Swapped Steering wheel pics as requested...

[Jon K]

http://e34.digital7.com/Cars/wheelprofile.jpg
Side profile... 0 gap from base of wheel to base of steering column, absolutely stock/perfect gap fit!


http://e34.digital7.com/Cars/wheel.jpg

overall interior shot... flows well with the car IMO

[bjl4776]

Looks good, let us know if you can get all of the controls hooked up.

[bahnstormer]

flows like whoa!
nice job jonny!
send the how to to bmwe34.net =]

[Paul_540i]

That looks very nice, what's the feel like? One thing I'm not too keen on in my E34 is the steering wheel feel, rim is too thin and the leather doesn't feel particularly great. My Audi had the sports steering wheel (no airbag cos it had procon-ten, brilliant piece of engineering!) and it is much nicer to hold than the BMW one.

Unfortunately the airbag means I'm probably stuck with it as I don't want to pay the hefty price for a replacement with airbag.

[Jon K]

That looks very nice, what's the feel like? One thing I'm not too keen on in my E34 is the steering wheel feel, rim is too thin and the leather doesn't feel particularly great. My Audi had the sports steering wheel (no airbag cos it had procon-ten, brilliant piece of engineering!) and it is much nicer to hold than the BMW one.

Unfortunately the airbag means I'm probably stuck with it as I don't want to pay the hefty price for a replacement with airbag.

It feels so much nicer than the stock boat wheel. It's pretty chubby. It's size is as small if not slightly smaller than the Mtech II wheel

[Paul_540i]

Here's a pic of the Audi wheel I had (not my car in the pic BTW!):

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/8/web/296000-296999/296149_9_full.jpg

My E34 has the 3-spoke wheel with small airbag fitted to later euro cars.

[Jr ///M5]

A job nicely done Jon, like you say, it "flows"....looks very good with the rest of your interior.

Now, about that air-bag situation. I know you're planning on making all the buttons functional, (did you get the heated wheel?)
(how cool (or hot) would that be?) =)

I applaud your "what if?" attitude and vision of your youth. What ever you do, don't lose it. However, this doesn't give you the right to molest your sister's car...=)

Have fun with the project, it looks like you will. I'm currently buying stock in E46 steering wheels...=) Like I said earlier, I think you're on to something here.

Enjoy!
Jr

[Jon K]

A job nicely done Jon, like you say, it "flows"....looks very good with the rest of your interior.

Now, about that air-bag situation. I know you're planning on making all the buttons functional, (did you get the heated wheel?)
(how cool (or hot) would that be?) =)

I applaud your "what if?" attitude and vision of your youth. What ever you do, don't lose it. However, this doesn't give you the right to molest your sister's car...=)

Have fun with the project, it looks like you will. I'm currently buying stock in E46 steering wheels...=) Like I said earlier, I think you're on to something here.

Enjoy!
Jr

Thanks JR! This weekend will be the weekend to tap the harness from the stalk of the column... going to take pictures and all and do a write up for future investors! E46 wheels fitting is big news in the E34 community i do suppose, because until now, our only option was expensive Mtech wheels and gaudy aftermarket sparcos. I still have to figure out what I am going to do as for the center of the wheel, i could try and find an E46 airbag ($300) and just not hook it up or mayeb I can find some sort of thing to put in there or fabricate... don't know yet. Another good wheel at this point is the E46 M3 wheel which is even chubbier, but they carry a high-demand and thus cost. Not that this E46 sport wheel is cheap. Again, I will be posting info as I get stuff accomplished... I am also handling the supercharger install and audio re-install/video re-install at the same time, ugh. As for the sister, haha I expect her to help with the pin-out on the OBC stalk this weekend!

[emw525E34]

Brilliant Jon,

Just what I wanted and suspected all along that fitment will be fine!. Now, did your original wheel has an airbag, I presumed so. Could that not be reused here ?. Or was the mould very different ?.

My 95 touring has the same shift knob as yours. What a job to use!. My handbrake level is CF with slight chrome surrounds. I could not get a pure chrome level!. The original rubber brake level was falling off everytime I used it!. E46 Sports wheel .....lets go to ebay.de....

[Shaun]

Looks good Jon!

I've been wondering for quite a while if those newer wheels would fit. Might have to give it a go soon...

