Replace steering wheel --DIY?

[bufo]

I know a new steering wheel (2nd gen) costs ~$250 brand new. Is replacing one a feasible DIY? Or will DIY=>die?

I'm sure a dealer will charge another $200 just for labor, but the thought of doing it myself is pretty intimidating.

And don't ask why I'm thinking of replacing the steering wheel


Update 4/15:
I bought a new steering wheel for $100, and my local garage charged $85 to switch it out.

As for why I had it changed, let me just refer to the Seinfeld episode when a valet stunk up his car.

[Marc]

I looked at the steering wheel R&R procedure in the 2001 shop manual. The only real complication is that you have to disable the air bag system that causes the air bags to inflate in a crash. That necessitates some dashboard and seat disassembly to disconnect some electrical connections in the air bag system. Once that's done, you remove the air bag from the steering wheel hub & remove the steering wheel with a puller.

[TheLoveThatNeverDies]

marc said:

I looked at the steering wheel R&R procedure in the 2001 shop manual. The only real complication is that you have to disable the air bag system that causes the air bags to inflate in a crash. That necessitates some dashboard and seat disassembly to disconnect some electrical connections in the air bag system. Once that's done, you remove the air bag from the steering wheel hub & remove the steering wheel with a puller.

Hey Marc, do you think you could just disconnect the battery instead of going through all that? Or is there some kind of backup power system for the SRS?

-Shawn

[BuccaneersFan]

In my opinion disconnecting the battery is sufficient. I would guess that the directions in the service manual are overly cautious.

bufo, definitely do the job yourself, I removed a steering wheel from a car I previously owned and it was not hard. Also, a steering wheel puller only costs about $10 bucks.

Make sure you check some local junk yards for a used steering wheel. I bet you could find one in very good condition for less then half the cost of a new one.

[95mushroom]

Definitely DIY. Beonthis1, and I (he got instructions from me) have removed the steering wheel.

I've had the air bag off a couple times (sometimes with everything on.) Just the batt should be sufficent. But it's your face.

[bufo]

Yeah, I read the manual and the airbag was what concerned me, but as 'Shroom said, "it's just my face."
;D

I'll check with my non-dealer garage and see what they say. Another problem is that I am f'in busy this spring and don't have much time to toy with the car. Thanks for the info though, I might just do it myself.

[Marc]

TheLoveThat NeverDies........The manual does recommend shutting off current to the air bag system by first removing the fuse for that system. I really don't know why it says to do all the disconnections, unless, like BuccaneersFan says, they are being overly cautious.

[SupaStealth]

I wouldn't do it if i had to, that airbag scares me, imagine what that would do if it went off while you're workin' on it, yikes.

[luvmybravada]

If you have the money to spend, have the dealer do it. If not, do it yourself.

[BNICOV]

I wouldn't go messing with the airbag, do what it says in the manual, it's in there for a reason. If you screw up your airbag, you're messing with your life to have a nice new steering wheel. DO IT PROPERLY!!

Good luck!!

[mission008]

yeah definetly a DIY.........just DIY for everything...nothing is really that hard to do when it comes to repairing/modifying cars, as long as you follow the right procedure. the hard part is trouble-shooting problems that come up.

[Aurora40]

hmm, if it were in the $200 range, I'd go the dealer route. Between the airbag and needing to buy a puller, it wouldn't be worth it to me to DIY.

[erw38]

I'd probably go the delear route too. For an airbag, you're looking at anywhere from 50-1000 bux (depending on where you get it). And then you have the delear labor on top of that price. Would you rather pay 200 bux or possibly ruin it and end up paying $1000 or more? I think the classic airbags are easier to disable. I might do it on a classic, but since I don't know squat about 2nd gens I would have to reccomend a dealer

And since you brought it up:

bufo said:

I know a new steering wheel (2nd gen) costs ~$250 brand new.
And don't ask why I'm thinking of replacing the steering wheel

Why are you wanting to replace the steering wheel?

[Marc]

I've removed steering wheels before, but not on cars that were comparable to the Aurora (1965 Cutlass & a 1971 Impala). To me, the only difference in doing an R&R on the Aurora steering wheel would be dealing with the air bag, but there I would follow the shop manual procedure to the letter.

[bufo]

Update:
I bought a new steering wheel for $100, and my local garage charged $85 to switch it out.

Steering wheels are so prominent and get touched all the time--I prefer them to be in tip-top shape.