Center spiral cable problem -- steering wheel installation

[western flyer]

I am installing a new steering wheel from metric TLC. The wheel looks just like my original one. I am following the FSM and have searched here on MUD.

Problem: When I tighten the center nut for the wheel to FSM torque (25 ft. lbs) the center spiral cable (aka clockspring) does not following with the wheel directly when turned. The center spiral cable will sit in place (not turn) for several degrees as the wheel turns until one of the plastic cable connectors on the spiral cable hits the side of the steer wheel frame...then the spiral cable will turn. This action appears to squeeze the CC and horn wires inappropriately. I have re-installed the steer wheel several times and played with the spiral cable and environs, with no resolution. The spiral cable is centered per the FSM.

Can anyone tell me if the center spiral cable is supposed to turn with the wheel 100% (no play) once the center nut of the wheel is tightened (and air bag is not yet installed)?

I have played with the black plastic ring that is on the very inside of the center spiral cable...this has not changed anything per my issue.

I am about to try my old wheel to make sure of any possible wheel differences. I have yet to install the steer wheel pad...does this affect the spiral cable per my issue (I see no tabs or screws for them to affect each other)?

Thanks, Jon

 

[PDoyle]

I'm looking to do this project this week end.
Did you tape the spiral cable so that it doesn't lose its index when you pulled the old steering wheel off?

 

[PDoyle]

Got any pics of the new wheel?

 

[western flyer]

PDoyle: I did not tape the spiral cable, though I can recommend that now. I kept the spiral cable in place, but did the "3 counter clockwise turns to light resistance, then 3 turns back to the match marks" FSM test just to make sure. Let me go take some pics.

I checked the old and new wheels and tried installing the old wheel...no difference. I installed the steer wheel pad (air bag..completing the wheel installation) and it is possible that some metal tabs on the steer wheel pad may contact the spiral cable (and protect the CC and horn wires). With my completed wheel installation the spiral cable still has several degrees of free play compared to the wheel. You can just see the play if you look down from the top of the column.

I am not sure if I have it correct at this point.

 

[PDoyle]

Pics please.
Here is an info. thread.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/782857-lx450-oem-steering-wheel-swap-airbag-info.html

How long did you wait to pull the air bag after pulling the cables off the battery?

 

[western flyer]

PDoyle:
Interesting photo session shooting a steering wheel inside a car when it is almost dark out. Even with a nice flash unit (Canon 580 EXII) bouncing the light around, the lighting is pretty challenging.

Here are some pics.

Thanks for the link to that info thread...I read that last night.

Per your question, from what I have read 90 seconds is the standard for how long to leave the battery unhooked in order to safely de-power the airbag before working on it. Some say a half hour to be safe. I waited an hour with the batt unhooked and worked on other projects (roof rack fairing). Read the FSM about how to place the steer pad/air bag (face up) after removing it from the wheel. As others have noted here on MUD, treat it like a bomb.

Cheers, Jon

 

[PDoyle]

Better then iphone pics. Nice looking wheel. Being that the new wheel is installed does it work now?
How do you tape up the spiral cable? Does it actually try to pop out when you remove the airbag?

 

[western flyer]

Better then iphone pics. Nice looking wheel. Being that the new wheel is installed does it work now?
How do you tape up the spiral cable? Does it actually try to pop out when you remove the airbag?

Thanks.

I have been busy taking pics for someone so I have not driven it yet (I do not know if it works correctly)...

The spiral cable does not want to pop out (or anything freaky like that), it just turns easily once the wheel is removed. If you directly tape immediately after the wheel is pulled off, then you can maintain the index. No big deal if you screw up, just re-index it as noted on the both spiral cable and the FSM. The clearly identified marks and the technique is straight forward. But do get it right.

Cheers,
Jon

 

[western flyer]

So I drove it. Turn signal stalk will not move up or down to allow turn signal activation. I will tear it apart again in the am.

Please let me know if you have any hints.

Thanks.

 

[NLXTACY]

Just curious, how different is the color now between the steering wheel and the airbag cover? I've been wondering if I should just get a new one when I replace the steering wheel.

 

[western flyer]

Just curious, how different is the color now between the steering wheel and the airbag cover? I've been wondering if I should just get a new one when I replace the steering wheel.

I will take some daytime pics so you can see. I had just cleaned and treated the airbag cover in the pics above, so that may have heightened the difference. They are sorta close...it may not be worth it to buy a new one.

