Problem trying to remove steering wheel

[SRR2]

All the instructions say "remove the trim panel from the bottom of the steering column". Well, I'm running into trouble right off the bat. The pix of this operation show that the panel just falls off after you remove the two screws. Not mine. The back of it sticks well down the column, behind the bolster, and has these teeth on it that mesh with the upper trim panel. I've twisted and pulled on it and it's just not coming out. The bolster locks the back of the bottom panel into the back of the top panel. So now I have to remove the bolster but I can't find any instructions on how that's fastened in. There are two screws that hold the bottom in, but something invisible is holding in the left side, and the right side hooks in behind the center console trim.

Can *anyone* help me out with this? I really don't want to go yanking on things that are stuck without knowing the trick. And I'd like to shoot whoever cooked up that stupid lower trim panel.

[BobHarris]

This might seem silly but do you have the adjustable column? and is it adjusted in?

[Jon K]

All the instructions say "remove the trim panel from the bottom of the steering column". Well, I'm running into trouble right off the bat. The pix of this operation show that the panel just falls off after you remove the two screws. Not mine. The back of it sticks well down the column, behind the bolster, and has these teeth on it that mesh with the upper trim panel. I've twisted and pulled on it and it's just not coming out. The bolster locks the back of the bottom panel into the back of the top panel. So now I have to remove the bolster but I can't find any instructions on how that's fastened in. There are two screws that hold the bottom in, but something invisible is holding in the left side, and the right side hooks in behind the center console trim.

Can *anyone* help me out with this? I really don't want to go yanking on things that are stuck without knowing the trick. And I'd like to shoot whoever cooked up that stupid lower trim panel.


Mine wasn't "EASY" to get off either. Just undo the two screws (i think there are only two) and work the snaps off, being careful.

[SRR2]

No, not adjustable. It's a 12-88 build date early E34. It looks like they made some ease-of-assembly & maintenance improvements shortly afterward. Instead of two screws in the lower cover, there are three, and one is hidden behind the bolster. On this version you MUST remove the bolster. I finally got it off by removing trim panels one by one until I found all the screws. It's a royal pain for something as simple as replacing instrument lights.

Anyhoo, I finally got it off after much twisting and prying.

Hopefully I'll have some pix of the process to add to the existing knowledgebase.

[Jon K]

No, not adjustable. It's a 12-88 build date early E34. It looks like they made some ease-of-assembly & maintenance improvements shortly afterward. Instead of two screws in the lower cover, there are three, and one is hidden behind the bolster. On this version you MUST remove the bolster. I finally got it off by removing trim panels one by one until I found all the screws. It's a royal pain for something as simple as replacing instrument lights.

Anyhoo, I finally got it off after much twisting and prying.

Hopefully I'll have some pix of the process to add to the existing knowledgebase.


I don't want to rain on the parade, but we managed to pull the instrument cluster numerous times with the steering wheel still connected.

[Kalevera]

I don't think it can be done unless you have a telescoping wheel. Plus, I'm not sure he's trying to remove the inst cluster (all that you have to do there is just pull the steering wheel, which doesn't require messing with the trim panels at all).

best, whit

[SRR2]

Uh, yeah, on mine it does. See my previous post. This was very early E34 production and the lower cover is different from what y'all are used to. There's no way to get at the third screw with the bolster in place. And you have to remove the trim panels to get at the bolster screws. Basically I had to remove a lot of crap just to disconnect the airbag connector under the steering column.

I'm removing the cluster to replace lamps and capacitors. Unfortunately there are more electrolytic caps in this thing than I'd been aware of. They're all at least 17 years old and probably ought to be replaced.

Jon, there's no way I could have gotten this cluster out with the wheel in place. No frickin way. This cluster looks to be a bit deeper (thicker) than those you can wiggle out with the wheel dropped/extended, judging from what I can see in some of the pix people have posted.

[Kalevera]

I don't get it - help me to understand. After checking the ETK, it appears that all steering wheels on these cars are bolt on (one large ~ 21mm nut holds it to the steering shaft). As such, all you'd need to do is 1) remove the air bag (or pop the cap off if you don't have an airbag), 2) loosen the nut. No need to mess around with the trim panels around the column at all. Disconnect the airbag at the unit itself. And with the SRS, be sure to disconnect the battery :)

best, whit

[peks]

the bentley says to unplug the airbag connector under the trim underneath the column if i remember right.. dont know if its really necessary with the batt disconnected, but i dont really like to mess around with explosives

[Bill R.]

problems removing the lower steering wheel housing cover. I have not pulled the bottom panel on any of the last 10 that i have done either. Mostly 89 and 90's 525 and 535 with fixed wheels. I pull the cover just like i posted and then disconnect the airbag connector then pull the airbag and wheel. It is important that you disconnect the battery and disconnect the airbag connector before removing the airbag. It always been the same procedure basically as i wrote here (http://www.bimmernut.com/%7Ebillr/images/airBagAndBulbs_files/airBagAndBulbs.html)





Uh, yeah, on mine it does. See my previous post. This was very early E34 production and the lower cover is different from what y'all are used to. There's no way to get at the third screw with the bolster in place. And you have to remove the trim panels to get at the bolster screws. Basically I had to remove a lot of crap just to disconnect the airbag connector under the steering column.

