Removing Steering wheel

Casey Gardiner · Post by **Casey Gardiner** » December 24th, 2005, 6:48 pm

How do I remove the steering wheel? I removed the wheel cover, large bolt, and the casing around turn signal shaft and windshield wiper shaft. What do I do next?

fry_81 · Post by **fry_81** » December 24th, 2005, 6:55 pm

large hammer
jk, you'll need a steering wheel puller tool. if you dont have one you can probably borrow one from an auto parts store.

Casey Gardiner · Post by **Casey Gardiner** » December 24th, 2005, 7:04 pm

Theres no other way to get that baby out without this "tool"?

jschrauwen · Post by **jschrauwen** » December 24th, 2005, 8:41 pm

Casey Gardiner wrote:Theres no other way to get that baby out without this "tool"?

Without breaking something, probably not. It's not necessary to pull the turn signals or plastic casing away from between the steering wheel and the dash to remove the steering wheel itself. Pullers aren't very expensive, and one of those unique yet seldom used tools that are about the only thing that will work in certain situations, like this.

JM1EC-V6 · Post by **JM1EC-V6** » December 25th, 2005, 5:21 pm

Just leave the 13/16'' nut here ( a few threads to retain the steering wheel when it will get off the column, i don't want you to have it right in the face !).

After, put your feet at the bottom of the car's floor and pull with your hands several times. The steering will go off after 3-4 mins of trying or less.

''De-thread'' the 13/16'' center bolt, and get out the wheel.

That's it ! (Don't need a tri-point puller)

Joey's mx · Post by **Joey's mx** » December 25th, 2005, 7:48 pm

yeah just put your purse down and use your man muscles!!! Just joking!!!

Yeah all you have to do is give a couple hard pulls and it will come off i have already done it twice and that method worked both times!!! Just make sure to leave that nut on there or you will have a busted up nose/lip!!!

Good luck

Nd4SpdSe · Post by **Nd4SpdSe** » December 26th, 2005, 9:05 am

Joey's mx wrote:yeah just put your purse down and use your man muscles!!! Just joking!!! Yeah all you have to do is give a couple hard pulls and it will come off i have already done it twice and that method worked both times!!! Just make sure to leave that nut on there or you will have a busted up nose/lip!!!

Good luck

Tool? I Never realised there was a tool needed...I just took the large nut off and started jiggling/pulling on the wheel...although I didn't get a busted lip, i did fly back cause it doesn't give any sign, it just lets go...

TheBlackMoth · Post by **TheBlackMoth** » March 23rd, 2006, 8:05 am

Hi there, I am changing my steering wheel today and I managed to easily remove the old one without the pulling tool, the hardest part was taking the big nut off, it was very stiff!

Anyway, I have my new wheel ready to put on, but there is a plastic plug coming out of the centre plastic piece, which is preventing the boss from going on, I have included a photo below, I am not sure what to do at this stage - I have no idea what the white cabling behind does, but I think its important, so I was thinking of leaving all that how it is and sawing off the plastic plug, (assuming its for the airbag) does anyone know if this would be OK?

Nd4SpdSe · Post by **Nd4SpdSe** » March 23rd, 2006, 8:58 am

I've never seen that one before, maybe it's different for those with airbags...but was something similar on the non-airbag columns. Basically i needed to cut it to get the hub on, but I also had to do some custom modifications to get the wire for the horn working (it's illegal to not have a working horn). Although I relocated my cruise control controls, the same thing would need to be done for them.

Just a word of caution, it may or may not be illegal for you to remove an SRS steering wheel and/or not notify the insurance company.

TheBlackMoth · Post by **TheBlackMoth** » March 23rd, 2006, 9:08 am

Hi, thanks for the help mate, I don't think it is illegal here in the UK...

Would you suggest I just go for it and chop the plastic bit off?

Also, what mods did you have to do to connect the horn up? I'm guessing you connect something from the car to the underside of the boss, right?

Cheers,
Oli

Nd4SpdSe · Post by **Nd4SpdSe** » March 23rd, 2006, 10:18 am

http://www.mx-3.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.ph ... hlight=hub

I had to chop it off as well as shorten the connector leads in the connector and soldered wires directly to it.

What you need to do for the horn is this:
- Horn Wire (should test as 12v) to horn button.
- Horn button to ground.

FYI, the wire on your hub (if you have one) does *not* connect to ground (odds are anyway, the onces that i've seen). Also, the steering column is grounded, that's how the stock horn works to complete the circuit.

jschrauwen · Post by **jschrauwen** » March 26th, 2006, 12:46 pm

That connector as Mike said should be for the cruise control and horn and since you have SRS, than that's in there too, judging by the number of wires. Non srs have 3 wires (horn and 2 for cruise). I would source another after market wheel that will allow retention of that connector within the hollows of the new wheel. The wire(s) that are needed for the cruise and horn still have to be routed through there and must be allowed to move with the inner hub, lest it will be cut in half when the wheel is turned. You still want to retain the functionality of having self cancelling turn signals (a safety/inspection consideration). You can later modify the cruise switch to after marker switches and incorporate them in to the after market steering wheel hub adapter. FWIW, I don't think I would want to remove an SRS wheel from any car just to achieve looks. Is there a functioning restriction to using the oem wheel? - racing , slalom etc ??? Also, I would find it hard to believe that the inspection standards or insurance companies would look the other way to this sort of mod. I have been wrong in the past. Good luck

http://www.mx-3.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.ph ... ring+wheel

Jovian2k · Post by **Jovian2k** » January 22nd, 2007, 1:48 pm

Very helpful info, just installed a eunos leather steering wheel very easily. It helps if you wiggle the steering wheel loose after a bit of hard pulling.