[Bill R.]

bag that fits that wheel is off of a mrs III system, which has a 2 stage airbag and all the other components are completely different than your system.

[Jon K]

bag that fits that wheel is off of a mrs III system, which has a 2 stage airbag and all the other components are completely different than your system.

Yeah Bill that's the issue. I am looking for a E46 airbag (and have had a couple members from E46fanatics.com contact me to help) just to fill the spot, not to use. The systems and triggering methods are completely different, I am actually trying to find a recoverable airbag that had detonated. On certain impacts/accidents the airbag pops up but doesn't penetrate the center column/bag cover... hopefully the guy who contacted me has an airbag in such condition. But yes, to clarify, the airbag function will be unusable, which can be said for just about every other sport/upgrade steering wheel for our car. Thanks bill.

[George M]

you don't need to hear this but will say it anyway since this is what I do for a living. The kinematics of an E-34 versus E-46 crash are not the same and therefore the more evolved E-46 air bag even if you figured out the diagnostics which is a stretch would not be the proper air-bag for the car. Further all the steering wheel controls etc come through the clock spring. Good luck unraveling the mystery of all those multiplexed circuits. As Jr said, I applaud your exuberance Jon and ingenuity but think you have a very steep uphill climb to make that wheel functional.
If your solution is...no air-bag functionality...not worth it to me. Have seen to many crashes with and without air-bags to know the difference.
Good Luck,
George

[Jon K]

you don't need to hear this but will say it anyway since this is what I do for a living. The kinematics of an E-34 versus E-46 crash are not the same and therefore the more evolved E-46 air bag even if you figured out the diagnostics which is a stretch would not be the proper air-bag for the car. Further all the steering wheel controls etc come through the clock spring. Good luck unraveling the mystery of all those multiplexed circuits. As Jr said, I applaud your exuberance Jon and ingenuity but think you have a very steep uphill climb to make that wheel functional.
If your solution is...no air-bag functionality...not worth it to me. Have seen to many crashes with and without air-bags to know the difference.
Good Luck,
George


I respect your comments George and do realize that for some people a non-airbag car may not be an option. I do know that the airbag will not work in the car, I never really expected it to though. As for the wiring, the spring type harness is very easy to replicate with some sheathing. As for the actual button functionality, I don't foresee any problems. I am pretty well-off with EE stuff, having made a couple ATX shutdown controllers for my car pc and soldering leads on motherboards for my XBOX install etc, as well as other computer related repairs and such. I will let everyone know the ultimate outcome. I have a write-up prepared.

[bimmerd00d]

I dont think anyone heard him, it's purely cosmetic, he understands that the airbag is not compatible with the E34.

[Jon K]

I dont think anyone heard him, it's purely cosmetic, he understands that the airbag is not compatible with the E34.



You should see some of the response i got on bimmerforums.com. Most people appreciate the idea, knowing that the upgrade wheels, Mtech and MtechII are airbag-less. Other not-so-informed people (mainly a couple E39'ers) told me...

"At least it will leave a 3-spoke pattern on your face"

Wow, creative eh?

[Bill R.]

others might be under the impression that the airbag would work. Its the same wheel on my wagon , only i'm looking for the fatter wheel with the bulges at the sides off the m3, with or without the paddle shifters..









You should see some of the response i got on bimmerforums.com. Most people appreciate the idea, knowing that the upgrade wheels, Mtech and MtechII are airbag-less. Other not-so-informed people (mainly a couple E39'ers) told me...

"At least it will leave a 3-spoke pattern on your face"

Wow, creative eh?

[Jon K]

others might be under the impression that the airbag would work. Its the same wheel on my wagon , only i'm looking for the fatter wheel with the bulges at the sides off the m3, with or without the paddle shifters..


