Toyota steering wheel replacements for an FJ80

[LINUS]

any issues installing this wheel? fitment? plugs? or the like? steps?

For my use I’d just sent out my wheel in the 40th AE 80 when I owned it for recovering - so I just popped my airbag in the LS400 wheel.

When my 40th wheel came back I just pulled & installed my fresh recover wheel & original airbag.

I need to do the same to my black 80’s wheel - so I’ll do exactly the same move.

Removal is easy - after the bag is out / battery disconnected - undo the nut & use 2 bolts to break the ‘seat’ of the wheel in the 2 bosses cast in the wheel. They were small - whatever Mx size is smaller than 1/4” shank ASE bolts/screws.

I've seen is300 wheel installed before.

This makes perfect sense too as the original smaller Lexus was a fancy Camry (that was the is300, right?) - back when Lexus just had the fancy Camry, the LS400 & the LX450 when they intro’d in ~1996.

So I’m betting that spline / shaft from all airbagged ‘Yota of that era are the same, you may just need to scavenge & de-pin a connector to mate to the column airbag harness socket.

 

[toadshade]

That’s a good idea. Didn’t think of that. I just crimped mine but that is a much better way to do it. All the splines seem to be the same. My current 80 series has a 2014 Camry wheel on it now.

 

[96LXtech]

For my use I’d just sent out my wheel in the 40th AE 80 when I owned it for recovering - so I just popped my airbag in the LS400 wheel.

When my 40th wheel came back I just pulled & installed my fresh recover wheel & original airbag.

I need to do the same to my black 80’s wheel - so I’ll do exactly the same move.

Removal is easy - after the bag is out / battery disconnected - undo the nut & use 2 bolts to break the ‘seat’ of the wheel in the 2 bosses cast in the wheel. They were small - whatever Mx size is smaller than 1/4” shank ASE bolts/screws.




This makes perfect sense too as the original smaller Lexus was a fancy Camry (that was the is300, right?) - back when Lexus just had the fancy Camry, the LS400 & the LX450 when they intro’d in ~1996.

So I’m betting that spline / shaft from all airbagged ‘Yota of that era are the same, you may just need to scavenge & de-pin a connector to mate to the column airbag harness socket.

So the the LS400 and LX450 should have the same plug because they are Lexus? I own a LX450 and need to refresh it some. Lol

 

[LINUS]

So the the LS400 and LX450 should have the same plug because they are Lexus? I own a LX450 and need to refresh it some. Lol

IDK about the airbag, but the cruise control plug was the same.

I never compared my LX450 airbag to the LC one - I never took a LS400 airbag because I just needed a wheel recovered, so all I can say is the FZJ80 airbag nests into the spring arms / wheel of a LS400 for the horn 100% & the splines were a dead match.

If the bags don’t have the same connector for whatever reason, I’d sooner re-pin than add butt connectors.

 

[96LXtech]

IDK about the airbag, but the cruise control plug was the same.

I never compared my LX450 airbag to the LC one - I never took a LS400 airbag because I just needed a wheel recovered, so all I can say is the FZJ80 airbag nests into the spring arms / wheel of a LS400 for the horn 100% & the splines were a dead match.

If the bags don’t have the same connector for whatever reason, I’d sooner re-pin than add butt connectors.

i don't need the airbag so i can just get the wheel i guess. it should work because it is the clock spring that holds the air bag connector, not the wheel itself. thanks for the input. now i need to find an LS400 wheel, with wood grain preferably.

 

[Can1979]

I guess i should have stated the year, it is a 1996 oak leather. I’d settle for a non leather LC one too.

Pic of my crappy steering wheel and one of my other LC non leather steering wheel.

View attachment 1579958

View attachment 1579967

Does the above steering wheel fit all models of Fj80? I got the older model which comes without airbag .

 

[Izeloz]

Did anyone manage to fit a steering wheel with stereo controls on it? I got spoiled by the GX470 I have been driving. I have a '91, so airbag presence/functionality is a non-issue.

 

[tacocat]

This is neat.

Rebuild a Steering Wheel With Wood

Rebuild a Steering Wheel With Wood: The goal of this project is to improve my 1996 Toyota Land Cruiser steering wheel aspect. The original steering wheel is covered by leather and painted with a specific gray paint. Unfortunately after 150.000 Km the paint start to ruin. The first id…

www.instructables.com

 

[Heckraiser]

OK, now that is cool. Way more work than I would be willing to do, but cool. Also cool you could make it any thickness you want, add bumps or narrow spots as some sport steering wheels have.

 

[toadshade]

Did anyone manage to fit a steering wheel with stereo controls on it? I got spoiled by the GX470 I have been driving. I have a '91, so airbag presence/functionality is a non-issue.

This is the 2014 Camry Wheel I put in my '92. It was a lot of work. I disconnected the airbag but I used the wires from it to make the horn work. It was easier than trying to get the original horn in the old wheel to work. All the buttons work but it took shaving and reworking a Camry clockspring to fit behind this wheel and make it work with the blinker mechanism. It isn't perfect, the clamshell cowl on the steering column will no longer fit right. Almost all of the bolt holes that hold the two pieces together had to be shaved off to fit the clockspring. I have it on there with electrical tape (You can see the strip of electrical tape behind the wheel). I hope I can find a good solution to that some time. I can't see how without possibly printing a new one with new holes.

