**DIY Steering Wheel Removal and clock spring**
#1
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
**DIY Steering Wheel Removal and clock spring**
Here's a little DIY steering wheel removal with a few pics, hope this helps
VERY IMPORTANT BEFORE YOU START....DISCONNECT THE BATTERY
On each side of the steering wheel there is a little tiny hole.Use a small allen wrench or screwdriver and push and feel for a tab that has some type of spring feel to it.At the same time pull on the airbag gently on the side your are pushing in......Now shove a wrench or some type of a smooth object, between the airbag and the wheel.... so it will not attach itself back in place.Repeat the same step on the other side of the wheel.
With a flat head screwdriver gently pry out the little plastic locking tabs.then you squeez the connectors and remove them.
Unplug this Black connector
With a 21mm socket remove the nut on the steering wheel
Notice that the wheel and shaft have alignment markes, make sure that they are aligned when removed and installed. VERY IMPORTANT
Gently pull on steering wheel left to right and it will free itself loose
This next step is on how to remove the clock spring
Revove the bottom panel underneath your Steering wheel,there 2 torx screws that need to be removed after that then gently pop out the panel there are 2 plastic tabs that will snap out.
Remove this stainless bracket out the way, (4) 7mm bolts that need to be removed.
Remove Steering Column Cover a couple srews underneath the cover
A pic of the Clock spring.... There are 4 connections on the clock spring 2 small conectors that go to the airbag and 2 big connectors that go to your dash harness
Unplug this Big Yellow connector
Unplug This black connector
Sorry guys I dont have my C-clip tool to Remove the Copper C-Clip but you will get the idea... very easy.
Again Hopes this helps alot of you guys that want to tackle this job in your garage.
VERY IMPORTANT BEFORE YOU START....DISCONNECT THE BATTERY
On each side of the steering wheel there is a little tiny hole.Use a small allen wrench or screwdriver and push and feel for a tab that has some type of spring feel to it.At the same time pull on the airbag gently on the side your are pushing in......Now shove a wrench or some type of a smooth object, between the airbag and the wheel.... so it will not attach itself back in place.Repeat the same step on the other side of the wheel.
With a flat head screwdriver gently pry out the little plastic locking tabs.then you squeez the connectors and remove them.
Unplug this Black connector
With a 21mm socket remove the nut on the steering wheel
Notice that the wheel and shaft have alignment markes, make sure that they are aligned when removed and installed. VERY IMPORTANT
Gently pull on steering wheel left to right and it will free itself loose
This next step is on how to remove the clock spring
Revove the bottom panel underneath your Steering wheel,there 2 torx screws that need to be removed after that then gently pop out the panel there are 2 plastic tabs that will snap out.
Remove this stainless bracket out the way, (4) 7mm bolts that need to be removed.
Remove Steering Column Cover a couple srews underneath the cover
A pic of the Clock spring.... There are 4 connections on the clock spring 2 small conectors that go to the airbag and 2 big connectors that go to your dash harness
Unplug this Big Yellow connector
Unplug This black connector
Sorry guys I dont have my C-clip tool to Remove the Copper C-Clip but you will get the idea... very easy.
Again Hopes this helps alot of you guys that want to tackle this job in your garage.
Last edited by cencalc6; 09-16-2010 at 01:25 AM.
#5
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St. Jude Donor '17
Wish I'd had this last year. I did not remove as much stuff
but then again the job may have been a lot easier had I.
Did get it right the first time without fuggin it up. My steering wheel controls decided to work again too after the replacement.
but then again the job may have been a lot easier had I.
Did get it right the first time without fuggin it up. My steering wheel controls decided to work again too after the replacement.
#7
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
#10
Drifting
In the steering wheel instead of a steel strip there is a strip of flat wire with multiple conducters that allow the electrical signals to go from the steering wheel to the column without having any wires get tangled up.
Jay
#11
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For what actions do you need to remove the clock spring?
#12
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Sorry guys but I forgot to mention that my car is a 2005 and I switched to a 06+ steering wheel. The clockspring needs to be swapped out if you change your 05 wheel to the 06+ wheel and vise versa.
No need to remove clockspring if your just removing your steering wheel.
No need to remove clockspring if your just removing your steering wheel.
#13
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
It's the device that connects the electrical from the steering wheel to down the column. It get's its name from the type of spring called a "clock spring". In that a clock spring is the type of spring one would use for a drill press. It's a flat steel strip that is rolled up and placed inside a narrow cylinder so that when it's rotated in one direction it winds the strip to a tension and then when released the tension releases and forces back the other way. So on a drill press you rotate the bit down, let go and it returns by itself.
In the steering wheel instead of a steel strip there is a strip of flat wire with multiple conducters that allow the electrical signals to go from the steering wheel to the column without having any wires get tangled up.
Jay
In the steering wheel instead of a steel strip there is a strip of flat wire with multiple conducters that allow the electrical signals to go from the steering wheel to the column without having any wires get tangled up.
Jay
#15
I was under the impression you would need a puller to remove the steering wheel? Is this not the case in the C6, or is this one of things that sometimes you get lucky and sometimes not?
#16
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Thanks you
Last 3 vettes I worked on did not need a puller
Last 3 vettes I worked on did not need a puller
#19
Bick