M3 wheel can be had for like $300, and for around $400 you can get the 330 ZHP wheel (M3 wheel) with Alcantara covering

[bimmerd00d]

I'd like to have the one from the 98 E36 M3, i like the feel of those a lot. My old roommate has an E46 M3 and the wheel seemed too fat for me. Maybe it's my short fat hands, i dunno :D

[Jon K]

I'd like to have the one from the 98 E36 M3, i like the feel of those a lot. My old roommate has an E46 M3 and the wheel seemed too fat for me. Maybe it's my short fat hands, i dunno :D


If you want I could pull my friends '99 M3 wheel off and see if she fits ;)

[George M]

and I posted in the event Jon you had the stretch goal of making the air-bag fuctional.
The clock spring circuit shouldn't be hard to map. Getting solid continuity through your new wheel without the corresponding clock spring will be a challenge however. A simple continuity tester and process of elimination will allow you to identify harness connections as they correspond to each wheel button. I just hate you to go without an air-bag in the name of cosmetic and tactile improvement. I think Jr's solution is the best with the thicker sectioned E-34 M5 wheel....which allows retention of the stock air-bag.
My opinion of course and I do appreciate your ingenuity.
Cheers,
George

[Jon K]

and I posted in the event Jon you had the stretch goal of making the air-bag fuctional.
The clock spring circuit shouldn't be hard to map. Getting solid continuity through your new wheel without the corresponding clock spring will be a challenge however. A simple continuity tester and process of elimination will allow you to identify harness connections as they correspond to each wheel button. I just hate you to go without an air-bag in the name of cosmetic and tactile improvement. I think Jr's solution is the best with the thicker sectioned E-34 M5 wheel....which allows retention of the stock air-bag.
My opinion of course and I do appreciate your ingenuity.
Cheers,
George


I hear you. But I don't really have too much concern just because I don't really trust a 13 year old airbag. All of the mtech wheels are airbagless, rather, most of them.

[KingSix]

I agree, there are several much better looking steering wheels on the market, if its what you want (to be w/out and airbag) furthermore I fail to see the point behind the swap if all the controls don't work ??? To each his own and we all have our own reasons behind what we do to our cars, but I fail to see the benifit of this mod ....

[George M]

not to kick this dog too hard, Jon air-bags are relatively reliable as they age....especially hard propellent sodium azide used in BMW inflators. One thing for certain, I would rather take my chances with a 13 year old air-bag than no air-bag in a head on crash that only takes one drunk to come over the line and the roads are full of them. As to KingSix's comments...to each his own. I understand why Jon is doing it...one for the technical challenge and two...the later model wheel does look and feel better no question. In some ways its analogous to people riding on 18 inch rims with no sidewall for the bling factor. What pain and cost some will endure to have something different and set themselves apart. Only this case it can have deadly consequences.
George

[Jon K]

I agree, there are several much better looking steering wheels on the market, if its what you want (to be w/out and airbag) furthermore I fail to see the point behind the swap if all the controls don't work ??? To each his own and we all have our own reasons behind what we do to our cars, but I fail to see the benifit of this mod ....


???

You've never wanted a sport wheel in your car? You're content with a 18" diameter bus wheel? The benefit behind the mod, like any other mod, is that it makes the car unique moreso than another E34 in the enthusiast community. If you have a stock E34 then I would assume that you don't care, but then I would assume you wouldn't notice, and furthermore I would assume you not have a reasoning against it. "I fail to see the point behind the swap if all the controls don't work..." do you fail to see also that the controls will work? I am at college, i've no access to a garage/outside outlet to solder a PCB while in the car, the controls WILL all work.. the volume will adjust the volume (aftermarket alpine headunit), the cruise will adjust the cruise, and the "Phone Dial" button will scroll through the odometer area OBC messages.... i don't see where the confusion is.

The real reason I am doing it, is because i have yet to see (in my what, almost 3 years of being in the BMW scene) an E34 with an E46 wheel... just like I had yet to see an E34 with a touch screen navigation system with internet... etc. You may not be able to comprehend the utility behind it, but then again i don't really expect nor care you to. I am a responsible driver, should an accident occur, it's just that, an accident. Knowing that an E34 is perhaps one of the most safe vehicles to be in while in a collision of any sort, that makes me feel at ease. If you drive your car enough, perhaps you've even had your SRS light come on for hitting a pothole or a bump, which i have... the thing that bothers me with this is that a bump or a pothole is an impact in the WRONG vector for an airbag to be triggered in any matter. That's the very reason I don't trust the system/sensors when I hit a minor pothole/bump and trigger the light. Also when removing the airbag, the orange clip (faced down) on the airbag back was dusty and somewhat goey from the wire-wrap... who is to say that wouldn't effect it deploying.