I'm removing the cluster to replace lamps and capacitors. Unfortunately there are more electrolytic caps in this thing than I'd been aware of. They're all at least 17 years old and probably ought to be replaced.

Jon, there's no way I could have gotten this cluster out with the wheel in place. No frickin way. This cluster looks to be a bit deeper (thicker) than those you can wiggle out with the wheel dropped/extended, judging from what I can see in some of the pix people have posted.

[Bill R.]

removing the bag and then disconnecting the other connector





I don't get it - help me to understand. After checking the ETK, it appears that all steering wheels on these cars are bolt on (one large ~ 21mm nut holds it to the steering shaft). As such, all you'd need to do is 1) remove the air bag (or pop the cap off if you don't have an airbag), 2) loosen the nut. No need to mess around with the trim panels around the column at all. Disconnect the airbag at the unit itself. And with the SRS, be sure to disconnect the battery :)

best, whit

[Kalevera]

Bill: even with the battery disco'd?

[SRR2]

You have to disconnect the airbag under the column to remove the wheel. There's a pigtail off the airbag that has to be disconnected. It's the same two wires as connect to the bag, but the pigtail is part of the wheel. I'll see if there's someplace I can post a picture of it.

[SRR2]

You're gonna have to tell me how you get that third screw out without removing the bolster. I'm not making this up. Believe me, I didn't want to remove all those parts just for fun. I've seen your pix of the procedure, and they're very useful. Unfortunately in the one where you say "two phillips head screws" I have "three phillips head screws" and one of them is behind the bolster. Seriously. That cover will NOT come off any other way.

[632 Regal]

have to remove the bolster...looks like no other way....hmmm...maybe a big drill bit for access?

Always thinking

[Kalevera]

Oh....right - I forgot about that. Now I remember....I guess you do need to unplug that harness then, don't you :) Unless you just want to quickly pull the wheel forward a bit to get the inst cluster out. who knows ;)

best, whit

[SRR2]

Might work... if you're an OCTOPUS! Jeez, I had enough trouble getting the dang thing wiggled out even without the steering wheel there -- it was TIGHT. I was about ready to pull out the K-Y. Oh, wait. I don't have any K-Y. Vaseline then.

I'm replacing all the caps in this thing. The order from DigiKey should be here next week for the ones I didn't know about ahead of time. I'll post more information about the rework after its done.

[Kalevera]

Hahaha. It is a tight fit, isn't it. The first time I pulled mine, I had everything else in the area out anyway, so I just pushed from behind :) Now it takes a little finessing -- like a beautiful woman.

...enough with the sexual innuendos.

Do you have the white backed cluster? I wonder how many caps are in mine....I've never pulled the pcb out because it's plastisoldered into the back, which looks like a pain to remove/install.

best, whit

[SRR2]

No, it's gray. There must be a half-dozen different flavors of clusters running around out there, based on all the different pictures people have posted. It's pretty confusing, to say the least. I was having the usual cluster capacitor-failure symptoms, and didn't know what to expect in the way of the components that needed replacing until it was opened up. I had ordered some in advance but ended up with only about half of what I needed. The important ones, in the switching regulator that everyone points to, were indeed bad. One was bulged out on the bottom and leaking a bit. I was surprised to see some crappy consumer-grade parts in there -- caps, ICs, transistors. Stuff I wouldn't have used in an automotive application, which prompted me to order the other values I needed to replace those. I'm replacing the caps with first-quality low-ESR high-temperature Panasonic and Nichicon products.

As far as the melted plastic staking of the board, it looks like that can be softened with an iron. I don't much like this method of assembly, and I *really* don't like trying to reassemble it that way. I'm probably going to remove the front board that's staked this way by cutting the plastic and then reassembling it with small screws and rubber washers. The staked standoffs conveniently have holes already. You just have to be careful not to use too large a screw that will crack them after a time.

These boards are 1.6mm thick two layer with plated through holes. Rework isn't particularly difficult compared to newer technology with extensive surface-mounted components, but you still have to be careful in removing the old components so that you don't damage the hole plating. It takes some skill and appropriate soldering equipment. You definitely don't want to attack it with a soldering gun, or even irons that aren't temperature-controlled.