I just ordered a steering wheel from Ken at VE to match my seats & doors. Anyone done this change themselves or have most taken their car to a dealer to have it done?

 

Ken has excellant installation instructions, go to:

http://www.vetteessentials.com/instr...l/stwheel.html

oops, I didn't read these instructions before I posted them, I guess Ken recommends that the dealer install it.

 

Disconnect the battery and then pull the center section with the airbag. Use a wheel puller ( you can rent them from Advanced if you dont want to buy onr) and it takes about 20 minutes tops

 

Ken's instructions are great!

 

Here's a DIY version I saw a while back. Been thinking of doing this myself in the near future...

"C5 air bag removal


Here is the 'full meal deal' so to speak.....includes steering wheel remove-replace and trick to fool the computer into thinking an airbag is still in place. Remember, removing an airbag is for off-road use or racing purposes only. Please read and understand the Legal Disclaimer and Warning at the bottom of this posting.

Airbag removal
No need to disconnect the battery.
Make sure the wheels are straight ahead.
Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position.
Remove the key from the ignition.
Remove the front floor kick-up panel to access the fuses.

Remove the SDM Fuse from the I/P fuse block.
Remove the left sound insulator; the one under the steering wheel.

Remove the connector position assurance (CPA) from the inflatable restraint steering wheel module coil, airbag, connector located at the base of the steering column. This is a sliding device that keeps the YELLOW connector with wires that feed up in to the steering column, from accidentally coming apart.

Then disconnect the YELLOW connector. This step is important, since the connector on the bag side has a shorting bar, which shorts the contacts the minute the connector halves are disconnected. Shorting the connector contacts prevents any chance of accidentally blowing the bag.

Remove the Torx screws retaining the inflatable restraint module , airbag, to the steering wheel.

Remove the airbag module from the steering wheel.

Disconnect the connector position assurance (CPA) from the electrical connector on the module coil.

Disconnect the electrical connector from the back of the steering wheel module.

Disconnect the horn wiring harness from the steering column.

Disconnect the ground wire from the steering column.

Remove the steering wheel module from the vehicle. (For safety, place the bag on the floor with the bag facing upwards. Do not lay the bag on the floor with the bag facing down. If it discharged with the bag down it would ballistically launch itself creating an extreme safety hazard. If it accidentally discharges with the bag facing up it will bang and release white cornstarch powder, but will largely stay in place.

Steering wheel removal
Remove the steering wheel nut and discard, A new one is required.
Set up the puller and remove the steering wheel. Most universal pulley removers will work. Be careful not to damage the wheel if you are going to reuse.
To install, reverse the procedure.
Steering wheel nut torque: 41 N•m (30 lb ft).
Air bag screw torque: 6 N•m (54 lb in).

Airbag re-install
Reverse removal procedure
Make sure to install the connector position assurance devices into all the connectors that have been disconnected, especially the YELLOW air bag system connectors.

Install the fuse and both kick panels.

Turn the ignition switch to ON, and keep away from either of the bags just in case of a accidental discharge.
If everything is OK the air bag indicator will flash seven times and then go off. If you do not get seven flashes, or if the light does not go off, something is wrong.

If you are removing the airbag 'for racing purposes only, off road use only' and wish to NOT have an airbag failure warning light glow, you must install a 2 ohm 5 watt or larger resistor across the harness that connects to the airbag. Assuming that you do not have a new connector of the same type that is removed with the airbag itself, the resistor can just be solder spliced into the wires leading to the yellow connector, of course the body harness side.




If you wish to effectively destroy the airbag for future re-installation, you can cut off the yellow plug from the airbag harness leaving enough wire to work with...and solder the resistor to the 2 wires. Properly insulate the joints, and re-install the plug back into the main harness. Re-installing the plug 'opens' its internal shorting bar and allows the 2 ohm load to be sensed by the Body Control Module. In the absence of the airbag and its wiring harness, the resistor mimics the impedance of the airbag itself so that when the BCM computer checks the assorted circuits around the car, it thinks the airbag is still in place.

Protect the discarded airbag
Please note that with the self-shorting plug now removed from the discarded airbag, the airbag could be accidentally discharged. TO prevent this, strip the insulation from the 2 wires and twist them together to provide a 'permanent short circuit. If you ever plan to re-use the airbag, DO NOT perform the procedure to cut off the plug. You might find a plug at a dismantling yard from a deployed airbag if you want to mount the resistor with a plug rather that soldering it into the main harness.

LEGAL STUFF...I am neither condoning nor encouraging anyone to modify any aspect of any car that may affect engineered safety systems. Information is provided for general knowledge only. No liability is inferred or expressed, and specifically denied. Any safety equipment disabling or modification performed by anyone must be the sole responsibility of that person or their agent doing the modification. Safety equipment standards for street registered, street legal vehicles are different than those standards established by various sanctioning bodies involved in oversight of off road vehicle activities. Any and all modifications are performed at owner/operators own risk! "

 

I just orderd a new wheel from Ken too. Sure hate to go to the dealer for this. Do body shops do installs?

 

Nice to see my instructions for steering wheel removal are still out there! To just exchange one stock airbag wheel for another, the job is moderately easy. PLEASE do pick up a new nut at the dealer before removing your wheel. The main nut is a high grip type that dosen't work as well after being removed, so its a good idea to use an new one when putting in your new wheel. Besides the puller, a torque wrench and appropriate socket/extension for the nut are needed. The electrics for the airbag connect via a plug immediatly on the center rear of the airbag capsule itself. You will not be removing the torroidal airbag electric rotating element, so that saves a LOT of trouble. Take your time and be careful, and its a do-able DIY project. Rush and hurry, you could be asking for trouble. Only you can know about your skills and temperment, and your ability with tools.

 

nope. i like to steer my car. hahahaha

kinda reminds me of those "remove the sunvisors" posts. certain things just need to remain in the car..

anyway, good luck on the swap. i'd like to swap mine out but i cant afford any 'spensive mods right now-house/honeymoon planning.

 

I wish someone made a steering wheel that is of smaller diameter but retains the airbags. Sick of steering a ship.

 

Tim Burke had the tool to do mine...actually Martin did the work...

 

I have actually thought about this. The airbag module is small enough it would still fit inside a smaller wheel. It's not rocket science to make up a frame that would work, but it would cost a bunch of money to make a manufacturable product. I suppose that the investment required and the libility insurance has kept a company from doing it, even though I suspect it would sell well in the C5 marketplace. A really good machinist/fabricator could take a Momo or other rim and adapt it to a cut up C5 hub. It would take a lot of custom work and Tig welding, but it is possible.

 

Thanks Stuart, I was going to ask you, who did yours.

 

Actually he did for free...
...with the $150 tool it takes about 20minutes...