Old style airbag swap

[Tractor Dave]

So I have the old style four spoke airbag steering wheel on my Coupe. I picked up a lovely early S8 three spoke airbag wheel from Bertman (thanks). I thought it might be a straight swap but unfortunately the spline shaft diameter is different and the horn ring is also different
I've done a bit of reading here and haven't found any clear guidance about swapping. I do have a 95 80 cabriolet here I'm breaking and it has the same spline as the S8 steering wheel. However, it appears to be a dash out job to swap the steering column and ignition switch. Anyone done this before?

[Tractor Dave]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bowie69]

No need to remove dash, all doable, but you do need bendy fingers and the right tools.

[Tractor Dave]

No need to remove dash, all doable, but you do need bendy fingers and the right tools.

Ok cheers.
Just pulled the column from the cabbie and it's very easy with the dash out.
Can you remember if the column goes back and drops down under the dash or passes through the small hole? And do all the plugs fit or is there electrical work to do?

[Bowie69]

Yep, drops back and comes out from behind the parcel shelf, no way to come forward.

Plugs just come undone when you remove the switch gear, and the ignition switch is removed via a couple of allen grub screws on the back of the ignition barrel, which IIRC are filled with yellow paint(!).

[Tractor Dave]

Thanks. Work in progress

[K Simmonds]

Yeah, it's all doable with the dash still in just as Bowie69 has said, the only thing I can add is when I did one (can't actually remember who's but defiantly a coupe or B3 saloon) I removed the drivers seat as they pop out so quickly, then used some old sofa cushions and a sleeping bag to stop the seats centre mount digging into my back so I could lye down in comfort to undo everything as opposed to having to contort myself in the footwell. A 13mm ratchet spanner will also come in handy but isn't essential, just make's undoing the bottom pinch bolt a bit easier.

[Tractor Dave]

Cheers Kit. Always good advice.
It’s out but I have wire mess to sort whilst I’m there.


The ignition switch wires were so bad I was going to swap everything for the one on the cabbie I’m breaking. Unfortunately, that’s even worse!


Lunchtime


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Tractor Dave]

How to do this.
Warning! This is not plug and play. You need to move wires in the connections and change either one of two connectors depending on your wiring.
You also need the correct cowl and stalks from a later airbag car and one connector plug for the lights and indicators from the newer car.
Remove upper cowl (two screws)
Remove Cluster
Make a careful note of the connections at your lights and indicators and wipers. These are the two larger plugs. Remove the connectors and slide off the stalks. On the inside of the stalks connectors you will see each pin is marked. Referring to your new stalks, each side must be matched to the correct marked terminal. In my case, two of the connections in the indicator/light plug needed to be changed to the bigger bullet connector to match the new plug you need to use on that side. Refer to guide link posted here.
Remove lower kick panel
Move wires to one side and on the right side of the column you will see a small security screw holding the ignition switch to the shaft. I didn't have the correct security bit so drilled the centre out using a 4mm drill. You can then use a torx bit to remove the screw. Unplug the connection at the back of the ignition switch but don't try and remove yet.
with 13mm ring spanners, remove the small locking bolt from the bottom of the shaft.
Again, using 13mm spanners, remove the two long bolts holding the shaft to the bulkhead.
Now, pull the shaft back towards you and remove the bottom joint. Don't lose the spring and washer behind the join.
Now drop the shaft slightly which gives space to withdraw the ignition barrel. Now drop the shaft and barrel.
Fitting is reverse of above but don't forget to 're fit the ignition barrel into the shaft before you bolt anything up or there isn't space. It has to be replaced when under the dash before 're bolting. Also don't forget to use the larger plastic boss which goes over the shaft and before you 're install. It's also vital that the shaft lower joint is correctly lined up so the bolt passes through a slot in the splines.
In my case there was one different wire plug. The single plug Brown and yellow wire. It was simple to swap the plug from the donor car.
Don't forget you also need all the stalks and cowl from the newer car. They are all different.
When you fit the steering wheel the wheels must be pointing straight and the rear of the airbag slip ring must be upright and wheels pointing straight.
Also refer to the number of turns and centralisation of the rear backplate of the steering wheel.

[K Simmonds]

Cheers Kit. Always good advice.
It’s out but I have wire mess to sort whilst I’m there.


The ignition switch wires were so bad I was going to swap everything for the one on the cabbie I’m breaking. Unfortunately, that’s even worse!


Lunchtime


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Looks like the sort of work left by aftermarket alarm fitters, they almost invariably seem to manage to make a complete mess of the loom. Have had to sort out exactly the same issue myself many times before. Solder and heat shrink is the way to go to do a tidy job of repairing the sabotage. Having done so I reckon I could bypass a Cat one alarm and have the engine running in less than five minutes. It would take a professional theif seconds, really rendering such installations pointless apart from a bit of paper to show an insurance company.

This is my first post using a phone, which actually wasn't to bad to work out, I'm very thankful that newsh told me about Tapatalk!

Sent from my SM-A115F using Tapatalk

[Tractor Dave]

Well done Kit. I use it all the time now.
One thing that is annoying when you upload a pic, it will tell you there is a problem. Just keep trying and it normally works on the third attempt. Subsequent pics in the same post work fine. Strange fault but you will soon get used to it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[newsh]

Well done Kit. I use it all the time now.
One thing that is annoying when you upload a pic, it will tell you there is a problem. Just keep trying and it normally works on the third attempt. Subsequent pics in the same post work fine. Strange fault but you will soon get used to it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think that’s an internet speed issue, haven’t had it for a while. Best to choose medium size pic when it gives the option.

[Tractor Dave]

Ok. This has turned into a bit of a nightmare as one of the plugs doesn’t fit. So I thought I would pin out and swap the plug over but the wire colours do not match the positions and some are completely different.
Have you ever wished you never started a job? This is defo NOT a simple job.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Tractor Dave]

[newsh]

Can you not just swap the splined part of the column? I’ve never heard of anyone changing stalks and connectors?