Does non-airbag steering wheel HAVE to be straight before removing it?

[e30m50swapsanjose]

x

[jlevie]

You can, but it is going to be difficult to center the new wheel when you install it.

[TobyB]

For a NON airbag wheel?

Just lock the column, mark where the wheel aligns, remove the wheel, walk away.

I'd say you were being silly, but I bought a pickup once where that was the only
way to immobilize it. And anyone with a pair of vice grips could have stolen it...

Unless I'm missing something on the non- airbag wheel...

t

[McGyver]

If you don't have an airbag,
-lock the wheel
-use breaker bar to loosen nut
-unlock wheel
-finish removing nut
-pull wheel off

for an airbag wheel
-un-plug battery
-unplug the airbag connector under the dash
-wait, or don't, i'm not you mom
-actually, get mom to do it. that bag is gonna blow
-Mom's too busy, so use torx bits to carefully remove the airbag (dont put your face in front of it)
-unplug airbag and either discard or discharge and discard
-remove steering wheel as described for non-airbag car

Re-installation of non-airbag wheel:
-slap it on and go to a straight street without traffic
-remove nut and slide wheel on
-drive a bit and turn the wheel until the car is going straight
-remove wheel, orient it so it's straight, slide wheel back on
-tighten nut

I wouldn't keep a 20+ year old bomb in front of my face. It has just as much change of actually working in a crash as it does of going off when you are driving and causing you to crash.