DIY Aftermarket steering wheel install.
Installing an aftermarket wheel is fairly straight forward but installed incorrectly or with the wrong components can be extremely dangerous the G body also has a few peculiarities in its design that make this even more critical with our cars. Ive pointed these in the walk through so you can ensure you get the correct parts. This was actually a swap from one grant steering wheel that was missing a horn to another Id purchased until I found out how dangerously improper the previous owner of the car installed this kit. I was only going to snap a few pics of the horn set up for another member but decided to make this walk through so this never happens again. This is a grant steering wheel I am installing but sparco, momo etc install pretty well the same way.
STEP 1: selecting a steering wheel.
There's two basic types of wheel on the market the flat "dinner plate steering wheel" and the dished "salad bowl steering wheel" Our cars and most older domestic vehicles come factory with the dished salad bowl style. The flat style dinner plate steering wheels will work but you will need a different adapter or a spacer to use them. Personally I don't like the look of a spacer especially the grant spacers but theres some nice looking billet adapters with the spacer built in that look very nice.
Many of the grant wheels Ive used Ive found to be either out of round of slightly eccentric when you spin them. I prefer a sparco or momo wheel over a grant but they have limited options for a dished wheel. Ive found I get used to any out of round or eccentric motion quick enough, just an observation of made over the years.
DINNER PLATE STEERING WHEEL. most import vehicles are designed for these wheels like the momo I have on my mazda.
SALAD BOWL STEERING WHEEL. our cars look flat but theres a built in spacer on our steering wheels that you wont usually find on an aftermarket. For a clean install you will probably want one shaped more like this one on my Tbird.
STEP 2: removing the factory steering wheel.
Removing the factory steering wheel can be the most challenging part of the swap they usually don't want to come off. To get started pull off the horn on my cutlass it attached with three clips, just pull.
With the horn removed you can see the center bolt that holds the steering wheel on and two threaded holes on either side for a steering wheel puller. The steering shaft is a tapered spline and you will rarely get it off just by pulling. The puller helps but sometimes it still wont budge you can give the puller a tap with a hammer or apply some heat around the splined area of the wheel as a last resort, not on the shaft. Using heat can damage bearings, plastic components etc so do this as a last resort and with caution. I like to use a small hobby oxy acet torch for this so I can apply instantaneous heat and remove the wheel quickly without much heat soak into the steering shaft. Propane torches are relatively low heat and will transfer a lot more heat to the shaft. Keep a dripping wet rag close to cool the steering shaft once you get the steering wheel off or to cool things down if it just wont pop off. Try without heat first and watch your face if your attempting to pull by hand.
This is the horn lead its negative polarity and grounds to activate the horn it plugs in just like a turn signal bulb does. push and twist to lock or unlock. Some models have a second wire spliced off this one some don't for a grant you only need one lead, you can clip the other off like I did.
With the wheel off you can see how the steering wheel or adapter kit needs a cone shaped nose that fits into the steering shaft assembly. BE SURE YOUR INSTALL KIT HAS THIS TAPERED CONE. I cant stress this enough. My car had a grant wheel adapter with a flat surface installed, with the center nut torqued down it will bind when turning or push the steering lock mechanism down and lock it up entirely. The previous owned left the center nut loose so it wouldn't bind. DO NOT LEAVE THE CENTER NUT LOOSE THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.
STEP 3: steering wheel adapters.
The install kits slips onto the steering shaft with a cover that goes between the wheel and install adapter. Ive never been a fan of these grant kits the drilled holes in the cover are not lined up perfectly with the adapter and mess up the threads as you tighten them down and the adapter is made from a very soft non ferrous material that strips very easily. Ive messed up a few installing these bolts or stripped them from over tightening.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU DRILL THE HOLES IN THE COVER ONE SIZE LARGER.
STEP 4: Installing the new steering wheel.
If your using the dished style steering wheel you can go ahead and thread the bolts on and center nut then torque down, do not overtighten the small bolts into a grant kit, hand tight and snug. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND USING A DROP OF LOCKTITE ON THE THREADS. you will need to install the horn disc for this before the small bolts. I don't have a picture but its a non conductive disc with a metal pad the horn lead will connect to. the small bolts you can see in the pic have a long shank sticking up higher than the steering wheel this disc will float on. The horn button twists onto the disc with a few tabs and a spring on the steering shaft keeps it up. Press down and the metal pads of the disc contact the steering wheel grounding the horn and HONNNKKKKKK
For the flat style steering wheel you will need to install the spacer in place of the steering wheel above to clear the turn signals. Don't forget to plug in the horn lead and spacer cover (not shown) before bolting done the new steering wheel with the 6 stove bolts. The horn on these steering wheel is generally a self contained button that presses into the center of the steering wheel. Sometimes its grounded through the steering wheel other times you will require the second wire to ground.
IF IN DOUBT WITH ANY COMPONENTS OR PART OF THE INSTALL HAVE SOMEONE KNOWLEDGEABLE INSTALL YOUR STEERING WHEEL THIS COULD BE YOUR LIFE OR SOMEONE ELSE'S.
