DIY for steering wheel remove and replace?
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 630
Likes: 14
You are going to want to have a super badass impact wrench handy for that.
Breaking it loose with handtools is no fun, plus your liklihood of ruining the allen head bolt is substantially increased. Also, using a weak impact and hammering on the bolt will also screw it up. I use an ingersoll-rand titanium impact for steering wheels. My 3/8" gun will do it, but its more powerful than many 1/2" guns.
Basically, loosen two torx bolts behind steering wheel, remove and disconnect airbag. Take that big *** allen bolt out. NOTE orientation of steering wheel. There is a line on the wheel, and a missing tooth at the top and bottom of the splined steering shaft. Sometimes they are straight, other times they are off a bit one way or the other. Put it back exactly in the same position.
A new steering wheel often requires having the toe reset on the front end alignment because production tolerances won't have it exactly centered.
Breaking it loose with handtools is no fun, plus your liklihood of ruining the allen head bolt is substantially increased. Also, using a weak impact and hammering on the bolt will also screw it up. I use an ingersoll-rand titanium impact for steering wheels. My 3/8" gun will do it, but its more powerful than many 1/2" guns.
Basically, loosen two torx bolts behind steering wheel, remove and disconnect airbag. Take that big *** allen bolt out. NOTE orientation of steering wheel. There is a line on the wheel, and a missing tooth at the top and bottom of the splined steering shaft. Sometimes they are straight, other times they are off a bit one way or the other. Put it back exactly in the same position.
A new steering wheel often requires having the toe reset on the front end alignment because production tolerances won't have it exactly centered.
Member
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 153
Likes: 0
First disconnect the groung cable at the firewall, you dont wont that bag getting you. Second loosen the T27 bolts behind the wheel, dont try to take them all the way out. Third pull airbag forward and disconnect both stage connections by pulling up on the plastic locks then disconnect both horn ground wires. Forth lock the steering wheel "keys out". Fifth take a torque wrench one that goes up to around 150 Nm and break the allen bolt loose and take the bolt out. You may wont to mark the wheel location but it has a make on the collumn. You need to replace the bolt, or put new lock tight on it and set your torque wrench to 80 Nm when you torque it down. The airbag bolts are torqued at 8Nm so be carefull with them. Hope this helps Autogunner. P.S. I have never used an impact wrench when changing steering wheels and I have done hundreds of them.
Last edited by autogunner; Jan 20, 2005 at 10:06 AM.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 228
Likes: 0
From: North Carolina
What kind of labor time would be involved with this at the dealer (or authorized service center)? I may just take it in to get done. It sounds at bit more involved that my P-Car.
Wow, MB sure didn't make it as easy to work on these cars as Porsche did. I have done just about everything (non-major) on my P-Car and the simplicity was astonishing!
Wow, MB sure didn't make it as easy to work on these cars as Porsche did. I have done just about everything (non-major) on my P-Car and the simplicity was astonishing!
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 228
Likes: 0
From: North Carolina
T27 for the 2 torx screws and 1 bolt on the wheel (what is the size I need for that bolt?)
Also, why not remove the T27 torx screws? If I don't remove them, how does the airbag seperate from the wheel for replacement?
Thanks again.
Also, why not remove the T27 torx screws? If I don't remove them, how does the airbag seperate from the wheel for replacement?
Thanks again.
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Member
Joined: Jun 2004
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The screws come in the steering wheel "the factory ones" you might have to take them out if your new wheel does not have them but to just get the airbag off they dont have to come all the way out. I never looked at the size of the allen bit, I never broke one but I can tell you it is big about a 8 or 9mm about the size of the brake caliber bolts. Autogunner
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Newbie
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 2
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From: Seattle area
2003 ML350 175,000miles, 2001 E350 195,000miles
Steering wheel bolt freekishly tight
Any advise for someone who has freaking tried to get that "big ***" allen head bold out?
I have a 2.5 foot breaker bar and I am usually good to go on 120 lb torque. This one is kicking my butt! I don't want to go further with it for fear of damaging the allen head...
I am trying to update my turn indicator/windshield wiper controls....
any advise is greatly appreciated.
I have a 2.5 foot breaker bar and I am usually good to go on 120 lb torque. This one is kicking my butt! I don't want to go further with it for fear of damaging the allen head...
I am trying to update my turn indicator/windshield wiper controls....
any advise is greatly appreciated.