 

[tacocat]

OK, now that is cool. Way more work than I would be willing to do, but cool. Also cool you could make it any thickness you want, add bumps or narrow spots as some sport steering wheels have.

Has a cool shower write up as well. Outdoor Hot Shower .... in the Middle of Nowhere

 

[jaymar]

For my use I’d just sent out my wheel in the 40th AE 80 when I owned it for recovering - so I just popped my airbag in the LS400 wheel.

When my 40th wheel came back I just pulled & installed my fresh recover wheel & original airbag.

I need to do the same to my black 80’s wheel - so I’ll do exactly the same move.

Removal is easy - after the bag is out / battery disconnected - undo the nut & use 2 bolts to break the ‘seat’ of the wheel in the 2 bosses cast in the wheel. They were small - whatever Mx size is smaller than 1/4” shank ASE bolts/screws.




This makes perfect sense too as the original smaller Lexus was a fancy Camry (that was the is300, right?) - back when Lexus just had the fancy Camry, the LS400 & the LX450 when they intro’d in ~1996.

So I’m betting that spline / shaft from all airbagged ‘Yota of that era are the same, you may just need to scavenge & de-pin a connector to mate to the column airbag harness socket.

Do you recall the LS400 model year?

 

[LINUS]

Do you recall the LS400 model year?

It was a 1st gen LS400 - IIRC they debuted in ~’95-96, and you can still find ~75% condition wheels on Fleabay for ~$75

Lots have wood inserts, but it’s out on the ring where no interference w/ airbag ‘95-97 FZJ80’s matters.

It’s the same splined hub as say the Camry wheel.
When I used to MTB up in Canada I met a guy who did the rubber/vinyl Camry into his 80/LX450 for function since he was a tall guy & needed leg space.

Camry wheel is noticeably smaller diameter - IDK specs, but he’d never heard of Ih8mud prior to me meeting/we both had rooms at the same fleabag motel near the bike area.

Nice guy, got the idea when he had both in his driveway / tall guys share ideas like this from what I recall - it’s been easily a decade/was prior to 2010 last I took a pure bike trip to B.C., CA.
I think he registered here after that, but he never PM’d me

 

[bonestock]

I use these with decent success. This is an old thread so the OP has probably found a solution but, make sure to cut off /remove the old cracked and peeling leather.

Wheelskins Steering Wheel Cover Authorized Dealer

We are Steeringwheelscover.com, one of Wheelskins Steering Wheel Cover Authorized Dealer. Luxurious Genuine Leather Steering Wheel Covers for Car, Truck and SUV. Covering the old factory leather steering wheel with Wheelskins new leather steering wheel cover.

www.steeringwheelscover.com

 

[VivaToy]

I keep hearing murmurs that the Sienna wheel is a direct fit. Haven't seen much about it on here though.

 

[LINUS]

I keep hearing murmurs that the Sienna wheel is a direct fit. Haven't seen much about it on here though.

It would make sense.

Toys, BMW’s, VW’s - the 3 most Lego-like makes I think I’ve ever wrenched.

Ford stinks for the Lego thing, and I hear that GM/Chev post LS platform motors get specific - like only certain LS motors take / fit LT platform parts, but you can do some hybrid work using the _le__ trans into Turbo 400 cases (saw a hybrid using late guts & plates in a old Turbo case in person).

 

[Marco Lau]

Japanese cars are not known for their leathers, in fact, most Japanese folks perfer cloth interior over leather. Leather is actually not an upgrade....lol.
To each of its own. Cloth/fabric > Leather all day

 

[jaymar]

Japanese cars are not known for their leathers, in fact, most Japanese folks perfer cloth interior over leather. Leather is actually not an upgrade....lol.
To each of its own. Cloth/fabric > Leather all day

Leather for the feel on the wheel; everything else marine-grade vinyl and something more porous for sweat points and accents.

 

[J2P]

This is the 2014 Camry Wheel I put in my '92. It was a lot of work. I disconnected the airbag but I used the wires from it to make the horn work. It was easier than trying to get the original horn in the old wheel to work. All the buttons work but it took shaving and reworking a Camry clockspring to fit behind this wheel and make it work with the blinker mechanism. It isn't perfect, the clamshell cowl on the steering column will no longer fit right. Almost all of the bolt holes that hold the two pieces together had to be shaved off to fit the clockspring. I have it on there with electrical tape (You can see the strip of electrical tape behind the wheel). I hope I can find a good solution to that some time. I can't see how without possibly printing a new one with new holes.

View attachment 2479724

This is the kind of setup I would like but if you have to mess up the clam shell it may not be worth it. Sure would be nice to have a leather modern steering wheel in my 91.

 

[toadshade]

This is a printed clamshell I am working on. It is still very much in the beginning phase but I will post follow ups when I make more progress. I scanned an original cowl and cut out about 1/2" from the center. I deleted the original screw mounts and added my own as you can see on the side behind the tilt lever. It accommodated the slightly bigger wheel. The original cowl almost worked with this wheel, it is just so tight it is obviously scraping when moving and just bothered me. And it never closed well over the new clock spring. You can see how much cowl I had to remove to make room for the new clock spring. In the future I would probably find a way to remove that yellow clip that was originally used for the air bag. I left it because I was able to use it for the horn instead.