[George M]

Virtually no accidents occur in what you think is "the right force vector" for deployment. The crash scenerios are computer mapped statistically and why the sensors are configured in three planes as they are. As to seeing the confusion...you will when you try to get the radio controls working. As to your comment...The real reason I am doing it, is because i have yet to see (in my what, almost 3 years of being in the BMW scene) an E34 with an E46 wheel. My response is...I haven't seen an E-34 with a chain steering wheel or a jet engine either and doesn't mean I want one.
Having some fun with you Jon....but as your father I want you to put the old bus wheel back on with air-bag and put your E-46 wheel on e-bay and get back to your studies.
Cheers ;)
George

[Jon K]

Virtually no accidents occur in what you think is "the right force vector" for deployment. The crash scenerios are computer mapped statistically and why the sensors are configured in three planes as they are. As to seeing the confusion...you will when you try to get the radio controls working. As to your comment...The real reason I am doing it, is because i have yet to see (in my what, almost 3 years of being in the BMW scene) an E34 with an E46 wheel. My response is...I haven't seen an E-34 with a chain steering wheel or a jet engine either and doesn't mean I want one.
Having some fun with you Jon....but as your father I want you to put the old bus wheel back on with air-bag and put your E-46 wheel on e-bay and get back to your studies.
Cheers ;)
George


When my buttons work what do I win from you?

[George M]

are you using the clockspring that came with the steering wheel?...or try to rube one up? How many tracks/circuits are coming off the back side of wheel for all the controls including the horn?
George

[bimmerd00d]

i want an e46 wheel or even a late e36 m3 wheel, working or non-working airbag. I dont really care to have an airbag at all either, i was hurt more by an airbag in a wreck where i would have been fine if the car had no airbag.

[Kalevera]

hilarious, guys.

Jon, I like the wheel and can't wait to read the writeup. Esp. if/when you get those radio buttons working.



best, whit

[Jon K]

are you using the clockspring that came with the steering wheel?...or try to rube one up? How many tracks/circuits are coming off the back side of wheel for all the controls including the horn?
George

i'll be using the setup that came with it


considering that i wont be using 2 of the buttons, there will be 8 wires to tap, maybe 7 if i use a common ground

[Jr ///M5]

Jon..."See, when I press this butto"---BLAM! (air bag deploys) "Aw, hell, that's the 3rd time today!!!"

Just having some fun with you Jon, we admire your patience as you pin out the harness. It would be cool to have the sunroof controlled by the steering wheel though. I have no doubt that you can make this work, be patient and take your time. George is just testing your confidence level, something that is practiced by all engineers, pro and amature alike.
Have fun with it!
JR

[George M]

I am obviously having some fun with Jon, Jr...but I would like him to have an air-bag in front of him. Save one button Jon for the motorized a$$ scratcher. :p
George

[Jon K]

I am obviously having some fun with Jon, Jr...but I would like him to have an air-bag in front of him. Save one button Jon for the motorized a$$ scratcher. :p
George


Don't worry I will, it'll vibrate too!

[KingSix]

???

You've never wanted a sport wheel in your car? You're content with a 18" diameter bus wheel? The benefit behind the mod, like any other mod, is that it makes the car unique moreso than another E34 in the enthusiast community. If you have a stock E34 then I would assume that you don't care, but then I would assume you wouldn't notice, and furthermore I would assume you not have a reasoning against it. "I fail to see the point behind the swap if all the controls don't work..." do you fail to see also that the controls will work? I am at college, i've no access to a garage/outside outlet to solder a PCB while in the car, the controls WILL all work.. the volume will adjust the volume (aftermarket alpine headunit), the cruise will adjust the cruise, and the "Phone Dial" button will scroll through the odometer area OBC messages.... i don't see where the confusion is.

The real reason I am doing it, is because i have yet to see (in my what, almost 3 years of being in the BMW scene) an E34 with an E46 wheel... just like I had yet to see an E34 with a touch screen navigation system with internet... etc. You may not be able to comprehend the utility behind it, but then again i don't really expect nor care you to. I am a responsible driver, should an accident occur, it's just that, an accident. Knowing that an E34 is perhaps one of the most safe vehicles to be in while in a collision of any sort, that makes me feel at ease. If you drive your car enough, perhaps you've even had your SRS light come on for hitting a pothole or a bump, which i have... the thing that bothers me with this is that a bump or a pothole is an impact in the WRONG vector for an airbag to be triggered in any matter. That's the very reason I don't trust the system/sensors when I hit a minor pothole/bump and trigger the light. Also when removing the airbag, the orange clip (faced down) on the airbag back was dusty and somewhat goey from the wire-wrap... who is to say that wouldn't effect it deploying.


