Converting a Fed Elan to a Different Airbag Wheel

[tweetdriver63]

I wonder, has anyone ever done this?

It seems to me that it should be possible to do. My original wheel is a bit, what's the word? Knackered? Yes. That's it. Knackered. Probably the effects of the sun over the years. Around the edges of the airbag, the rubber is warped, as is the rubber on the wheel where it should meet up smoothly with the airbag. Also, the horn has stopped working. It used to just be hard to get it to work, now it doesn't work at all. There's a write-up for replacing those buttons, but I don't think it's worth that with the wheel in the condition it is.

I don't want to replace it with another stock wheel, because it's butt-ugly. If I'm going to have to pay $500 for a steering wheel, I'd like something that looks good. I also don't want to eliminate the airbag, as others have done, because I swear by them since one saved my life three years ago.

A company called RAID makes aftermarket airbag wheel that are really sweet looking, but they're in Germany, and I can't figure out if they have an adapter that would work, or could be made to work, on an Elan.

I really like the Audi wheels that are available on ebay for a reasonable price, but again, don't know enough to be able to determine if one could be made to work.

There are also Momo airbag wheels avaiable for Subaru WRX, Mazda RX7, and some others. Using the Momo boss kit for the Isuzu trucks (as klassykappa's fed conversion thread shows can be used on the Elan), would one of those Momo wheels likely work?

Finally, Lotus used a GM wheel, so it seems they weren't inventing anything new for that. Surely there are other cars using an airbag wheel that would fit us. Has anybody ever tried?

[Elanlover]

This is a project that I'm about 1/3 of the way through but has taken a back sea for the ime being. I've been able to source on eBay a used Elise wheel and new airbag. What I'm missing is the contact ring and hub. I was prepared to buy these new but, even though the Elise parts manual says these two things come with one product code, only the contact ring showed up.

As is always the case with changing the wheel in a Fed Elan, the hub will be the key issue Most standard hubs (if we can find the right one for the Elan) out there are for non-airbag wheels and can't be used for an airbag wheel. You could have one made I suppose (a last ditch plan) but I'm hoping that I'll find a used or new hub somewhere. The sad part is that the Elise wheel is a Momo wheel but has a proprietary 4 bolt wheel to hub mounting pattern instead of the standard Momo 6 bolt pattern Go figure. Suppose I could get new holes tapped in the hub but one would think it should be easier than that.

The Raid bags are good. I'm told that someone a while back mounted a raid airbag wheel successfully but they've sold their car and moved on.

[tigerdog]

This is a project that I'm about 1/3 of the way through but has taken a back sea for the ime being.

I guess you're otherwise occupied trying to track down the malfunctioning "T" key on your keyboard...

[tweetdriver63]

Here's what I'm thinking about. I'm thinking of getting one of these wheels, but I'd feel better if somebody could tell me if it'll work. I'm hoping that, being a Momo wheel, it can be mounted using the Momo hub adapter. The #7903 adapter, for Isuzu, seems to be for both airbag and non-airbag wheels. If the Momo wheel I'm looking at has a standard Momo setup, then it should work.

Does anybody know?

[Elanlover]

I think you'tr taking a big chance if you can't get a good look at the back (to start but preferably the exact bolt pattern) AND know if you can get a hub to fit the Elan. Most Momo boss's are NOT for airbag wheels. The wheel for the Elise uses a proprietary hub that will not mate to the standard Momo adaptor. This wheel could present the same problem.

[tweetdriver63]

So what does the back need to look like?

The Momo 7903 hub, for Isuzu, will work on the Elan. It would then have the "standard" Momo bolt pattern for the wheel. So I guess the real question is, what is the standard momo pattern, and does the wheel I'm thinking about have it?

At the Momo website, when you look through the listing of hub adapters, they have different columns for airbag and non-airbag wheel adapters, and different adapter part #s for most. For the Isuzu trucks, they have the same number (7903-the one klassykappa used) in both columns, and all of the applicable vehicles/model years were factory airbag equipped.

[Elanlover]

The Momo 7903 hub, for Isuzu, will work on the Elan. It would then have the "standard" Momo bolt pattern for the wheel.

And is it for an airbag wheel. Almost all the Momo adaptors for their aftermarket wheels are non-airbag ones (like their wheels). I'm not evern sure if Momo makes an aftermarket airbag wheel let alone an adaptor. Just because the adaptor says it is for a car with an airbag wheel (like the Elan) doesn't mean it will support a new airbag wheel. Some of the lists I've seen basically say "Yes, your car has an airbag wheel and yes out adaptor will fit it". They don't say the adaptor is for another airbag wheel - its for their non airbag wheel.

Make any sense?????

[klassykappa]

Get a photo of the back of the steering wheel you want and I'll tell you if it will work. The hub will work and as long as the airbag wheel is 6 bolt momo standard to the hub, it should attach. THen run the airbag wires through the hub and change the airbag plug from your old steering wheel to the new one and you should be good to go.