Utter failure with the SE steering wheel.

[Fubar1764]

Well yesterday, I hung my head in shame. Tired of unresponsive horns on the stock Federal steering wheel, I sought an SE's. Monty was nice enough to sell Pinky's steering wheel.
First, I looked at the manual. Ah-ha! Found the HC section in the Service Manual. Smashing! Couldn't find the WB section which is Federal wheel specific, but no matter, the Force is strong with me!
I went to my mechanic to borrow some tools. I removed the airbag, undid the wiring harness for the bag and horn, got the steering wheel off. All's well, right? Wrong-O, Moosebreath!
There's an airbag sensor/assembly/plat thing behind the wheel. If I were to have any chance to change out the wheel, I'd have to remove that as well. I couldn't quite get the plastic cover off the steering column. Not a big deal, plastic flexes. I removed two of the 4 screws.
My mechanic, who happens to pass me by every now and then, looks. "That isn't going to work." "Why not?" He looks at the SE wheel. "See that? No wiring. Your steering column has a wiring harness. How are you going to make that work?" I have this pained look about me. "If you want the horn to work right, why don't you just replace the buttons?"
I hang my head in shame.
So there you have it. Sad tale of woe. I still hate the bloated look of the Federal wheel. . .

[Monty]

sorry to hear u`r having problems

Whats the wiring harness for? can this not be disconnected and then break in to the wires for the horn or even rewire the horn?

what about the other USA guy`s who have fitted an aftermarket wheel, how did they over come the wiring issue?

[Ashaman]

I still hate the bloated look of the Federal wheel. . .

Aye, 'tis an abomination of F-body shame GM heaped upon us!

I don't know why this wouldn't work. I am not familiar with the SE wheel, but it can't be too far different from the aftermarket wheels some are installing, right?

I am guessing you read the write-up on this site already, but all I think you need to worry about is #1, making sure the wheel fits the steering column shaft (should be the same), and #3, connecting the horn to the existing wiring.

There's an airbag sensor/assembly/plat thing behind the wheel.

All I remember is the assembly for the turn signal return behind the wheel. You REALLY don't want to mess with that...trust me. However, I do remember I had to do some minor adapting in order to make sure it engaged with my aftermarket wheel properly.

I am going from memory, so maybe I am forgetting something - Maybe you could post a pic to show what you are talking about?

[Ex Fastcat]

Caveat Pre Emptum: It is all from memory and a long time ago, but Airbag connection systems vs non airbag are pretty standard in concept, so the Elan comments should still ring true.

The Black plastic donut with the ribbon cable is called a clock-spring.
This carries the airbag and the horn circuits and is required because the airbag circuits require VERY stable resistances to allow the vehicle diagnostics to work correctly for such things as open circuits, partial open circuits, Initiator malfuntions, etc., etc.

A horn circuit only requires a complete circuit to funtion and is pretty robust hence it can funtion with sweeper pins on a brass ring.
Therefore, to provide the stability for the airbag cicuit, the clockspring allows a large amount of wire to, effectively, be wound around the steering column.
It is set up in a null position for initial fitment so that there is the same amount of rotation for left and right lock.

To convert to non airbag, some people will modify the wiper cancel arm, etc.
Possibly the easiest way is to change not only the steering wheel but also the carrier for the wiper stalks which will be different (Airbag to Non airbag).
Again this will be a plastic moulding for the stalks and a nice spring loaded pin to wipe on the brass ring mounted on the steering wheel.

This should also allow you to easily modify the harness by adding a jumper section between the current column harness and the horn pin without having to mangle it. Thereby allowing the airbag to be refitted if required.
Compare the federal and the Non federal SE workshop manuals to see the differences.

Now as I said that is all from memory as far as the Elan goes, but it is fairly standard as far as the industry goes.

The other thing to remember is that the column itself will be different (in all likelyhood) as airbag columns are designed to collapse differently than non airbag types. All about making sure the bag hits you where it is meant to as the firewall deforms instead of hitting that fly which is hanging from the sunvisor wondering why you have a funny look on your face.
I add this point in as I can't remember whether the distance from the spline/taper where the column interfaces with the wheel back to the column stalk cancellation face would be is just a bit different or massively different between the 2 types.
It sounds complicated but the above should give you some pointers as to what to look at/where to check.

I hope it helps, I apologise about some of the grey areas but I am old and grey myself, my sight is growing dim etc., but I have designed some good airbags in my time, one particularly which was modelled on Snoopy's nose, but then that is a different story.......

[donsladek]

Hey Fubar,

Did you ever sort the use of a non-airbag UK Elan steering wheel onto a Federal steering column?

Thanks!

Don