Seby05

Ok, so being that our cars are getting a little old, they show wear and tear. One of the parts that wore out real bad was the steering wheel, so I decided to change it.
I am not liable for any damage or complications you may experience if you try this on your own. This is just to show how I've done it.


Ok, so here we go:

-The patient


-First order of things, unplug the battery. I've heard that you're supposed to take one lead off and wait at least 3-4 minutes, I say take both leads off and wait at least thirty minutes


-Go inside the car and take of the torx screw on the left side of the steering wheel (you can see I already took mine off)


-Now take off the torx screw on the right side of the steering wheel (once again, mine is already off)


-Take off your cruise control box, if you have one


-Unplug the cruise control, once again, that's if you have one


-Now, there is a cap on the bottom side of the steering wheel, you need to take that off. The easiest way to take it of I found out is by turning your steering wheel 180 degrees from dead center (upside down)


-The clip for the airbag is in this plastic slot thing


-Take it out


-Unplug it


-Now it's time to take off the airbag, don't be afraid to give it a little tug, as it's got these little clips that are designed to keep it in place even with the screws off


-Ok so now it's time to take off the main screw, but one thing you want to notice is that the steering wheel has these lines, kinda like a cross. i took a sharpie and made a line on the steering shaft pointing exactly at the vertical line on the steering wheel. Why this is important is to have a centered steering wheel the first time. I believe in doing things right the first time, so I don't have to do it again (cuz i'm kinda lazy :P)


-Ok take off the main screw. I know I wasnt supposed to but for the lack of tools I used a standard socket. It was a 3/8 and it worked. I believe it's supposed to be 19mm socket


-Now that you have the nut off, i didnt have a steering wheel puller, but thankfully I didn't need one. Smacked it a couple of times on the right side from the front and once from the back and it came..... right off


-Install the new steering wheel, make sure that you plug everything back in ( horn, airbag, cruise control) and sit back and admire your hard work . You're done, good job


P.S. Now some people (i.e. me) might have trouble with those dam torx screws. They strip like they're made out of butter, I learned that the hard way. Don't worry, your life is not over, I promise, there is a solution. I used a ProGrabit kit. The kit is a drill bit and an E-Z out in one. More specifically, has the drillbit at one end, then the corresponding reverse filament at the other. So you drill a hole, then you put your drill in reverse, switch the drill bit to the e-z out side and hit it. You should end up with something like this:

Then when you're done with the project, either get a new screw that PROPERLY FITS!!! or kick your drill in forward and the e-z out should leave the screw right in there. That's what I did because I ddint have a different screw and I'm definately not taking that thing apart anytime soon


Ok, so I hope this will be helpful, REMEMBER, I AM NOT LIABLE for whatever might happen if you try this. This is just to give you a better understanding of how to do it.

MindBomber

Awesome work, great contribution to the site!

+rep

Seby05

Thanks man, I figured, for all the info I got from here, i figured i should put some up too

kinakoes2

Great writeup. I'd however like to add a bit from my recent install of a 2004 EX sedan wheel...

-- I got a $7 set of Torx bits from Home Depot, and had zero problem breaking the loctite on the first two Torx bolts (T30). Either they fixed the pot-metal problem with the '04-'05 cars, or Honda specs a better supplier for their bolts in Canada (where my car was manufactured). That's of course assuming the OP didn't completely botch loosening the bolt with too much angle or a bad bit.

-- It's a good idea to get a nifty tool magnetizer, esp for the tiny JIS cross-head bolts (Japanese "Phillips") holding the cruise box on. They're black, so will definitely hide well if you drop them in your lap wearing jeans. Nice to have for all your bits and hand drivers...

This is a good one... Wiha (German) tool magnetizer/demagnetizer

-- To add to the OP's comments on marking where the column and wheel should match... I'd go one step further, and use a small ruler -- place the ruler where its edge passes through the mark on the hub, and the center dimple in the splined column... and fine-tip Sharpie a line. I say this, because while doing the procedure to align the signal cancel gizmo behind the hub, it's very, very easy to be off one spline, even with a mark (the splines are quite fine). Making a fine line instead points directly to the cast mark on the hub, so there's less chance of being off. I didn't realize I was one spline off until the shakedown run to re-teach my PCM some manners after the idle learn proc (more on that later).

-- If you're swapping the hub/rim due to sun damage like I did, you'll need to swap over the carrier for the airbag and the plastic backing behind the hub. The carrier (suspended on springs with T40 Torx & rubber washers), has little spring cups with tiny tabs that supposedly hold the springs in place while you position them in their cast cups on the wheel... but after 10+ yrs with that airbag vibrating atop it, you'll probably have one or two fall out. Just place the springs in the hub's cups instead. Don't forget to swap over the cruise box bracket, which is held on with more small black cross-headed screws...

-- Four more small black self-tapping screws hold the plastic hub backing on; just remember which holes they come out of. Use a Sharpie if you're not strong on memory... don't reef on them as they bite into plastic.

-- You can install the cruise box before you put the airbag on... it's a lot easier to attach that green connector this way; doesn't affect the job one bit. You can also prevent cross-threading those tiny black screws if you fit one on your screwdriver, put the screw through the hole, then watch it so it fastens into the box bracket plumb.

-- The OP forgot to mention the idle learn procedure after reconnecting the battery (BTW, the FSM only specifies the negative cable come off, and only specifies three minutes to wait until the backup power in the airbag unit bleeds off). I waited three minutes and nothing bad happened.


