(DISCLAIMER - I AM NOT LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES TO YOUR AIRBAG SYSTEM OR CAR IF YOU DON'T FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS WELL. ALSO, THE ENTIRE POST IS IN CAPS SO IT'S NOT YOUR EYES.)

Difficulty = Beginner

STEP 1.

GATHER TOOLS:
ALL TOOLS CAN BE PURCHASED AT YOUR LOCAL AUTOPART STORE. PEPBOYS, AUTOZONE etc



STEP 2.

DISCONNECT NEGATIVE TERMINAL ON BATTERY. IF YOU NEED HELP ON THIS THEN YOU PROBABLY SHOULDN'T PUMP YOUR OWN GAS.



STEP 3.

REMOVE WHEEL COVER AND DISCONNECT AIRBAG & HORN CONNECTORS. YELLOW CONNECTOR PUSH TAB AND PULL OUT, EASY. TAKE TIME ON OTHER CONNECTOR AND PULL APART MAY TAKE A LITTLE FORCE. EASY AGAIN.



STEP 4.

REMOVING ACTUAL WHEEL. ONCE THE IMPORTANT CONNECTORS ARE OFF TIME TO GET THE WHEEL OFF. SUGGEST LOCKING THE WHEEL WITH THE KEY "OUT" THE IGNITION. WITH YOUR 8MM ALLEN WRENCH AND PLIERS OR SOMETHING TO GIVE YOU A GOOD GRIP ON THE WRENCH.
FIND THE HOLE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE STEERING WHEEL IF IT'S FACING YOU IN THE NORMAL ORIENTATION. IT'S THE LOWER HOLE TAKE A LOOK INSIDE. ALIGN THE ALLEN WRENCH SO YOU GET IT IN FIRM BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO APLLY YOUR PLIERS.
TURN "LEFTY LOOSEY" -"ANTI-CLOCKWISE" GIVE IT ALL YOU GOT. TRUST ME ON THIS, THE FACTORY TORQUE ON THE BOLT IS CRAZY!! YOU MAY THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BREAK THE WHEEL BUT IF YOU LOCKED IT YOU'LL BE FINE.

IF YOU'RE HAVING TROUBLE GET LEVERAGE ON THE 8MM ALLEN WRENCH. IT MAY TAKE 5MIN-45MINS DEPENDING ON HOW BIG OR SMALL YOUR GUNS ARE HAHA ...OK, NOT FUNNY.

STEP 5.

SO YOU GOT THE WHEEL OFF, AND NOW YOU'RE A PROFESSIONAL RACER? FEEL COOL? YOU'RE NOT ...NOT YET.

LETS GE THE NICE IMPORTANT RING OFF WITHOUT BREAKING ANYTHING. TO DO SO, GET YOUR FLAT HEAD W/ MALLET AND TAP BETWEEN THE RING AND THE METAL PART OF THE WHEEL. A FEW TAPS AND THE RING POPS OUT.
NOTE:I SUGGEST IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DAMAGE THE METAL WITH YOUR FLAT HEAD ADD PAINTERS TAPE AROUND THE AREA YOU PLAN TO TAP



STEP 6.

REMOVE TORX-30 SCREWS ON BOTH SIDES OF WHEEL. THE T-HANDLE WRENCH COMES IN VERY HANDY FOR THIS.
NOTE: THERE IS A GOOD AMOUNT OF FACTORY TORQUE ON THESE BOLTS. IT'S NOT EVEN CLOSE TO THE 8MM BOLT.




STEP 7.

OLD WHEEL HAS A RING THAT NEEDS REMOVING. FLIP OVER WHEEL AND REMOVE COVER.




STEP 8.

TAP OUT NEW WHEEL'S RING WITH FLAT HEAD & RUBBER MALLET. FEW TAPS AGAIN, AND IT COMES OUT.




STEP 9.

CLEAN NEW WHEEL IF THERE WAS DIRT AROUND OR UNDER THE RING. I CHOSE MOTHER'S METAL POLISH. ONCE DONE WITH THE CLEANING, MOVE ON TO INSTALL AIR BAG INTO NEW WHEEL.



STEP 10.

RE-INSTALLING AIR BAG IS A BREEZE. PLACE IN NEW WHEEL SECURE WITH TORX T-30 BOLTS. DON'T TIGHTEN THE BOLTS ALL THE WAY UNTIL YOU'VE SNAPPED THE NEW/OLD RING ONTO THE NEW WHEEL. WITH THE RUBBER MALLET AND MAKING SURE THE RING IS ALIGNED WITH THE WHEEL(IT HAS 3 TABS) FEW FIRM TAPS AND THE RING IS ON.
ADJUST THE AIRBAG AND MAKE SURE IT'S CENTERED IN THE RING, THEN TIGHTEN THE T-30 BOLTS.


STEP 11.
REVERSE PROCEDURE TO GET AIRBAG BACK IN NEW WHEEL. PUT NEW WHEEL IN CAR, CONNECT BATTERY AND GO FOR A DRIVE. YOU'RE ALL DONE

 

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