Old Library

At 10:23 PM 2/25/98 -0600, Chris wrote:
>Anybody,
>
>        Has anyone replaced their steering wheel with a replacement one,
>i.e. MOMO.  I am interested in doing this and wondered what the procedures are.
>
>Thanks for the help,
>
>Chris
>'97 Black Jetta GLX
>Garret Chip

Chris,

Replacing the stock steering wheel with an aftermarket one is pretty
simple. This is the removal procedure from my trusted Bentley.

1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.

2. Center steering wheel in straight-ahead position.

3. Remove both socket head screws from rear of steering wheel (airbag unit
mount screws).

4. Carefully remove airbag unit from steering wheel and disconnect harness
connector from
rear of unit.

5. Remove trim below steering column switch. (You will find 2 phillips head
screws on at the bottom, on either side of the steering column, of the trim
piece) Disconnect wiring harness connector (remove foam sleeve from
connector if fitted). (Follow the wire coming out of the airbag to the
harness connector.)

6. Remove hex nut in center of steering wheel. Make matching marks on
steering wheel and steering wheel column. Pull steering wheel off steering
column.

7. Reinstallation is the reverse order of removal. When installing trim,
ensure that airbag harness connector sits in recess in trim.

>From this point, you should fit the hub adapter to the exact same mark you
made on the steering wheel column. My Momo adapter came with a little mark
that denotes where straight-ahead is. However it might take some trial and
error to get it absolutely right.

For the horn, there is a little brass contach at just below the steering
wheel column. You'll have to bend this out slightly so that it will touch
the new hub.

That's all I can think of right now, hope this helps. If you have any more
questions, feel free to ask.

Eugene Oh

Chris wrote:
>
> Anybody,
>
>         Has anyone replaced their steering wheel with a replacement one,
> i.e. MOMO.  I am interested in doing this and wondered what the procedures are.

Hi Chris,

I replaced my stock steering wheel with a 12.6" (320mm) Momo Monte Carlo
and Momo hub adapter.

You need to disconnect the negative battery cable before starting,
just so you don't accidently set the air bag off, that would be bad.

You'll need to drop the lower plastic housing at the base of the
steering column to expose the wire clip for the air bag connection.
Undo the connection, and push the empty wire plug into the dash.

Carfully remove the two 5mm screws that hold the air bag on
and disconnect the red connector on the back by pulling straight
backwards off the unit.

Use a 20mm or 22mm socket (i forget which)

[ Mark Skelton said it's a 24mm, at least in his March 1996 GTI VR6. (See his email below.) aqn.]

and an extension
to lossen the steering wheel nut and remove.

Useing your finger or a screw driver, locate the copper tab near
the bottom of the steering column and bend it towards you.
You'll need to bend it out kinda far but it needs to be bent
out far enough to contact the back side of the hub adapter.

Use the apropriate hub adapter for you car (make, model, year),
and replace the streeing wheel nut and tighten.

Follow the directions for installing the horn kit and mount the
steering wheel to the hub with the screws provided.

Some tinkering may be required as I failed to get the hub adapter
perfectly straight on the streeing column on my first attempt.

Once it was set, finish connecting the wires for the horn button
and tighten the screws that hold the streeing wheel to the hub.

Double check the horn wireing and push the horn button untill
seated into the steering wheel center.

Re-install the negative battery cable, horn will sound indicating
a system reset, tighten battery cable.

Reset radio security system for it to work again.

Start car and test horn operation.

Notice: Airbag light WILL be on and will not go off unless you
either:   unplug the light bulb   or   replace the air bag.

I removed both my driver's side and passengers side air bags
as VWofA  could not garrenty the passenger side air bag would
not spontainiously fire since the system no longer saw both
air bags.

Good luck.

--
Mike Bigus --&gt; &#103;tivr6r&#64;chicagonet<img src=/i/dn.gif border=0 width=35 height=15>
http://www.gtivr6r.chicagonet.net/

Alkemyst wrote:
>
> I installed a momo Race wheel and my horn works fine until I get the
> wheel turned about 135 degrees in either direction and then it
> doesnt.  I bent the gold/brass tab up all the way before mounting the
> wheel.
>
> It is rare to need a horn when the wheel is turned this much, but I
> was wondering if anyone has a fix.  It is a pain to undo all those
> little screws and loosen and retighten that huge nut everytime just
> to get the same results.