More on this tomorrow...

 

[western flyer]

problem solved

Resolved!

Fixed it today.

They key to my problem was the thin black plastic ring in the center just outside the steel hub (and just inside the spiral cable housing) that that the wheel mounts to. See pics. When the steer wheel is off this thin black ring can turn somewhat independently of the spiral cable. The black ring is part of the combination switch that is part of the turn signal cancellation and spiral cable functions.

This black ring needs to be lined up with 3 indents on the back of the steer wheel hub. To line up this ring properly it should look like the second pic (below) when you mount the wheel. Note the one cone shaped nub (there are 3 nubs, but the orientation only goes one way) at the top and the two slots 180 deg out from each other go at the sides.

The spiral cable and turn signals will not work correctly if you screw this up and do not line up the thin ring correctly. The FSM says nothing about this.

Hints (edited):
-- Disconnect battery and wait at least 90 seconds.
-- A T30 torx bit with a long head is helpful to get the airbag off. Same bit to remove horn hardware. You should have a bit that you can drive with a torque wrench to reinstall the bag properly.
-- Place steer pad (air bag) face up after you remove it. Be gentle with it.
-- I used a impact gun to easily get the steer wheel center nut off. At only 25 ft-lbs. it is no big deal to use normal hand tools. Use a torque wrench to re-install to FSM torque for your year.
-- I did not need to use a steering wheel puller (though I bought one).
-- I re-torqued the airbag torx srews to 78 inch-lbs per the FSM...you need a micro-torque wrench to do this right. Best not to wing this.
-- Taping the spiral cable immediately after removing the wheel is a good idea, though re-indexing it is (critical, but) not hard to do.

 

[western flyer]

Just curious, how different is the color now between the steering wheel and the airbag cover? I've been wondering if I should just get a new one when I replace the steering wheel.

J, Some daytime pics for you... The colors are different, but only you can judge if the difference is too much for you. As I noted earlier, I just cleaned and treated the old steer pad yesterday.

 

[NLXTACY]

J, Some daytime pics for you... The colors are different, but only you can judge if the difference is too much for you. As I noted earlier, I just cleaned and treated the old steer pad yesterday.

Hmm, the pics seem to match fairly closely. My truck has never parked outdoors so if like to think the color would be close. Hmmm

 

[western flyer]

Hmm, the pics seem to match fairly closely. My truck has never parked outdoors so if like to think the color would be close. Hmmm

The match is close enough for me, for what it is worth.

 

[Foothills Cruiser]

Just wanted to correct something, the torx bit required should be T30 not T27.

 

[PDoyle]

Bet it was worth the hassle though. Looks real good. Thanks for posting the info.
I'm in the middle of replacing the exhaust Y pipe and the steer wheel is next on the list.

 

[western flyer]

Just wanted to correct something, the torx bit required should be T30 not T27.

Edit: Thanks. You are correct. T30 is the right size...I just re-checked it with another set of torx drivers.

I need a need a higher quality T30 3/8" drive bit with a longer head for proper access. My "offshore" T30 bit that I originally tried did not fit, though proper access clearance was bad.

I corrected the earlier post. Cheers.

 

[PDoyle]

Exactly where is the spiral cable in the above pics?

Do the t-30 torx bolts come all the way out before you remove the air bag?
How do you pull the air bag off the wheel?
Thanks for any help. I'm trying to do this little project right now.

 

[western flyer]

Exactly where is the spiral cable in the above pics?

Do the t-30 torx bolts come all the way out before you remove the air bag?
How do you pull the air bag off the wheel?
Thanks for any help. I'm trying to do this little project right now.

The actual cable is inside (behind or covered by) that black ring-shaped cover with the curved yellow stickers all over it with the end of the yellow cable sticking out. The cable and black cover is the portion just inside the brown plastic steer wheel column fascia in the pics, and it turns with the wheel. I hope that makes sense. See pages RS-2 and SR-19 in the FSM. Once you pull the wheel and play with it it will make more sense...of course, once you place with it you will likely need to re-index the cable. But if you gently play with it you will then understand it enough to easily be able to re-index it.

The torx screws do not come all the way out before you remove the air bag. They remain attached to the bag/cover unit when you pull the bag off.

Once the torx screws are fully loose (you should feel them wobble a bit once fully loose from the wheel frame), the bag/cover pulls straight out with moderate effort. IIRC it has some friction.

Note how the FSM suggests you place the bag/cover for safety while it is off.