My 1995 mk1 steering wheel is as slippy as a slippy thing covered in slippy stuff on a particularly slippy day, and has got to go.
I have done a forum search on changing the steering wheel (honest) but still cannot quite work out if this is a simple job, (as long as you do not mind the airbag light being on, which can also be rectified), or if I need a special type of boss that costs £100+ and is hard to get hold of, instead of the standard £20 ones that are freely available. I was happily about to buy a £20 boss and £50 Momo wheel, but I am now most confused...
Help please?
First you read this Then you go here and get a boss for Airbag boss from mean machines.
ssee the PM
Steve
OK that replaces the airbag wheel with a non-airbag wheel but there are associated insurance implications so what about replacing an airbag wheel for another non-OE airbag wheel?
Any ideas?
What insurance implicatins ? my 1997 mk1 MX-5 had no airbag, but a airbag light that went on for a few seconds, The car I have now a 1997 Eunos had a Airbag, now it dont, and still has a light that goes on for a few seconds then off.
I just got a local garage to do it, and it didn’t cost much as I thought i’d end up getting the electrics wrong or setting off the airbag and wanted to keep it intact.
I got a boss from the states from Miata Roadster (recommended on here) - I think you need one of these to cancel the airbag warning - but then if the other one is only £20, maybe you can put up with it or just remove the bulb.
http://miataroadster.com/worksbell.html
It might all seem a lot of hassle but they look so much better with a better steering wheel - don’t regret changing mine…
The airbag warning light is dismissed with a cheap 3R 1/4W resistor.
Bugger - I spent too much then…
The process described in the link given above looks a bit involved. Can’t you just remove the airbag clock spring and fit a regular Momo boss (with a slip ring for the horn contact) or the Momo boss designed for airbag-equipped cars ?
Is it the Momo four-spoke wheel and is the rim bound in leather?
I have just refurbed a couple of OE Mk1 Momo wheels (and a centre cover) using Fiebings products and they have turned out really nice. The only downside is that the original white stitching has taken the dye and is now black, but I could probably re-stitch it myself using some waxed white or red thread.
It’s nothing to do with a light on the dashboard…
The insurance implication is that you have a vehicle that has an insurance rating and is insured on the basis that it has a safety feature fitted as standard from the factory - namely an airbag. You have now removed that safety feature from the car and it is blatently obvious that you have given the age of the vehicle and the type of steering wheel now fitted. As such are you technically uninsured, simple as that! - unless, of course, you have specifically informed the insurers of the changes you have made.
Basically if you have an accident the insurers would be well within their rights to decline any claim, including those for personal injury to yourself.
I’m not trying to get on my high horse here about insurance - all I want to know is what’s available to replace an airbag steering wheel with another airbag steering wheel, as personally I wouldn’t want to be without one.
Not as far as I know. I haven’t got a photo but it’s a four spoker with the horn buttons on the spokes as used in late94/early95 UK cars and US cars.
Similar to this but without the wood…