Umm apparently I've struck "nerve" sorry, but in my past experiences, and granted they are limited to muscle cars of the late 60's and early 70's I've never heard of nor never made a mod myself without knowing where it was going to lead me... Good luck in unravelling the electrical system that was never meant to be seen or altered by anyone other than a BMW tech. I myself am an electrician by trade and have seen the some strange things happen with even the simplest of electrical systems( Roadrunners, GTO's etc etc.) nevermind something as advanced as a Beemers electrical system... nevermind not having a garage and all the tools as you've already stated your lacking...I remember when I was young and foolish and my father would just let me run my course too.. good luck to you, but seriously, be careful I would honestly hate to hear of anything bad happening to anybody in the name of a mod..and sorry if I offended you by my previous post

[George M]

Same with me...did not mean to offend. Good luck with your mod Jon...just wish you were swapping in an air-bag wheel like Jr's.
George

[Andrea K]

Same with me...did not mean to offend. Good luck with your mod Jon...just wish you were swapping in an air-bag wheel like Jr's.
George

. :( be careful!

[Jon K]

Umm apparently I've struck "nerve" sorry, but in my past experiences, and granted they are limited to muscle cars of the late 60's and early 70's I've never heard of nor never made a mod myself without knowing where it was going to lead me... Good luck in unravelling the electrical system that was never meant to be seen or altered by anyone other than a BMW tech. I myself am an electrician by trade and have seen the some strange things happen with even the simplest of electrical systems( Roadrunners, GTO's etc etc.) nevermind something as advanced as a Beemers electrical system... nevermind not having a garage and all the tools as you've already stated your lacking...I remember when I was young and foolish and my father would just let me run my course too.. good luck to you, but seriously, be careful I would honestly hate to hear of anything bad happening to anybody in the name of a mod..and sorry if I offended you by my previous post



1) GTOs and Road Runners dont have electrical systems, they're powered by string.

2) Garage and tools I am lacking? How did you draw that conclusion? I am not home right now, I go home on weekends... where I have access to a 12 car heated garage with Snap On shelves worth of tools, engine lifts, air guns... etc. I have multimeters and soldering irons of various wattages... welders MIG/TIG and Arc, as well as aceteline torches...

So how exactly did you draw the conclusion that i didn't have access to tools?


I probably wouldn't have any success working on a Beemer though, you've got me there.

[emw525E34]

Thanks for the info, Jon. The airbag difference is a bit concerning to me since the airbag cost so much and if it is non-functional, then I would question my own swap proposition. Like yourself, I loved the 3 Spoke E46 sports wheel. But now that I realised the price, I might opt instead for those "nicer" Momo 3spoke wheels that has a better feel than the BMW!. At all black, they do not stick out too much.

I had a momo race in my E34 US version sedan and loved the feel of the wheel and its usage. Now I am having second thoughts about the E46 wheel.....

[Mobius]

Good luck in unravelling the electrical system that was never meant to be seen or altered by anyone other than a BMW tech. I myself am an electrician by trade and have seen the some strange things happen with even the simplest of electrical systems( Roadrunners, GTO's etc etc.) nevermind something as advanced as a Beemers electrical system... Oh give me a break.

Despite how they may be wired, in the end they're simple switches that connect simple circuits. This is not rocket science. In addition, the E34's electrical system is hardly a thing of great mystery that only the great BMW gods have the knowledge to touch (though I can see how someone used to dealing with cars from three decades prior might believe this on first glance). Compared to cars today; the electrical system of the E34 is prehistoric. Complex, maybe - but far from untouchable.

Just because it's too complex for you doesn't mean it isn't possible. Give the guy a chance.

[George M]

agree with Mobius in principle...hardly rocket science. The biggest issue is continuity...not figuring out the circuit. The circuit can be deduced with a simple test light. If he is using the E-46 clockspring, which for those that don't know that nomenclature...is industry slang for the rotating interface
that looks like a puck...that allows wire harness connection to the wheel for the controls as the wheel rotates... and it packages between the new wheel and old column, it should be a no brainer.
George

[Bill R.]

the simple switches that connect simple circuits that you think it is. The steering circuit is wired on a kbus and sends information from multiple devices over one wire in the form of serial data, if you look at the wiring harness on the clockspring you'll notice quite a bit fewer wires than there are switches. Here's a schematic of the e46 wheel and a short description of the k bus that bmw is using on the newer cars.http://www.bimmernut.com/%7Ebillr/images/e46steeringwheel.jpg
http://www.bimmernut.com/%7Ebillr/images/e46kbus.jpg







Oh give me a break.

