E46 Steering wheel on E34 : DONE!.

[emw525E34]

This four spoke E46 wheel came from a E34 330i. Since its airbag is dual stage firing, that is NOT compatible with E34 designs so it cannot work. However, the E34 airbag can be fitted with minor modifications!.

Cut polyurethane support for airbag in the wheel. Drill 4 holes near the spline to accomodate the slip-ring cable connector. When viola, it fits nicely. The diameter is also smaller than stock E34/95 wheel so it is nicer to use.

Pics here ->> http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/824698/3
Great upgrade!. :D :p

[632 Regal]

I cant see the pictures :(

[epj3]

What year is your E34? Seems as if all options for my 89 535iM are all worthless. I don't want to loose the airbag... no matter what causes an accident - IE a drunk driver... if my insurance says I have an airbag, drunk driver hits me, and i get seriously injured. Guess who won't be compensated becuase of removing the airbag?

Sigh...stupid 15.5" steering wheel!

[emw525E34]

Mine is a 95 touring. I think fitment for E34 changed from 91 or 92. My E34 89 sedan had a 22mm nut holding the wheel to the spline. It has no airbag.

The 95 had a 16mm nut holding the wheel to the spline. Spline fits perfectly to E46 wheels. I reused my airbag.

Regal, Pls show me how to post pic. The file is 136K and this board limits to 39K ?. Having trouble uploading..... Got pics of mod as well.

[632 Regal]

on your favorite site and link them to your post.


Mine is a 95 touring. I think fitment for E34 changed from 91 or 92. My E34 89 sedan had a 22mm nut holding the wheel to the spline. It has no airbag.

The 95 had a 16mm nut holding the wheel to the spline. Spline fits perfectly to E46 wheels. I reused my airbag.

Regal, Pls show me how to post pic. The file is 136K and this board limits to 39K ?. Having trouble uploading..... Got pics of mod as well.

[epj3]

Mine is a 95 touring. I think fitment for E34 changed from 91 or 92. My E34 89 sedan had a 22mm nut holding the wheel to the spline. It has no airbag.

The 95 had a 16mm nut holding the wheel to the spline. Spline fits perfectly to E46 wheels. I reused my airbag.

Regal, Pls show me how to post pic. The file is 136K and this board limits to 39K ?. Having trouble uploading..... Got pics of mod as well.
Mine has the airbag though. It's a monster steering wheel (as you all know)

[emw525E34]

If the spline of the E46 wheel fits, you could do the mods , I have done. Let me check my Sparco Hub that I removed from my 89 E34 525. That fitment is the same as your 535, I am sure. I did not have time for the comparision when I did the mod. Darn part was in the same tools cabinet I was working from!.
Major difference is bolt (in 95 wheel) compared to 22mm nut in 89 E34. But it seems spline grooves looks uncannily similar. Will update you tomm on this.

[epj3]

If the spline of the E46 wheel fits, you could do the mods , I have done. Let me check my Sparco Hub that I removed from my 89 E34 525. That fitment is the same as your 535, I am sure. I did not have time for the comparision when I did the mod. Darn part was in the same tools cabinet I was working from!.
Major difference is bolt (in 95 wheel) compared to 22mm nut in 89 E34. But it seems spline grooves looks uncannily similar. Will update you tomm on this.
Sounds great. I'm actually pretty despirate to change this steering wheel out but keeping the air bag. Even if it doesn't do a damn thing, I just need it to deploy in case I DO have an accident bad enough. I've considered the airbag wheel from the later E30's (318is and 325ic), but they are still 15"...not much different than my 15.5".

[shogun]

http://i22.ebayimg.com/02/i/03/d7/c7/7c_1_b.JPG
A friend has found it on German fleabay and got so excited about it and bought it for 80 EURO= abt. $ 100. Told him that his car has airbag. He did not notice the difference.
So I get it now from him at same price, as I do not have an airbag in my car.

And then I also was the winner in a bid in Germany for a set of modules out of a E32 740 i from 11/92, LKM-L, GM (the new one with the features) and the RM for 40 EURO= about $ 50/full set.
Was my lucky day yesterday
http://i4.ebayimg.com/02/i/03/d3/c7/ff_1_b.JPG

[infinity5]

ok, i'm confused about this steeringwheel business. can you not use a non air-bag wheel in a car that came with an airbag? does it attach so substancially different that it can't be fitted?

[epj3]

ok, i'm confused about this steeringwheel business. can you not use a non air-bag wheel in a car that came with an airbag? does it attach so substancially different that it can't be fitted?
Yes there's no reason you can't - except it's against the law (at least in the U.S.) and your insurance would drop you in a millisecond. Plus the car was designed to have an airbag, I'd like to keep it ;)

[emw525E34]

Pics in Car Domain link here : http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/824698/3

Sorry was in a hurry and this cardomain edit page pretty unfriendly. Will fix up later... enjoy!.

[emw525E34]

Hi Shogun,
That BBS wheel looks a big like the Alpina. Very classic look. The boss kit hub looks a tad long. I guess helps in making some space between the wheel and the signal light stalks.

The LKM business is really tricky. My euro touring has no front fog lights, while its rear lights up nicely. I am trying to find the round connector that will take the wiring harness to the front fogs. I got 3rd party projector fogs installed and unconnected. Any ideas where that fog light connector is located ?. My LKM is ECE-L.

[jplacson]

I have an 89 E34, and as tempted as I am to use a Momo or Sparco wheel... I kinda like having the roundel over an aftermarket logo. So I'm kinda restricted to the older BMW wheels... are the regular E30 wheels smaller than the standard E34 wheels?

I just want a steering wheel that's about 1" smaller in diameter than the stock E34 wheel. Since my E34 doesn't have tilt adjustments on the column... having too small a wheel may block my view of my gauges.


This is my current wheel... how much smaller is a stock E30 3-spoke wheel? (non-Mtech)
http://www.arcor.de/palb/alben/44/3948144/1024_3934643330613934.jpg

[emw525E34]

JP,
I had that wheel at one stage. Its pretty good. I sold it when I got the Momo Race. Then the 850 wheel came in and finally the E28 Msport wheel. This size is small than stock US version wheel. The Mtech 2 is the smallest. I think about the size of Momo at 13.8inches. I must say the Momo had the best feel but no Roundel in the horn.

[Interceptor]

GM (the new one with the features)
Hmmm, what new features? When did they introduce the "new" one? Does it also apply to E34?

[Jon K]

LOL, I think I've started a revolution :D

http://e34.digital7.com/Interior%20and%20Wheel/7.jpg

[emw525E34]

To took a look at the 89 E34 spline hole compared to the 95. The 89 spline hole is much smaller. About 30% smaller than the 95, so it would NOT fit for sure. I think the spline groves were much finer on the 95 as well.

[epj3]

To took a look at the 89 E34 spline hole compared to the 95. The 89 spline hole is much smaller. About 30% smaller than the 95, so it would NOT fit for sure. I think the spline groves were much finer on the 95 as well.
You don't think these could be swapped do you?

[Jon K]

You don't think these could be swapped do you?


You could swap steering columns...