Guide to changing to 3 spoke airbag steering wheel

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  • DarrenM
    S2Forum Extremist
    • Aug 2007
    • 1227
    • Country: United Kingdom

    #1

    Guide to changing to 3 spoke airbag steering wheel

    Changed my 4 spoke "grandad" steering wheel today for the thicker rimmed 3 spoke airbag version. Took a couple of pics as few people been asking how to change it. Firstly, make sure the car is parked with wheels facing straight forward then disconnect the battery, then I:

    1 - Undid the plastic cowling behind steering wheel x 2 screws either side (thin phillips screwdriver needed). Take off top half.

    2 - Undid the 2 bolts on back of steering wheel holding airbag in place (these are actually x 2 Torx screws but a 4mm allan key should do it).**If using allan key DONT use a ball ended version as will prob snap - as i found out!** Once these are undone, airbag should pull off from front, you just need to un-plug small red airbag connection on back of airbag, easier to use a small flat head screwdriver to prize it off.

    On the back of steering wheel at the top, you will see 2 black wires and 1 brown wire going into dash, these need to be cut just behind the wheel and rejoined when replacing with the new wheel. (check the new wheel has these 3 wires poking out before hand)

    3 - Undo main bolt holding steering wheel on - use a 24mm socket for this. When bolt is off,wheel should pull straight off the shaft.

    4 - Carefully put new steering wheel onto shaft making sure it lines up straight (hence important the the front wheels are straight) and do the bolt up. Re-connect the 3 wires at back (x 2 black x 1 brown).**It might be worth at this point re-connecting the battery and driving down the road just to ensure the wheel is in the right position when driving, it can be a pain if its slightly out and you've re-fitted the airbag)

    5 - When sure its lined up straight re-connect the airbag and do everything else in reverse. If no probs whole process should take bout an hour max. New wheel feels loads better...good luck!
    Attached Files
    Last edited by DarrenM; 23 May 2008, 22:04.
  • DarrenM
    S2Forum Extremist
    • Aug 2007
    • 1227
    • Country: United Kingdom

    #2
    ....2
    Attached Files

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    • DarrenM
      S2Forum Extremist
      • Aug 2007
      • 1227
      • Country: United Kingdom

      #3
      ...2/3
      Attached Files
      Last edited by DarrenM; 23 May 2008, 21:40.

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      • DarrenM
        S2Forum Extremist
        • Aug 2007
        • 1227
        • Country: United Kingdom

        #4
        wires to be cut (then rejoined with new wheel)
        Attached Files

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        • DarrenM
          S2Forum Extremist
          • Aug 2007
          • 1227
          • Country: United Kingdom

          #5
          ..job done! Toot toot!!
          Attached Files
          Last edited by DarrenM; 23 May 2008, 21:45.

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          • Acidburn
            S2Forum Obsessed
            • Jun 2007
            • 13459
            • Country: United Kingdom

            #6
            Nice pictures and write up, bet your well happier now with that wheel.

            Comment

            • GT500
              S2Forum Fiend
              • Jun 2006
              • 2181
              • Country: United Kingdom

              #7
              Yours seems alot easier than mine, my slip ring was round on the four spoke. Hence my fun with the cancel lug, new couls etc...
              Good job! how much nicer does it feel!!??
              Rob..
              94 RS2 Noggy,LHD,MTM map,18"cup 1s,245/35/18,Bilsteins,RS2 H&Rs,Cup splitter.
              87 UR 20v ABY
              97 S6 Avant
              96 A6 C4 2.5 TDI quattro avant,Ming,Wietec/eibach,chipped
              1967 Ford Mustang,Eleanor,460ci v8

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              • DarrenM
                S2Forum Extremist
                • Aug 2007
                • 1227
                • Country: United Kingdom

                #8
                Yeah, feels loads better, that thin rimmed version felt pants. I was even debating going to the thicker 3 spoke NON airbag version like in my V6 but thought that was bit daft. Paid a bit more in the name of safety

                It wasn't all plain sailing tho, that ball tip end on the allan key bust off inside the wheel in one of the Torx bolts, that was a mega pain in the ****. Hence DONT use a ball tip version!

