected to the airbag.

Anyways my DSC & Traction control is off after fitting an after market steering wheel. I have been told this is because the old steering wheel has an angle sensor in it which talks to the DSC and Traction Control and now this has gone the systems cannot work.

Is there anyway around this? I do not like driving this car without those systems enabled!

Thanks.
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Old Sep 28, 2013 | 11:41 AM
  #11  
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Hey I followed the diy and got the steering wheel off. I have some clock spring that I don't know how to take off. Or get around to install the new steering wheel. If you know what I'm talking about. Please helppp
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Old Oct 10, 2013 | 08:14 PM
  #12  
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From: Pacific Northwest
Discuss intention elsewhere. PMs, other threads, emails, etc... DIY thread that discuss intentions inevitable get sidetracked with arguments between people that want to do something and people that have no stake in the matter that believe it isn't needed.

You have posted enough complaints about non-DIY content in the DIY threads that you really shouldn't be surprised that your own posts are subject to the same rules.
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Old Jan 4, 2014 | 08:18 PM
  #13  
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Sorry to revive, but I think I have a similar problem to Carmestro. After removing the nut attaching the steering wheel, there's the black plastic piece with the yellow sticker (clock spring). Anybody know how to remove this piece so the connectors don't get in the way of my hub?
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Old Apr 15, 2014 | 08:45 PM
  #14  
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To remove the clock spring (black plastic piece with yellow sticker) you need to remove the plastic surround of the steering rack. It's composed of 2 parts, a top and bottom. The bottom part is held in by 3 screws, 2 up front and one further back in the middle. The top part is held in by plastic clips into the bottom part. Once you get those out it's just 3 more screws holding the clock spring in place.

Quick question for anyone running the NRG short hub tho, I've noticed that the alignment of the steering angle sensor has horizontal plastic pins as opposed to the vertical holes on the hub. Someone on here just drilled out horizontal holes on the hub to match up. What would happen if I just rotate the steering angle sensor so the pins are vertical instead? Would it work after performing the steering angle calibration via lock to lock?
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Old Apr 16, 2014 | 02:14 AM
  #15  
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I have the Momo hub, and the alignment holes are also vertical rather than horizontal. I just rotated the angle sensor, the only thing it really does (from what I've experienced) is screw up the indicator return. For example, when I turn right, the indicators don't automatically turn off, but when I turn left, it returns before the wheel is in the initial position.

Does that make sense? It hasn't really bothered me, I don't mind flicking it back once in a while.
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Old May 22, 2014 | 02:26 AM
  #16  
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From: Fargo, ND
Steering wheel

Great information here, thanks!

And since you have already seen your 8 without the steering wheel, perhaps you could help me out with this question. I would like to know if the OEM steering wheel can be removed and repositioned on the shaft. I recently have had to drop the subframe and disconnect the steering shaft. I thought I was being careful but when I assembled everything back together, I noticed my steering wheel sits about five degrees off-center with the front wheels straight ahead. It hasn't had any negative effects on drivability. However, I am a little OCD and it does bother me. Rather than going through that process again to correct it, could I simply remove the steering wheel and position it to line up straight? Or can the steering wheel only be fitted a precise way on the shaft?
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Old Jun 6, 2014 | 11:30 PM
  #17  
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I know I'm bringing this back from the dead but. I just recently put a nrg set up on my car and I notice that my traction control light is now on. It goes of when I turn of the car but after few miles of driving it comes back on. Does any body know what can fix that.
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Old Jun 7, 2014 | 05:24 PM
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I'm not sure if you recall, but there is this white ring that sat on the steering column that had 2 prongs sticking out horizontally. This is used for the steering angle that's part of the traction control system. But the NRG parts have vertical holes on them, if you lined up the ring with the hub you'll be off by 90 degrees, so as soon as you start driving, the computer will realize something is off and turn off the traction control system.

It can be a little discomforting as if you get on the gas while making a turn and the traction control light hasn't turned on yet, the brakes will engage.

It's not too much of a problem but to fix it, you need to have that ring lined up correctly. Basically you gotta drill 2 holes horizontally into your NRG hub.
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Old Jun 8, 2014 | 12:38 PM
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Originally Posted by Vizard424
I'm not sure if you recall, but there is this white ring that sat on the steering column that had 2 prongs sticking out horizontally. This is used for the steering angle that's part of the traction control system. But the NRG parts have vertical holes on them, if you lined up the ring with the hub you'll be off by 90 degrees, so as soon as you start driving, the computer will realize something is off and turn off the traction control system.

It can be a little discomforting as if you get on the gas while making a turn and the traction control light hasn't turned on yet, the brakes will engage.

It's not too much of a problem but to fix it, you need to have that ring lined up correctly. Basically you gotta drill 2 holes horizontally into your NRG hub.
Thanks bro I will do that. I did notice the holes where wrong. Would not expect that from nrg smh.
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Old Jul 13, 2014 | 04:05 PM
  #20  
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good write up
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Old Oct 3, 2014 | 12:37 PM
  #21  
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anyone have problems with removing the steering wheel after removing the center bolt? mine will not budge at all
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Old Oct 3, 2014 | 01:03 PM
  #22  
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Originally Posted by phsalex
anyone have problems with removing the steering wheel after removing the center bolt? mine will not budge at all
Yep. I had the same problem. I went to an auto parts store and bought a steering wheel puller kit. With that, the wheel was off in a couple of minutes.
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Old Oct 3, 2014 | 03:35 PM
  #23  
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In my experience they rarely will just pull off after removing the bolt.
I think most of the chain parts stores will rent a puller for free with a deposit. Otherwise just get one of these Bolt-Type Wheel Puller Set
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Old Feb 10, 2015 | 11:19 AM
  #24  
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good write up doing this, this weekend. ebay hub, nrg QR, grip royal wheel
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Old May 12, 2015 | 02:49 AM
  #25  
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DIY Pics or Video?

Good discussion - anyone have pics or a video for DIY replacement of steering wheel? I didn't see any on the site. I'm going to do an OEM swap soon, the instructions seem straight forward, but images will help. Thanks.
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