Just pull the horn button out and fit the socket through the opening
with an extension bar.  I had teh same thing, pulled the tab up real
far and its fine now.  Also, I think I had too much grease on the hub.

--
Mike Bigus --&gt; &#103;tivr6r&#64;chicagonet<img src=/i/dn.gif border=0 width=35 height=15>
http://www.gtivr6r.chicagonet.net/

PJ McGarvey wrote:
>
> Anyone know the part number for the adapter to fit Momo steering wheels to
> our GTi's?  I have a 98 VR6 and wanted to purchase the Momo Monte Carlo
> wheel today from ND and they need a part number to order it from Momo direct
> b/c I have an air-bag equipped car.  Don't know what the deal is here,
> wasn't gonna push it, something about liability.

Hi

I just installed the Momo Race wheel in my '97 gti vr6 no problemo.
The hub adapter is '92 and up gti's.  I'm going to check in my garage
right now for the correct number.

Let me know how much they want for the wheel/hub as I know several
people at MoWest. (The only "factory" Momo importers) I have a
complete Momo interior including Carbon Kevlar race seats and I
only paid a fraction of retail price.

BTY the hardest part of the install is taking the guage panel out
and pulling the airbag light. Might as well pull the passenger side
bag out too and you can relocate your head unit there.  Then you
can stick a guage cluster in place of the factory head unit area.

I'll look for the proper # and e-mail you.


p.s. There are a zillion different wheels (steering)
     so don't be afraid to get sumthin' other than
     the Monte Carlo.

Chris
'97 vr6 (still being assembled by me edition)

Hi guys,

Just finished installing my Momo Race steering wheel that
I bought from Mike Potter of Virtual Worlds Parts...
I bought the 13.8" Momo Race steering wheel as well as the
hub adapter kit for the VR6...

I thought that I would share my experience with the group
in case there are folks out there who are considering
doing this mod...

The instructions in Andy's [archive] are pretty good...  The only
clarification I wanted to make was that the nut for the
steering column is a 24mm nut (I would assume this would
be standard across models, but in case it's not, my car
is a March 1996 VR6 GTI)...  Andy, can you add an
addendum to the archives to include this little bit
of info?  This snagged me since I went to the store to
by a socket, got the 20mm and 22mm, took off the wheel,
and *ooops*, it no worky!!  So, I had to put it back
on real quick, drive back to Sears, and get a 24mm
socket...  No sweat!!  :)

Also, the instructions for installing the horn weren't
included with my kit...  Could someone post the exact
directions for the horn installation?  I do, however,
know that I got the contact correct b/c the lead fell
on the hub adapter and blasted a few of my neighbors
passing by!  *8)

Finally, if someone has the ability to take a videotape
and make it into an MPEG, I recorded the entire installation
on my video camera...  It came out exceptionally well,
much to my surprise since it was so sunny out and there
were lots of shadows in the interior of the GTI...

Mark

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 C. Mark Skelton       ...   &#115;kelton&#64;dazel<img src=/i/dc.gif border=0 width=35 height=15>
 Field Sales Engineer  ...   512.494.7287
 DAZEL Corporation     ...   800.SKYPAGE #1156935

If the shear bolt doesn't come off by hand, grab it with some small 
vise-grips or pliers and it should come out just fine.

Even with a good puller, the sleeve is still a PITA.  The lip they give
you 
to get hold of is a joke.  I destroyed the puller I bought, the puller I 
rented didn't do the trick, and I finally had to borrow a puller from a 
locksmith friend which worked, but I ended up clamping vise-grips
(notice a 
trend here) around the sleeve behind the lip and using the puller on the 
vise grips.  I didn't have any at the time, but you might try shooting
some 
PB Blaster or similar liquid wrench stuff down between the steering
shaft 
and the sleeve before starting.  I had to pull the steering wheel on my 
Miata and couldn't pop it loose by hand like the directions indicated.
A 
little PB Blaster and a minute later I about cracked myself in the head
with 
the steering wheel.  (I'll put the nut back on loosely next time . . . ) 
:-)

Also, it couldn't hurt to put some anti-seize on the splines when you 
reassemble just in case you have to go back in there later.

Also, also, when you pull the steering wheel off, pull the wheel with
one 
hand while using the other hand to keep the clock spring pressed against
the 
back of the wheel so you won't unravel it like the guy who wrote the 
directions in the link below did.

Later,

Luke
'97 GTI VR6