Installing an aftermarket wheel is fairly straight forward but installed incorrectly or with the wrong components can be extremely dangerous the G body also has a few peculiarities in its design that make this even more critical with our cars. Ive pointed these in the walk through so you can ensure you get the correct parts. This was actually a swap from one grant steering wheel that was missing a horn to another Id purchased until I found out how dangerously improper the previous owner of the car installed this kit. I was only going to snap a few pics of the horn set up for another member but decided to make this walk through so this never happens again. This is a grant steering wheel I am installing but sparco, momo etc install pretty well the same way.
STEP 1: selecting a steering wheel.
There's two basic types of wheel on the market the flat "dinner plate steering wheel" and the dished "salad bowl steering wheel" Our cars and most older domestic vehicles come factory with the dished salad bowl style. The flat style dinner plate steering wheels will work but you will need a different adapter or a spacer to use them. Personally I don't like the look of a spacer especially the grant spacers but theres some nice looking billet adapters with the spacer built in that look very nice.
Many of the grant wheels Ive used Ive found to be either out of round of slightly eccentric when you spin them. I prefer a sparco or momo wheel over a grant but they have limited options for a dished wheel. Ive found I get used to any out of round or eccentric motion quick enough, just an observation of made over the years.
DINNER PLATE STEERING WHEEL. most import vehicles are designed for these wheels like the momo I have on my mazda.
SALAD BOWL STEERING WHEEL. our cars look flat but theres a built in spacer on our steering wheels that you wont usually find on an aftermarket. For a clean install you will probably want one shaped more like this one on my Tbird.
STEP 2: removing the factory steering wheel.
Removing the factory steering wheel can be the most challenging part of the swap they usually don't want to come off. To get started pull off the horn on my cutlass it attached with three clips, just pull.
With the horn removed you can see the center bolt that holds the steering wheel on and two threaded holes on either side for a steering wheel puller. The steering shaft is a tapered spline and you will rarely get it off just by pulling. The puller helps but sometimes it still wont budge you can give the puller a tap with a hammer or apply some heat around the splined area of the wheel as a last resort, not on the shaft. Using heat can damage bearings, plastic components etc so do this as a last resort and with caution. I like to use a small hobby oxy acet torch for this so I can apply instantaneous heat and remove the wheel quickly without much heat soak into the steering shaft. Propane torches are relatively low heat and will transfer a lot more heat to the shaft. Keep a dripping wet rag close to cool the steering shaft once you get the steering wheel off or to cool things down if it just wont pop off. Try without heat first and watch your face if your attempting to pull by hand.
This is the horn lead its negative polarity and grounds to activate the horn it plugs in just like a turn signal bulb does. push and twist to lock or unlock. Some models have a second wire spliced off this one some don't for a grant you only need one lead, you can clip the other off like I did.
With the wheel off you can see how the steering wheel or adapter kit needs a cone shaped nose that fits into the steering shaft assembly. BE SURE YOUR INSTALL KIT HAS THIS TAPERED CONE. I cant stress this enough. My car had a grant wheel adapter with a flat surface installed, with the center nut torqued down it will bind when turning or push the steering lock mechanism down and lock it up entirely. The previous owned left the center nut loose so it wouldn't bind. DO NOT LEAVE THE CENTER NUT LOOSE THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.
STEP 3: steering wheel adapters.
The install kits slips onto the steering shaft with a cover that goes between the wheel and install adapter. Ive never been a fan of these grant kits the drilled holes in the cover are not lined up perfectly with the adapter and mess up the threads as you tighten them down and the adapter is made from a very soft non ferrous material that strips very easily. Ive messed up a few installing these bolts or stripped them from over tightening.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU DRILL THE HOLES IN THE COVER ONE SIZE LARGER.
STEP 4: Installing the new steering wheel.
If your using the dished style steering wheel you can go ahead and thread the bolts on and center nut then torque down, do not overtighten the small bolts into a grant kit, hand tight and snug. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND USING A DROP OF LOCKTITE ON THE THREADS. you will need to install the horn disc for this before the small bolts. I don't have a picture but its a non conductive disc with a metal pad the horn lead will connect to. the small bolts you can see in the pic have a long shank sticking up higher than the steering wheel this disc will float on. The horn button twists onto the disc with a few tabs and a spring on the steering shaft keeps it up. Press down and the metal pads of the disc contact the steering wheel grounding the horn and HONNNKKKKKK
For the flat style steering wheel you will need to install the spacer in place of the steering wheel above to clear the turn signals. Don't forget to plug in the horn lead and spacer cover (not shown) before bolting done the new steering wheel with the 6 stove bolts. The horn on these steering wheel is generally a self contained button that presses into the center of the steering wheel. Sometimes its grounded through the steering wheel other times you will require the second wire to ground.
IF IN DOUBT WITH ANY COMPONENTS OR PART OF THE INSTALL HAVE SOMEONE KNOWLEDGEABLE INSTALL YOUR STEERING WHEEL THIS COULD BE YOUR LIFE OR SOMEONE ELSE'S.