Idle learn proc, in case you haven't for some reason come across it yet on this site:

1) Reconnect battery neg and secure terminal. Make sure everything is OFF... lights, A/C, fan, cruise, signals, stereo, etc. Trans in neutral.

2) Preferable to start with a cold engine (which is where waiting 30 mins may be useful, but it's not for the airbag) -- start and rev to 3000 rpm and hold.

3) Continue to keep engine at 3000 rpm, until the fan comes on or coolant temp reaches 194 degF (although if a Bluetooth OBD2 unit is plugged in to read this, isn't that a load you want off? I ended up using the fan to tell me, just feel for hot air hitting your ankle with the door open).

4) Let engine idle for 5 MIN after this... get a timer (used the one on my smartphone) and watch for the fan to come on again. If it does, stop the timer until it goes off, then continue. Engine must have 5 FULL MINS with no electrical loads to figure out idle. When that's done, you're golden.

--

I did the idle learn proc after the first swap (when it was one spline off)... then ran the motor at WOT on an empty stretch of highway here in 3rd (to redline), then drove home normally. Found my off-idle response to be much, much more torquey than before the wheel swap, but equally smooth -- I'd venture it's even smoother than it was before.

Found the wheel crooked at the same time though, so redid the whole proc and installed correctly... idle learn + WOT again, but this time on a warm engine. Idle did not learn as well. So at least IME, if you're doing an idle learn, start with a cold engine.

Red_Chaos1

Good guide, will use it tomorrow when I replace my steering wheel with the one I got off an LX trim at the junk yard that had an interior that was still really nice (headliner not falling apart, sun visors not ripped or with holes, etc.). I noted the cruise controls were slightly different looking but still 3 button and on the same side, I'm guessing they'll still work with my '01 (think the car I got the wheel out of was an '03).

On a side note, is the whole idle learn part necessary, or just good practice or what?

Red_Chaos1

Anyone?

Mad Dog Tannen

Nice post. I am not against shade tree mechanics, but I would have got new fasteners, I cannot stand the idea of reinstalling a stripped screw. Just not something I would ever do.

I would use a standard on a metric though, that part works for some sizes if you are in a pinch.

ezone

It's necessary if you actually disconnect the battery.

Red_Chaos1

Is there a high chance of the airbag deploying when disconnected/reconnected if I don't?

ezone

There's always a chance..better safe than sorry if you aren't completely familiar with all the procedures and risks...


OK 2 smartass replies came to mind (you should know me by now LOL) and I can't decide which to put here, so I did em both:

You trying to ignore the instructions?
You must be a man.

Got a wife or girlfriend? Neighbors wife?
Find a female (preferably one that can read). Have her read the instructions to you and make sure you follow them LOL



Ever experienced an airbag deployment? Do you want to?

Red_Chaos1

Bit of thread necro, please don't hurt me! So I've been a lazy ***, and never got around to installing that steering wheel. I recently had a mobile mechanic replace my exhaust manifold and front+wheel wheel splash liners, I threw in the steering wheel as well since it was just adding a little to the labor cost.

Once I got in the car after work, the first thing I notice is the steering wheel is not centered. It seems to be off to the left a few splines. I sent a text message to the mechanic asking about this, and he replied that the steering wheels are keyed, and that it can only go fully on with that keying, which is why the replacement wheel is off. Is this correct or am I being snowed? I was under the impression that there were just splines and then the bolt to hold the steering wheel onto said splines.

Colin42

Could be off because the mechanic didn't put it on right, could be off because of your alignment. It's very easy to remove the steering wheel if you want to try re-centering it

Red_Chaos1

Alignment is fine, it was fine prior to putting the new steering wheel on. Now if I were to set the wheel straight while driving down the road I'd make a turn fit for a quick lane change.

I'm aware I could just disconnect the battery for 15 or 20 and tear it all apart to change myself, but the point is I paid for it to be done so it should be done right, hence wanting to know if the mechanic is snowing me about the keying or not.

ezone

If the old steering wheel was straight, the new one needs moved. I don't remember there being any master spline, the wheel can probably go on in any position.

It may not be possible to get it absolutely perfectly straight though, due to the splines can't allow infinite adjustment. It should be dang close, within just a few degrees of center.

EDIT: Final straightening may be done through tie rod tweaking, identical amounts on both sides

Red_Chaos1

Yeah, I imagine if the old steering wheel was able to be pretty much center, then this one ought to as well. If I go and do it myself and it works fine, the mechanic I used is going to have some explaining to do. He's a friend of a coworker and came highly recommended by said coworker.

ezone

I've replaced many steering columns (on certain cars with a noisy bearing) and the 2 ends are rarely ever aligned exactly the same as the steering column that came out. Because of this, the steering wheel usually ends up slightly off center, so tweaking tie rods becomes necessary to get the steering wheel exactly straight again.

Same goes for a different steering wheel. The splines may not be clocked exactly the same as the last wheel.

JUST how far off center is it now?
(If it's like 45 degrees or a quarter turn off, that's not acceptable)

If the wheel is damn close to centered, the guy probably did get it as close as it would allow, could so cut him some slack.
To get any closer to center someone would probably have to dink with the tie rods (not everyone should touch these, many shouldn't or cannot do this) or put it on the alignment rack.

On a 7th gen Civic, due to location and style of tie rod adjustments, I would not attempt to tweak tie rods at all, I'd want it on the alignment rack 100%.

Red_Chaos1

This is with the wheels straight ahead:


With the old wheel it would be level, the car only had a very slight pull to the right. It's only a few splines but it still seems to me the wheel should be a lot closer to straight than this.

ezone

It can be a lot closer than that. Need to pull it off and stab again.