Despite how they may be wired, in the end they're simple switches that connect simple circuits. This is not rocket science. In addition, the E34's electrical system is hardly a thing of great mystery that only the great BMW gods have the knowledge to touch (though I can see how someone used to dealing with cars from three decades prior might believe this on first glance). Compared to cars today; the electrical system of the E34 is prehistoric. Complex, maybe - but far from untouchable.

Just because it's too complex for you doesn't mean it isn't possible. Give the guy a chance.

[George M]

hmm...multiplexing...the plot thickens. Good catch Bill.
Will see if we have a young rocket scientist in training.
George

[Mobius]

if you look at the wiring harness on the clockspring you'll notice quite a bit fewer wires than there are switches. I was under the impression that he was ditching the K-Bus controller in the wheel and wiring the buttons straight to the clockspring at the expense of a few non-working buttons...?

[jj7]

It does look very nice,great job...i hope u manage to get the airbag very soon, safety first.Then i hope i could overcome the troubles of my car so i can spend some money just to make the car look COOOL,i will keep your idea in mind till the right moment comes

jj

[paul p (chi-town)]

it's purely cosmeticAh but there lies the rub...........it is not purely cosmetic even without the button functionality. This is very true of the MTech wheels in particular.
The reduced diameter makes the steering quicker. This may seem psychosomatic but think of it this way; your hands need to now traverse a shorter arc distance to make the same angle in the front wheels. Between that, the thick rim it certainly feels sportier. On a BMW this is even more so because of the tactile communication that occurs thru this interface, that is one of the essences of the brand.
Not to mention those thumb humps at 2 & 10 induce adopting a light but very stable 2 hand grip. A boon on long hauls.
And yes it does look sweet.

http://homepage.interaccess.com/~motria/1108helg_whl2.jpg

http://homepage.interaccess.com/~motria/1108helg_whl3.jpg

http://homepage.interaccess.com/~motria/rolf_st_wheel.jpg

I understand George’s concerns. Not to mention he should know. But i’ve been in an accident where the bag went off and it did more harm that good. So it is not a panacea. It’s value in powerful head on collisions for a person of standard stature (or greater) is undeniable. Driving a car w/o one is a choice i make after considering the cost/benefit analysis.


94 530iT&A, ‘Helga’---92 325i, ‘Rolf’…….”Hang up & Drive!”.......no, SERiously. (http://homepage.interaccess.com/~motria/pablosgarage.html)
”Bet that phone call doesn’t seem that important now does it, huh." Nov 20, 2004

[Jon K]

I plan to ditch the bus connection altogether. I haven't dived into it yet, still at school until tomorrow. This should be fun.

And yes the smaller diameter wheel does perform better.. I like it a lot actually. It also seems that there is less "play" in the steering with a smaller diameter wheel because there is less radius from turn to turn

[ukm5]

I plan to ditch the bus connection altogether. I haven't dived into it yet, still at school until tomorrow. This should be fun.

And yes the smaller diameter wheel does perform better.. I like it a lot actually. It also seems that there is less "play" in the steering with a smaller diameter wheel because there is less radius from turn to turn

Ok also a technical guy here thinking about doing this but can you show us a picture of the back of the wheel that has the electrical connectors?
if as you say ditch the bus can you directly get access to the circuits? is there like a panel in the wheel that gives u access?

also have you fitted this to the steering coloum with the nut or bolt?

darren

[mpower06]

Jon K,
Great job putting this altogether......I've been meaning to try this for a long time.......It is not as complicated as everyone thinks........there are 4 inputs for the MFL - Terminal R(accessory power), Ground, K-bus and a cruise control input to the DME. I think Crutchfield makes a converter box to adapt BMW K-bus inputs into other signals for aftermarket radio installations.......makes life alot easier.......Hope this helps
As for the airbag issue, it is possible to make it work - all the airbag firing circuits since back in the day have the same resistance spec. through the firing circuit but the only change was to a dual stage bag in '99 in order to accomodate stricter Fed regs. - the dual stage allows either one stage to go off only, one stage first and then the second stage after a delay or both stages at the same time - depending on the severity of impact. You could technically plug into Stage 1 only and at least have the same efect as a single stage bag in the vehicle as opposed to no stage at all. Just some words of advice/experience.........

