HC Sports Steering Wheel Conversion
Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 7:53 am
OK, I've thought to make this a separate thread as I don't want ALL of the gory details in my project thread. So, here's a "How-To" on fitting a new steering wheel. Enjoy.. I sure as hell did! 
When you purchase your steering wheel, make sure with your local road authorities that it is a roadworthy item. On cars that have airbags fitted, it is actually illegal to fit a sports steering wheel UNLESS it has an airbag provision. If you car does not have an airbag fitted, then you can select an appropriate wheel to suit your interior.
NOW... FIRST THING'S FIRST... PLEASE make sure that your wheels are straight before you go unscrewing ANYTHING!
Now.... The standard "bus driver's edition" wheel... TOO big for my liking and the condition is poor anyway, so time for the upgrade..
Note the front panel of the steering wheel, lift that up from underneath with your fingers and it should unclip off; exposing the following picture below...
Once exposed you'll see the most stubborn nut on earth!!!! This did take a while to get off, but my luck came tome when I picked up a 13/16 ring spanner
You should be left with this picture....
You're now ready to fit the new boss kit. NOW, this boss kit is from Autotecnica in Thomastown, VIctoria (available at all Autobarn stores Australia Wide). The part number is 429M.
Good thing about this boss kt is that there's two holes in the back where plastic pins or guides go. So you can't goof it up, HOWEVER, make sure the holes are vertically straight.
If not, you'll have the same mistake on your hands as I had. Look in the picture below...
Note how it says TOP with an arrow pointing up. The only way that's going to be straight is when you move that plastic ring with those guides dead straight vertical.
SO, the only modification required is that a second wire must be connected to the horn. You'll need to connect a eyelet connection on the end of a wire, so you can fixed it to one of the screws inside the boss kit. The pictures below show the kind of connector required and just the soldering process (I've got a VERY old solder that needs updating.. hence the shonky soldering finish!)
After you have soldered the wires, either put shrink wrap on the soldered area (in this case I did not have heatshrink) or use electrical tape.
Because I want this connection to sit on the screws provided with the boss kit, the screw initially didn't screw through the connector. So I needed to drill out the hole abit bigger, to make it friendly to use
This is how you are to fix the modified wire...
Behind the steering wheel and inside the boss kit, use one of the screws provided to anchor the connector. You then fix the follwing nut (also supplied with the kit) to hold the connection in place (VERY fiddly process, I was "blessed" with small hands for a guy, so I was able to manage
Now, connect yuour horn firstly and test that you've connected it right. If you've connected it the wrong way... the horn will go on full time and won't switch off. If connected properly, the horn won't work unless operated via the button.. the way you want it
Now that he horn works, grab the allen key that is supplied with the kit and fix the screws that attach the steering wheel to the boss kit. REMEMBER, MAKE SURE THE HOLES LINE UP AND THE WHEEL SITS STRAIGHT.
You're now ready to fix the horn panel to the steering wheel. On this particular steering wheel, it's 4 screws behind the arms of the wheel. 2 are displayed in the below picture...
Because it is an awkward procedure to fix those screws to the back fof the panel, you'll need a "stubby" phillips head screwdriver.
OK... the steering wheel is on.
BUT... you have two things to check. That when you are driving the wheel is straight, and also that your indicators cancel out still. If not, BIG TROUBLE!
So, take the car for a quick spin and you'll see for yourself.
The above picture shows it's not straight and therefore needs an adjustment. So, back to the office.....
To make life easier for you, keep the wheel all screwed together, just take off the panel with the horn on it and undo the main nut that holds the boss kit to the steering column. Adjust the guides according until the wheel sits straight, refix all items and then give it another road test (Once again... check that it sits staright and your indicators cancel out and your horn works)
And here's the final product ^^^
Now, this particular steering wheel is the Eleganza from Autotecnica. Part number is 22/971. If you are like me and ULTRA paranoid about scratching the woodgrain and/or damaging it in any way... invest in one of these below....
