Stock Steering Wheel Removal

[Dhiv-Zilla]

Ok so here's the deal:

I got a car that had the steering wheel put back on wrong - its slightly to the left.

Wheel straightening and balancing has been done already so it is the steering wheel.

Only thing I don't know is how to remove it so i can fit it back on properly.

Please do help a new-comer in need.

Thanks

=Dhiv=

[NISZILA]

You have to remove the centre cover. This will be slightly different depending on what car it is and whether there is an airbag. It's pretty easy to do though. Just find the covers where the bolts are. Once this is off, you will see one nut in the centre of the steering wheel holding it on the shaft. Take the nut off and pull the steering wheel off and put it back in the corrent spot.

Word of warning. If the steering wheel is hard to pull off, put the nut back on the shaft about two turns. This will avoid the steering wheel flying off into your face when it gives way

[inthisglass]

if its got an air bag make sure you disconnect the battery first

otherwise theres a good chance it will go off and give you a nose job

[Dhiv-Zilla]

I don't think the car has airbags - Its a series one

Feels like there's a horn in there and that's it

[RICCA]

s1 dont have Air bags !

so should be lucky (to be safe just d/c the battery)

its pretty Straight fwd like Niszilla said!

[MeLSki]

ummm mine's S1 and it camewith an air bag, onbiously not now, a/m steering wheel but it def came with one

[ZXY]

if your steering wheel is a abs fitted wheel, it will have ABS embossed on the wheel front somewhere.

[Dhiv-Zilla]

if your steering wheel is a abs fitted wheel, it will have ABS embossed on the wheel front somewhere.

Nah its just standard lol

What was the point of you saying the abs thing?

[Dhiv-Zilla]

Oh yeah and im too scared about d/c-ing the battery cos i don't have the codes to my sound system lol

Cant i just do the removal without anything disconnected???

And yeah - How do i take off that center cover thing on the wheel?

[Dhiv-Zilla]

You have to remove the centre cover. This will be slightly different depending on what car it is and whether there is an airbag. It's pretty easy to do though. Just find the covers where the bolts are. Once this is off, you will see one nut in the centre of the steering wheel holding it on the shaft. Take the nut off and pull the steering wheel off and put it back in the corrent spot.

Word of warning. If the steering wheel is hard to pull off, put the nut back on the shaft about two turns. This will avoid the steering wheel flying off into your face when it gives way

How do u remove the cover on a series 1 r33 gts NA?

[NISZILA]

Melski, yours is a series 1.5, thats why you had an airbag

To remove the cover there is a screw that you have to get to. With the series one steering wheel, if I remember correctly, its just one screw located directly under the wheel that screws upwards. It is covered by a little plastic tab. Once you remove this, the bottom of the cover will be loose. You can then pull it upwards. The top is held in with two clips so as you pull it up they will pop off. :thumsup:

[ZXY]

Nah its just standard lol

What was the point of you saying the abs thing?

to let you know that it is a abs wheel =.=

nizilla, i thought the series 1.5 lines had a letterbox mesh type grill not the slat sort?

[NISZILA]

Well... its either a series 1.5 which all came with airbags, or its a series one that came with an airbag as a factory option. Its rare to find series ones with airbags, but from memory you could get it as an optional extra. Main thing to know is if your car had an airbag, you're not supposed to change the steering wheel if the new one doesn't have an airbag. Not that it stops anyone.

[Dhiv-Zilla]

Melski, yours is a series 1.5, thats why you had an airbag

To remove the cover there is a screw that you have to get to. With the series one steering wheel, if I remember correctly, its just one screw located directly under the wheel that screws upwards. It is covered by a little plastic tab. Once you remove this, the bottom of the cover will be loose. You can then pull it upwards. The top is held in with two clips so as you pull it up they will pop off. :thumsup:

Thanks a lot,

That helped... But, how do i loosen the bolt!

Its too freakin tight!!!

So far

I've tried a spanner, and I've tried using one of those things you use to remove bathroom taps.

Any tips???

Cheers

=Dhiv=

[inthisglass]

just use a socket and get some WD40 in there

[NISZILA]

lol... yea, they are pretty tight. Use a piece of round metal tubing to extend the length of the spanner handle, if that makes sense. If you can't get it right, send me a PM. Bring it over to my place and I'll show you how its done

[R33_NICK]

use a breaker bar if things are tooooooo tight and believe me it works as it gives you more leverage but be sure the bar is long or its not gonna make a difference. if you dont have a breaker bar, use a pipe that you could slip on the rachet and it will do the same job as a breaker bar too but just be sure the rachet is not a 3/8 drive or you'll risk snapping the mechanism inside. basically for something pretty tight, you'll need a 1/2 drive rachet with a pipe or a breaker bar.

[NISZILA]

^^^

Thats exactly what I was trying to say. Your wording is much better Nick

[Tezzah]

use a correctly sized ring spanner

whilst torquing the spanner anti-clockwise tap the nut/thread with a hammer (rounded ones are easiest)

that will get the nut cracked, from there on it will be finger tight

unscrew the nut, but leave it on. you dont need anymore then 5mm of room between the nut and the wheel

get a friend ready to hit the nut with the hammer

dis enguage any locking/positioning mechanisms that hold your wheel where you want it

pull as hard as you can from the drivers seat while your mate hits the nut with the hammer.

[sidewayssam]

dont do what i did,

last year i decided to change my steering wheel on my r32,

(i was an aprentice mechanic for 3 years and chenged plenty of steering wheels)

but when it came time to change mine i got so xited i pulled of the main bolt and smacked it with both hands and broke my nose i cried, bled and felt like an idiot.