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Steering Wheel Swap (Airbag ? and Clock Spring)

D

develand

New member
I am looking at changing the plastic wheel on my 08 GP to the Leather version with steering wheel controls. I am wondering about the stereo wires. Would my car have the wires to plug into the new steering wheel, or would I have to try and run new wires or leave it disabled?

Also, my car has the cruise on the blinker bar and this wheel has it on the wheel itself. Anyone know anything about that too? Or could I just take the cruise bar off the steering wheel?

Thanks.
 
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Re: Steering Wheel Swap

Unsure on taking the cruise bar off the wheel or not as I haven't taken my wheel down to that point. As far as I know, the steering wheel radio controls go through the clock spring, so you'll have to get a clock spring for a car that had steering wheel controls. That being said, I don't know if just plugging in the new clock spring will just make it work, or even if the connector is still the same on the dash side.
 
Re: Steering Wheel Swap

WTF is a clock spring lol... This is sounding like it could be more involved then I thought.
 
Re: Steering Wheel Swap

the clock spring is like the piece under the steering wheel that allows you to turn the wheel and still have the electronics and stuff attached.
this is what one looks like, maybe not exact, but this is the idea. http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:...gKmSmJWKgnPFe9lLY8nKMztPAAnGfyGfxHY9p9aIKS6Aw

annnd austin (4thgencamarofan) just did a clock spring install. so if you get serious about this idea and need to do it, he would be able to tell ya. i do know it's a precise job it has to be done in a certain way for it to work.
 
Re: Steering Wheel Swap

It sits below your steering wheel and links the airbag and any other electronics that rotate with the wheel to the dash harness down the column. It's basically this little gadget that rotates and keeps the connections connected.
 
Re: Steering Wheel Swap

I am wondering if they might have used the same clock spring for all the cars and just not the same wheel.
 


Re: Steering Wheel Swap

that's a good question. idk the answer. maybe google does. and im not sure if it'll be any help or not but try searching on the gm service manual between the base and a model that has all the features.
gm service manual can be had if you sign up for gpona.
there's lot of instructions diagrams and specs on there.
 
Re: Steering Wheel Swap (Airbag ?)

So I have a wheel coming soon, the clock spring I am not super worried about. What I am wondering, is how do I pop off that front piece and get the airbag out safely?
 
Re: Steering Wheel Swap (Airbag ?)

There's 4 little triangular holes in the back of the wheel. Make sure you unplug all the airbag connectors under the dash and have the battery unplugged and the airbag fuse taken out and then just turn the wheel half a turn to the left and then insert a flat head screwdriver into each of the holes and twist it. Once you do that, that corner of the airbag should pop off. Once you have the left side off, turn it to the right and do the same thing. Then it should pop off and you just undo the wires and you're good.

Also, to get the wheel itself off, my haynes manual said to use a steering wheel puller. Don't do that lol. It won't work. Just undo the wheel retaining nut (21mm I think) about halfway, lower the wheel, and push with your knees on the bottom of the wheel and pull towards you on the top of the wheel. It will come off and hit the nut. Then just undo the nut the rest of the way and take the wheel off.
 


Re: Steering Wheel Swap (Airbag ?)

Haha they're not bad. Fuse is pretty obvious.... and then the connectors are bright yellow. There's one on the driver side and one on the passenger side (unless you have side impact bags, then there are probably more but I'm not sure where.. didn't have to worry about it lol). On the driver side, pop off the plastic piece on the side of the dash that's usually covered by the door and the connector should be pretty obvious looking in there. You might want to move the bcm out of the way but it's not necessary. Then on the passenger side, it's the same thing only in an easier spot. Just pull off the fuse panel and it's right in your face haha

Edit: and make sure you unhook the battery first and then pull the fuse and then do the connectors
 
Re: Steering Wheel Swap (Airbag ?)

Do I have to do the passengar side to?

And the drivers side has a lot of wires... My alarm computer is behind that little door lol.
 
Re: Steering Wheel Swap (Airbag ?)

I did the passenger side. I didn't want it to accidentally go off and break my windshield lol. You'd probably be okay not unhooking the passenger side but it really only takes like 30 seconds... so I'd do it :) And I can post a pic with the airbag connector circled or something later today if you want?
 


Re: Steering Wheel Swap (Airbag ?)

If you're wanting the steering wheel controls to work you have to have a clockspring out of a car that had them. I'm not sure how the 04+ are but the 97-03s have 3 connectors(IIRC) under the knee panel. There's metal frame work to the right side and the connectors have clips that just slide on. One of them is for the steering wheel controls on 97-03's. Could always check to see if yours is setup the same way. If it is then all you'd prob need is the clockspring since the harness is attached to it.
And yes 21MM regor.
 
Re: Steering Wheel Swap (Airbag ?)

Oh and as for cruise control, mine was the opposite of yours. I had the stalk on the wheel and the car I got the wheel from was like yours is on the turn signal. All I did was swap the back plastic pieces of the wheels and moved the cruise control stalk to the new wheel. Works fine. I don't think you'll have an issue with that but I'm not sure...
 
Re: Steering Wheel Swap (Airbag ?)

Regor, that is what I am planning for the cruise deal.... As for the clock spring.. I am going to plug the wheel in first and see if it may have the capability to do wheel controls... Like one spring for all versions of cars.


Has anyone done the wheel switch on an 04+ and did you need to change the clock spring?
 
I will almost guarantee it's not. I guess the easiest way to check is to look for connectors when you take the air bag off. If you don't have any then you don't have wheel controls
 
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