ENJOY YOUR NEW SETUP and I hope this information was of practical value to you. If anything did NOT make sense, please pm me or email me at loud929@hotmail.com and I'll be glad to assist you further
When you purchase your steering wheel, make sure with your local road authorities that it is a roadworthy item. On cars that have airbags fitted, it is actually illegal to fit a sports steering wheel UNLESS it has an airbag provision. If you car does not have an airbag fitted, then you can select an appropriate wheel to suit your interior.
NOW... FIRST THING'S FIRST... PLEASE make sure that your wheels are straight before you go unscrewing ANYTHING!
Now.... The standard "bus driver's edition" wheel... TOO big for my liking and the condition is poor anyway, so time for the upgrade..
Note the front panel of the steering wheel, lift that up from underneath with your fingers and it should unclip off; exposing the following picture below...
Once exposed you'll see the most stubborn nut on earth!!!! This did take a while to get off, but my luck came tome when I picked up a 13/16 ring spanner
You should be left with this picture....
You're now ready to fit the new boss kit. NOW, this boss kit is from Autotecnica in Thomastown, VIctoria (available at all Autobarn stores Australia Wide). The part number is 429M.
Good thing about this boss kt is that there's two holes in the back where plastic pins or guides go. So you can't goof it up, HOWEVER, make sure the holes are vertically straight.
If not, you'll have the same mistake on your hands as I had. Look in the picture below...
Note how it says TOP with an arrow pointing up. The only way that's going to be straight is when you move that plastic ring with those guides dead straight vertical.
SO, the only modification required is that a second wire must be connected to the horn. You'll need to connect a eyelet connection on the end of a wire, so you can fixed it to one of the screws inside the boss kit. The pictures below show the kind of connector required and just the soldering process (I've got a VERY old solder that needs updating.. hence the shonky soldering finish!)
After you have soldered the wires, either put shrink wrap on the soldered area (in this case I did not have heatshrink) or use electrical tape.
Because I want this connection to sit on the screws provided with the boss kit, the screw initially didn't screw through the connector. So I needed to drill out the hole abit bigger, to make it friendly to use
This is how you are to fix the modified wire...
Behind the steering wheel and inside the boss kit, use one of the screws provided to anchor the connector. You then fix the follwing nut (also supplied with the kit) to hold the connection in place (VERY fiddly process, I was "blessed" with small hands for a guy, so I was able to manage
Now, connect yuour horn firstly and test that you've connected it right. If you've connected it the wrong way... the horn will go on full time and won't switch off. If connected properly, the horn won't work unless operated via the button.. the way you want it
Now that he horn works, grab the allen key that is supplied with the kit and fix the screws that attach the steering wheel to the boss kit. REMEMBER, MAKE SURE THE HOLES LINE UP AND THE WHEEL SITS STRAIGHT.
You're now ready to fix the horn panel to the steering wheel. On this particular steering wheel, it's 4 screws behind the arms of the wheel. 2 are displayed in the below picture...
Because it is an awkward procedure to fix those screws to the back fof the panel, you'll need a "stubby" phillips head screwdriver.
OK... the steering wheel is on.
BUT... you have two things to check. That when you are driving the wheel is straight, and also that your indicators cancel out still. If not, BIG TROUBLE!
So, take the car for a quick spin and you'll see for yourself.
The above picture shows it's not straight and therefore needs an adjustment. So, back to the office.....
To make life easier for you, keep the wheel all screwed together, just take off the panel with the horn on it and undo the main nut that holds the boss kit to the steering column. Adjust the guides according until the wheel sits straight, refix all items and then give it another road test (Once again... check that it sits staright and your indicators cancel out and your horn works)
And here's the final product ^^^
Now, this particular steering wheel is the Eleganza from Autotecnica. Part number is 22/971. If you are like me and ULTRA paranoid about scratching the woodgrain and/or damaging it in any way... invest in one of these below....
ENJOY YOUR NEW SETUP and I hope this information was of practical value to you. If anything did NOT make sense, please pm me or email me at loud929@hotmail.com and I'll be glad to assist you further