Personal Disclaimer: I in no way condone the ommision of airbags from a vehicle that came standard with them or condone the unauthorized installation of airbags not specified for a particular model of vehicle.

Just had to say that...... :D Good luck.

[VentoGT]

Hello from a newbie--

I wanted to bump this thread just because I did a search on sport Airbag wheel [I am looking for the one on this site: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HC91&mospid=47387&btnr=32_0704&hg=32&fg=35], but this looks like a very interesting project--wondering what the outcome was...

Please let us know the results of this Jon, and hello to all--looking forward to being a regular here hopefully :)

[dacoyote]

Hello from a newbie--

I wanted to bump this thread just because I did a search on sport Airbag wheel [I am looking for the one on this site: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HC91&mospid=47387&btnr=32_0704&hg=32&fg=35], but this looks like a very interesting project--wondering what the outcome was...

Please let us know the results of this Jon, and hello to all--looking forward to being a regular here hopefully :)

Don't worry... it's only been dead for 13 months....

[Jay 535i]

Here are recent photos of Jon's car:

http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?t=14174

[VentoGT]

Thanks Jay--I didn't see any more mention of it when I had searched 'steering wheel', '3 spoke airbag wheel' and several combinations thereof, so apologies to those who have already seen this ad nauseam :)

[Jehu]

I also had thought i'd like to replace the stock steering wheel with one of these but this thread has put that idea in a new light.The seller claims all i need is a hub spacer and i'm golden.Now i see even if i actually get it to fit i might lose my horn and need to take a bulb out of the cluster or wherever it is.. I have no qualms doing without an airbag but wonder if the code fault reading would eventually generate a conflict but the horn i think i'd need to pass the yearly state inspections if the airbag isn't a similar issue .. looks like maybe the MTech II is about all that will work while covering all the bases that i like at all of the OEM wheels.

http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/1096/isottawoodsteeringwheel13fv.jpg

http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/7679/momofighterwood9mr.jpg

[Jon K]

In PA you need a horn, airbag doesn't matter even if car came with one. I just swap my stock steering wheel in for inspection, beep the horn, go home and swap back. My e46 wheel required no spacers

[CharlesAFerg]

In PA you need a horn, airbag doesn't matter even if car came with one. I just swap my stock steering wheel in for inspection, beep the horn, go home and swap back. My e46 wheel required no spacers

Could you link me to your instructions, I cannot find it X-O.
Thanks Jon
-Charles

[Jehu]

Could you link me to your instructions, I cannot find it X-O.
Thanks Jon
-Charles


http://www.bimmernut.com/~billr/images/airBagAndBulbs_files/airBagAndBulbs.html

[CharlesAFerg]

http://www.bimmernut.com/~billr/images/airBagAndBulbs_files/airBagAndBulbs.html

Thanks but I'm sorry I should have been more specific, what about the modifications that Jon needed to make on the (e46?) steering wheel fit on the E34. I don't care about the airbag because I don't have one now...

[Jay 535i]

The second pic in Jehu's post is the Momo Fighter. I just bought one, but in leather rather than wood. I haven't installed it yet, but anyone going to Chicago will see it in situ. I'll also post pics when I get it installed.

[uflnuceng]

Will this steering wheel work (and the proper airbag functionality) with a 1990 E34 if I can manage to score one when I visit my family in August this year? Will I need to get everything or just the wheel?

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HC91&mospid=47387&btnr=32_0892&hg=32&fg=35

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/n/t/9.png

[VentoGT]

I think that your hub is the older hub, and therefore is not compatible with this wheel. As I understand it, BMW changed the steering hub in 1991 to the later style and kept that hub through the rest of the e34's lifespan. Jon and others will be able to pitch in but that is what I was told when searching for my airbag wheel. If the hubs are the same then you should be fine with that airbag--it is single stage like the original e34 airbag. The e46 Airbags don't work as they are dual stage.

[uflnuceng]

I'm guessing I can't just buy the new style hub and bolt it on then?