I'm just gonna go ahead and tell everyone the steering wheel removal so that I don't have to keep individually IMing people. Please understand that this is potentially dangerous and that in no way do I take responsibility for your actions to complete this task.

Repeat this pledge aloud, with your hand over your heart, no bodily members crossed, and truth serum in your veins...

Under no circumstance, do I ____your name here______, hold Mr. Christopher Pickel, the coolest guy alive, responsible for any damage or injury, less any received, by completing this project that follows. I, of my own accord, have undertaken this task and resume all resposibilities for my actions hence forth.

After pledging this oath, print it out, sign and date at the bottom, and ***** your finger to get enough blood to place a finger print next to your name. Keep this for your records in the event that some bodily injury occurs so that your lawyer may examine it before taking me to court.

(I know, I know, its not really that serious)

First, and foremost, be sure to remove the negative battery cable from the battery. This will disengage the steering wheel airbag. I am not an engineer of air bags. This being said, I am not 100% sure of the mechanisms that work the air bag and I treated mine (even with the battery cable loose) like an anti-personel mine.

Next, remove two black square plates, from the steering column, on either side of the steering wheel. This allows you to see behind the steering wheel itself.

After that, you will see two rods, running up and down, one on each side. These rods are spring action and set into a notch on a rod protruding beneath the horn cover to allow the cover to be pushed in (to honk the horn) and release. using a screw driver, push the straight up and down rods inward. This will release the horn cover and the air bag since it is attached. Feel free to unplug the clip for the air bag, but as I stated before, I treated mine like live ammunition.

After that is out, you will see three pieces. Those coveted three pieces that you have been staring at for the past 3 weeks that are still silver while everything else has been primed, painted, and cleared to perfection. Holding these three pieces are a few phillips head screws.

Take them out, have your way with painting and then replace the pieces.

Now here is my advice... I did not unclip the connector for the air bag. Reason being, and I'm not sure of the validity of this, is because I have heard of air bags not deploying later on after reassembly (later down the road in wrecks) because they had been tampered with (unplugged before). This is the reason I left mine plugged up. But like I said, not 100% sure. Better safe than sorry.

Once again, sorry for with holding valuable info for so long, I am just worried about people blaming me for mishaps...

Hope all this helps and for those that get injured, send me the address to your hospital room and I will send you a get well soon card...

 

I thought you were vinyled... Going to paint? Color change?

 

Thanks superpickel!

 

sticky this thread pls?

 

superpickel how did you remove the bottom plastic piece the screw is in probably the worst place possible and i cant seem to access it

 

Mods plz sticky this thread thanks!

 

im actually in the process of doing this how to on the steering wheel with pictures of course there will be a shout out to superpickel but as soon as i get all my pieces painted and put back on ill finish typing it up and post it in the interior forums

 

Ahhh... and so the torch passes... Thanks for doing the write up. I have been sooooo swamped. With work and school, I'm just ready for a break.

I take it that you were able to remove that pesky screw? I can't say that I remember it being an issue...

Looking forward to the pics of the finished product.

 

i have removed it but it was a pain in the a** how did you get it out i had to use a 90 degree Philips SD and go like 1/4 turn at a time

 

here is the write up
https://www.scionlife.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=207350

hopefully this will be stickied soon