                Apart from that, i was surprised how easy it went, beginners luck i reckon!(as it blows up in my face tommorrow morning!)

                Comment

                • Matt_D
                  S2Forum Maniac
                  • Dec 2004
                  • 515
                  • Country: United Kingdom

                  #9
                  Nice one Darren, looks much better
                  '95 ABY Avant - Sold
                  '98 B5 S4 -MRC400+ = 464ps 741nm

                  Comment

                  • anton
                    S2Forum Maniac
                    • Jan 2005
                    • 802
                    • Country: United Kingdom

                    #10
                    how do these steering wheels take 10 years off the interior!! there brilliant! if only i had an airbag.....has anyone thought of retrofitting....purely for safety of course
                    91' Coupe quattro 20v - project
                    KW V2s and other goodies
                    now gone
                    03' BMW 330CI - Sold
                    08' A5 Coupe 3.0l tdi quattro - Sold
                    57' BMW 525d M Sport Touring

                    Comment

                    • darren a4
                      S2Forum Tinkerer
                      • Dec 2011
                      • 2
                      • Country: United Kingdom

                      #11
                      what airbag was used ive just brought the same 3 spoke wheel to fit into my a4 but it has 4 wires blue and brown going into airbag plus green and purple going to horn where as the 4 spoke only has the 2 black and 1 brown.

                      Comment

                      • UrS4boy
                        S2Forum Obsessed
                        • Feb 2006
                        • 11859
                        • Country: Canada

                        #12
                        In my experience, if you start the car with the air bag disconnected, you will get an air bag error light that you will have to use a VAG-com to cancel.
                        RS2'd 93 UrS4 5 spd sedan
                        94 UrS4 V8 6 spd manual avant

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                        • UrS4boy
                          S2Forum Obsessed
                          • Feb 2006
                          • 11859
                          • Country: Canada

                          #13
                          C4 4 spoke air bag to 3 spoke sport wheel hints

                          I have no idea why any wires had to be cut for a 4 spoke to 3 spoke converstion on a B3/B4. This is not required for a C4.

                          Here are some hints (three methods) to convert a round clock spring signal cancel tab to work with a rectangular clock spring:

                          The Audi Enthusiast website. Forums for all Audis including A4, S4, A5, S5, A6, S6, allroad, A8, S8, TT, R8, Q5, Q7, 4000, 100, 200, v6, v8, vintage, local forums


                          Here is a detailed pdf as to how to make the C4 conversion using "Method 3" of the clockspring mods.

                          http://s-cars.org/postnuke/downloads...Conversion.pdf
                          RS2'd 93 UrS4 5 spd sedan
                          94 UrS4 V8 6 spd manual avant

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                          • darren a4
                            S2Forum Tinkerer
                            • Dec 2011
                            • 2
                            • Country: United Kingdom

                            #14
                            http://i1233.photobucket.com/albums/...-07at12252.jpg this is what back of airbag looks like. im going to car i got wheel from tommorrow to get the slip ring so i can wire it from steering collum apposed to inside wheel. the blue/brown air bag cables should be easy to join to the 2 black if i work out what way they go. but im guessing the green cable on horn is a earth and the purple is the supply where as the 4 spoke wheel only had a brown cable to supply and no earth return cable.

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                            • mouse
                              S2Forum Addict
                              • Apr 2008
                              • 374
                              • Country: Australia

                              #15
                              Great write up, just swapped my 4 spoke for a 3 spoke from a urS6. (only difference from S2 is the badge).

                              No need to cut any wires in the S2 either if the replacement steering wheel still has the plugs attached to it's wires... And no mods to the signal cancel mechanism if the original wheel is a 'later' 4 spoke airbag wheel.

                              Feels like driving different car now
                              Last edited by mouse; 4 March 2012, 06:58.

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