Steering wheel removal

[butthead]

Hi There

Could anyone tell me how to take the steering wheel off a GTR R33 without the airbags going off.

Thanx in advance

Bill

[Nrage33]

actually i had a guy do it for me, but there was nothing difficult about it. Just pull out the rectangular covers on the side, unscrew the first bolts you see inside and things just slide off so you can pull things apart from the inside (steering wheel, airbag harness etc). The airbag itself needs to be taken out slowly that's all.

I know I've been vague, sorry...I remember watching the guy do it, n i thought, I could've done that bit myself. The hard part is getting all the other crap out from inside, and reaching the bolt that the boss kit will eventually go onto.

[firebladejr]

hmmm make sure you pull the plastic rectangular cover off from underneath the steering wheel. Then undo the plug that you see under there, that will disconnect the airbag.

remove 2 side screws as covered by Nrage33, you will need a tamperproof T50 driver. If you can't get a tamperproof, use a screwdriver to break the "point" out of each of the bolts then use a normal T50. Everything will slide out then...

[butthead]

Thanks for the info

[wrxhoon]

butthead , before u do it find the airbag fuse and take it out , if u cant find that disconect the battery and take care when handling the air bag always hold it away from ur head .

[butthead]

i've got a fuse diagram in english, just got to find it

[benm]

yes please butthead.

[Neil]

As wrxhoon said,,,,either remove the fuse or disconnected the battery. I would have you dis-connect the battery myself. After that you can do what you like with it. It will not explode without voltage and thats a FACT. It's an electronic exploding device that is as lame as with no voltage. You will have to get someone that knows Nissan's to reset the light after you re-install it though.

Neil.

[benm]

You will have to get someone that knows Nissan's to reset the light after you re-install it though.

So I can't just disconnect battery, remove standard nissan airbag steering wheel, replace with a different standard nissan airbag wheel (in much better condition) and plug the battery back in to find everything 100% ?

[Neil]

NO,,,as soon as you disconnect the airbag in needs re-setting. Fact of life my man. Lifes a bitch hey.

Neil.

[butthead]

ben send me your email address an i'll post you a copy of this manual, (its like a service manual), better be quick, i'm going away in 2 hours.

[butthead]

ben i recieved something from you?

What was it?

[butthead]

I've formatted it in office, all you have to do is print it for future refference.

You should have it by now.

[wrxhoon]

butthead ,

i'm not sure if u have to reset the airbag light after u reistall it as i havent removed one in a skyline before . i have done it in other cars though and it works without reseting it .neil have ever had a skyline wheel removed? ( airbag ).

always be very carefull with airbags even if they are disconected , u dont want to loose u r head .

[funkymonkey]

aren't airbags meant to be soft to cushion your impact? why would it hurt your head unless you had it right next to you when it went off?

[benm]

I'm just curious as what it is Nissan would have to do that I can't ?

[benm]

I just took the 3 plastic covers off my wheel to take a closer look (woulda took some pics but parents borrowed my camera for the nite).

For the last 9-12mths my wheel makes a clunk sound everytime I turn it about 90-180 deg and then clunk again when I turn it back. I'm guessing something inside is loose and is just rolling around but after taking the covers off and looking inside I can't see anything that isn't joined to another part that could be loose. Also now over the last week it sounds like a spring or something is loose along with the clunk clunk sound and it sounds like the wheel is gonna fall to pieces in my hands 1 day when driving. I can get a 2nd hand good condition wheel and hopefully just straight swap it but if my current wheel just needs a bolt tightened etc then i'd much rather just tightened the bolt and get another 6mths out of the wheel (if the leather will hold up that long). Anyone got any ideas ?

From what I can see (with a torch) their is just 2 weird shaped bolts on either side and then I guess the wheel just slides off (??). Underneath I can see 2 different plugs. It looks like 1 is a cable plugging into a socket and the other is just to cables plugged directly into each other.

Which 1 of these 2 needs to be unplugged to de-activate the airbag?

[butthead]

benm thats the exact same problem i'm having. if i find the problem i'll let you know how to fix it.

[wrxhoon]

benm:

have u ever taken a steering wheel out before ? once u take out the cover ( regardless were it has an airbag or not ) u have to undo the nut ( usualy around 19 - 21 mm) then u need a gear puller to pull it off ( its tapered so it will be very tight ) .when u reinstall it u have to put it in the same position as it was before otherwise when u go in a straight line the wheel will not be in centre position .this is the best way to do it . put the wheel in centre pos and the front wheels pointing straight then take the wheel off ,make sure u dont turn the shaft when taking the wheel off or while its off when u r ready to put it back u put it cenre pos again , put the nut on take it for a drive if its one tooth out pull out and turn one tooth .

when u take the cover off ( with the airbag )u'll see the wires u have to undo , airbag wires are usualy yellow .

make sure u take the fuse off or disconect the battery .

funkymonkey , yes ur right but remember when u r driving u r head is far away from the airbag and u can get a broken nose but thats the price u have to pay so u dont get seriously hurt or even die .

[benm]

Just spoke to CRD in Silverwater and they told me to remove my standard nissan airbag wheel and replace it with a good condition standard nissan airbag wheel i will need a boss kit worth $150 and thats all they can supply (It's illegal for them to change airbag wheels).

I'm guessing Nissan will be the only workshop that can replace my wheel and if thats the case it will be cheaper for me to buy an aftermarket Momo wheel + Boss kit (illegal modification) and have that fitted than to just put another Nissan airbag wheel on.

Not happy Jan !!