RX330 Steering Wheel fitted in LX470 - FYI

[Eliot]

Fitted a 2003 RX330 steering wheel in my 1999 LX470.

The leather on my steering wheel was gone and the steering wheel was nice and sticky. There had been some nice RX330s showing up in my local junkyard so I grabbed a half decent steering wheel for $25 and tried it out. Worked perfectly. Makes me think there may be more interchangeable options on different lexus models. The RX330 wheel is about 1 inch in diameter smaller than the LX wheel.

Anyway, just wanted to share this with you guys. Better than paying hundreds for a re-wrapped wheel.

You'll need:
-steering wheel/airbag
-white plastic turn signal canceller (you'll need to remove the slip ring to get this part out)

Everything else on the LX fits right up with the RX330 wheel. Slip ring, cruise control harness and the airbag harness! Just remember to use lithium grease on the moving parts.

 

[ton504]

Cost to rewrap steering wheel is about 250. The used wheel/airbag combo was less that that?

 

[TXLX100]

OP said it cost $25. Nice job getting that to work.

 

[Kigiin]

Airbag might be separate - looking at them on ebay and see many are missing from the steering wheel.

 

[ton504]

OP said it cost $25. Nice job getting that to work.

Op said the steering wheel cost 25.

Just looked on ebay and the airbag assy are only 50-100. Not bad.

 

[CurbsEnthusiasm]

Looks good. I wonder if a Takata recall would apply on a swapped bag!

 

[Eliot]

I picked up the steering wheel and airbag at a "you pull it" salvage yard. Airbag was $40, steering wheel was $10. There was a sale at the time for 50% off all parts, so I got everything for $25.

The salvage yard was owned by LKQ. They seem to have many locations all over the east coast and parts of the Midwest. They also have a live vehicle inventory system online, which is very convenient. Haven't seen any LC100s or LXs for obvious reasons, but I've found some interchangeable parts on other Lexus Toyota models.

 

[Ali FJ80]

Toyota/Lexus use the same spline count on all the steering wheels I have seen so wheels from most models fits each other physically. You just need to get correct connectors for airbag etc as you said to make things work right. I have an Altezza wheel from Japan in my Supra, had the Supra wheel in the LC for the hell of it but then stumbled across a LC one that was a new take off. Lot of SC300/400 guys use GS or RX wheels also to update the look of the older four spoke wheel to a three spoke.

 

[Eliot]

Nice! Sterring wheel changes are always a great way to change the driving experience of a vehicle. I can't tell you how much nicer it is to hold onto that wood RX330 wheel versus a OEM LX470 wheel with a cheap cover on it. It also gives much better visibility of the dash!

 

[r3run33]

Cool info. Have you used any other parts like mechanical items? Obviously motor is different but maybe from tundra etc? For example master cylinder?

 

[Bretthn]

sweet! thanks for sharing

 

[Dog]

@Eliot that is cool. Will you come to my house and swap my steering wheel? I don't have the patience (or the nerve) to go mucking with the airbag.

 

[bctlex]

@Eliot thanks for sharing. Adding this to my list of things I like to do.

 

[CreeperSleeper]

Great idea! My steering wheel has seen better days...

 

[Eliot]

Cool info. Have you used any other parts like mechanical items? Obviously motor is different but maybe from tundra etc? For example master cylinder?

The only other things I've used are fuses, bulbs and I used a small component out of a window switch. My drivers side window switch was not clicking properly and eventually i couldn't open or close my window. I performed surgery on the switch assembly and found a small white piece that the switch teeters on had broken. It was about the size of a finger nail. After dissecting a few lexus window switches, i finally found the part i needed and swapped it into my switch (I came across a pile of switches in the backseat of a car, so i have no idea what model it was from). Everything works great now. I will update if i find anymore interchangeable parts.

@Eliot that is cool. Will you come to my house and swap my steering wheel? I don't have the patience (or the nerve) to go mucking with the airbag.

Sure I don't mind, where are you located? After a couple of beers I don't mind messin with an airbag. Just gotta remember to keep your face out of firing range! In all seriousness, I've messed with lots of BMW and Toyota airbags and have never had a problem. I've even dropped a BMW airbag down the stairs and it still kept the airbag light off.

 

[Eliot]

Update: After going on a weekend road trip i realized the cruise control did not work. I ended up swapping the cruise control module out of the old steering wheel into the RX330 wheel. It was a direct fit, but i did need to splice the harness into the horn. It was a quick easy solder job.

 

[OregonLC]

I would have guessed that there's more engineering to a proper airbag deployment than just getting the steering wheel to fit on the vehicle. How sure are you that you haven't inadvertently created a safety hazard?

 

[Slickspawn]

Airbag module commands a deployment. Not the airbag itself.

 

[r2m]

Does that RX steering wheel have the same contours (shape) that blend in with the steering column as the steering column on your LX? Do the colors work to be about the same also? I have the (1998) LC tan interior.
One last question and not sure if you would know this or not, but are the shape of the steering column's the same for both the LX and LC? I have an LC and am in need of a new(er) steering wheel also.

 

[RobRed]

Airbag module commands a deployment. Not the airbag itself.

I'm pretty certain @OregonLC is referring to the dimensional/physical deployment not the electrical aspect.