Good steering wheel DIY link with pics still?

[sna77]

Hi all,
Anyone have a good link with pics that are still online of installing the m-tech steering wheel on an e30 with an airbag (and removing the module). All the ones on the site with pics seem to be down...

thanks!

[McGyver]

First, replacing the airbag wheel with a non-airbag wheel will require some spacers and washers to correct the difference in offset.

Process:
Unplug the battery so you don't have the airbag explode in your face.
Turn the key so that you can rotate the steering wheel.
Use a torx (probably t20 or t25) driver to remove the 2 torx bolts holding in the air bag.
Unplug the air bag.
Center the wheel and remove the key. Turn the wheel as needed for it to lock.
Use a 22mm socket with a breaker bar to back off the nut. Leave a few threads on.
Turn the key to unlock the steering wheel.
Pull the wheel until it unseats from the shaft (the nut is there to keep the wheel from hitting you in the face)
Remove the nut and wheel.

When installing, I like to find a straight and flat road to drive on. First, put on the steering wheel, then loosely tighten install the nut to hold it in place. Drive slow so that the car is going straight, stop the car, remove the nut and wheel, reinstall the wheel so it is perfectly aligned. hand tighten the nut. Use the steering wheel lock to hold the wheel in place so you can torque the nut correctly.

[sna77]

Thanks! FYI, I have a 92 318i convertible.

I have the spacer from Race German.

Do you have the info on removing the orange airbag module?

Should I pull the passenger airbag too?

[McGyver]

There is no passenger airbag in a 1992 (e30) convertible.

You can pull the orange module and all the associated sensors if you want, or just leave them. Or just unplug the module and leave it. The airbag is gone, the box won't do anything. If you ever plan on selling the car as "original" and "fully functional", I would just unplug the box.

For my car, I removed all the airbag wiring since I never intended on putting on the old wheel or selling the car.

[sna77]

any idea what that orange module looks like? I cant seem to find it… thanks!

This was very helpful thank you!

[McGyver]

It looks like this and should be in the driver's footwell against the fender.


And the sensors look like this:

[sna77]

awesome, thanks. I think I’ll just unplug the module. Appreciate it!

[Panici]

What are the links with the dead pictures?
I may be able to get them back from the Internet Archive.