C6 steering wheel swap
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,759
Likes: 52
From: L.A. aka TooDamnManyPeopleville Ca.
C6 steering wheel swap
Is it possible to swap a C6 steering wheel with radio controls into a 99-04 C5, leaving the air bag intact?
Guesstimates on the cost to do so?
Guesstimates on the cost to do so?
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 4,251
Likes: 7
From: Woodbridge Ontario
John Caravaggio looked into it, and it'd take several custom pieces made and some wiring to make it fit/work. He concluded it'd be prohibitively expensive to make it work.
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From: Fort Wayne IN
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Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,759
Likes: 52
From: L.A. aka TooDamnManyPeopleville Ca.
It doesn't hurt to ask.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 12,466
Likes: 886
From: Fort Wayne IN
2025 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
C5 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
2017 C5 of the Year Finalist
2016 C5 of the Year Finalist
2015 C5 of the Year Finalist
Agreed. The C6 wheel is much nicer looking than the C5 wheel. I'm not so worried about radio controls, but the design of the C5 wheel is lacking.
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Beats me. The technology was available.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,417
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From: Annapolis MD
This is my understanding from talking to John C. and many C6 folks about this.
The spline on the steering wheel end of the steering column is different on the C5 and C6. The teeth just don't match up. However, the spline on the steering RACK end is the same. So presumably, you could swap a C6 column into a C5 and then be able to use a C6 wheel. I doubt the steering position sensor changed any, if at all, but the electronics might be slightly different for the airbag. Realistically, it shouldn't be hard to figure out though with a wiring diagram. Unless you found the stuff used, you're probably looking at about $2K for parts. That's not to say it wouldn't be worth it, especially if you used Caravaggio's new C6 wheel (with the flat bottom). If I ever finish my other car projects and house projects, this one is on my list.
The spline on the steering wheel end of the steering column is different on the C5 and C6. The teeth just don't match up. However, the spline on the steering RACK end is the same. So presumably, you could swap a C6 column into a C5 and then be able to use a C6 wheel. I doubt the steering position sensor changed any, if at all, but the electronics might be slightly different for the airbag. Realistically, it shouldn't be hard to figure out though with a wiring diagram. Unless you found the stuff used, you're probably looking at about $2K for parts. That's not to say it wouldn't be worth it, especially if you used Caravaggio's new C6 wheel (with the flat bottom). If I ever finish my other car projects and house projects, this one is on my list.
Last edited by JohnTheStigGalt; Apr 16, 2007 at 01:11 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,679
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From: Georgia
I asked the same question a few months ago after driving a couple of C6's. The increased thickness and smaller diameter of the C6 wheel felt so much better to me. If someone knows of a solution that doesn't cost 2k I'd be in for it.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,417
Likes: 2
From: Annapolis MD
BTW, here's the Caravaggio C6 wheel:
I don't know if he offers one with the radio controls. On the C6 forum, there are A LOT of complaints about the quality of the OEM wheel-mounted controls... If I ever get around to this mod, I'll probably steal some controls from a BMW...
I don't know if he offers one with the radio controls. On the C6 forum, there are A LOT of complaints about the quality of the OEM wheel-mounted controls... If I ever get around to this mod, I'll probably steal some controls from a BMW...
