Steering Wheel - 4-spoke To 3-spoke

[Mister_Arkwright]

Hello from England!

I want to take off my old trusty old 4-spoke steering wheel from my '97 Boxster and shove it on ebay (with no reserve)

What I would like help on is.....

Will a 3-spoke from say, a 2001 car or whatever fit my 1997 without problems?

Only yesterday my Metropole Blue soft top arrived (off ebay) and I fitted that myself to my car, it came off a 2001. (my old black soft top will be tidied up and shoved on ebay, with no reserve)

You help, expertise appreciated on this.

Regards.

[Tool Pants]

Any 3 spoke from a 996/986 will fit your car. Year does not matter. You will also need the air bag for the 3 spoke as the air bag from a 4 spoke does not fit a 3 spoke.

[Mister_Arkwright]

Any 3 spoke from a 996/986 will fit your car. Year does not matter. You will also need the air bag for the 3 spoke as the air bag from a 4 spoke does not fit a 3 spoke.

Brilliant - I'm looking hard for one now, not just on UK ebay, but Yankie ebay too.

Thanking you for youe help.

[Tool Pants]

You might try the UK message boards.

<a href="http://www.boxa.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=28814" target="_blank">http://www.boxa.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=28814</a>

<a href="http://www.porschaforum.com/forum/index.php" target="_blank">http://www.porschaforum.com/forum/index.php</a>

Of course, you would need a RHD 3 spoke steering wheel....

There are really no good deals on USA ebay. Most times it is just the wheel without the air bag, and the bidders jack up the price just for the wheel. Then, if you find an air bag on USA ebay for a decent price, then you have to deal with the shipping issue.

I have a 1997 that came with the 4 spoke. Years ago there was a local 2000 Boxster S owner that converted his car to a track car, with an aftermarket quick release wheel.

I got lucky and did not have to pay an arm and a leg when I purchased his 3 spoke and air bag.

[Mister_Arkwright]

You might try the UK message boards.

<a href="http://www.boxa.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=28814" target="_blank">http://www.boxa.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=28814</a>

<a href="http://www.porschaforum.com/forum/index.php" target="_blank">http://www.porschaforum.com/forum/index.php</a>

Of course, you would need a RHD 3 spoke steering wheel....

There are really no good deals on USA ebay. Most times it is just the wheel without the air bag, and the bidders jack up the price just for the wheel. Then, if you find an air bag on USA ebay for a decent price, then you have to deal with the shipping issue.

I have a 1997 that came with the 4 spoke. Years ago there was a local 2000 Boxster S owner that converted his car to a track car, with an aftermarket quick release wheel.

I got lucky and did not have to pay an arm and a leg when I purchased his 3 spoke and air bag.

Guys - I would like to thank you for your kind help - and now, I need more :huh:

Today I fitted the steering wheel airbag to the 3-spoke steering wheel I found on UK eBay a week or so after posting this topic.

The steering wheel, as you rightly say, came without airbag, but £48. I sold my 4-spoke on eBay to a guy in Germany, he paid me £37 plus £18 postage.

I searched high & low for that airbag, then, on Sunday, someone listed one for £250 plus £10 postage "buy now" - I did.

It arrived this morning and despite the freezing cold I couldn't wait to fit it.....problem.....

Looks fantastic but wichever way round I connected the airbag wire, the airbag light in the dash stays on. Turn the ingnition off, then on and the light comes on, goes off for 1 second then comes back on and stays on - any help appreciated please?

Why is it doing this? I dont want to just remove the bulb from the dash.

And, not related but, I changed my front brake pads yesterday without hitch (or so I thought) except for one side brake pad sensor wire worn & snapped, no problems they are available on Yankie eBay.

Today I got out there to change my rear brake pads right after fitting my steering wheel airbag and.....

I left the locking wheel nut "key" or whatever it's called ON the nut after I'd finished yesterday, I then drove somewhere and it must of come off....

I can't take off my back wheels, are these locking wheel nuts easy to get off please?

Thank you all in advance.

[Loren]

Your OPC should have a set of keys that can use to remove the wheel lock and to tell which key to order for a replacement.

[Tool Pants]

When you replaced the air bag was the car battery connected, and did you turn the ignition key to the on position?

Most people who replace the air bag need to turn the ignition to the on position in order to rotate the steering wheel to loosen the air bag screws. But you are first supposed to disconnect the battery before you disconnect the air bag. On a UK car you can't just disconnect the battery because the alarm siren will go off.

[Mister_Arkwright]

When you replaced the air bag was the car battery connected, and did you turn the ignition key to the on position?

Most people who replace the air bag need to turn the ignition to the on position in order to rotate the steering wheel to loosen the air bag screws. But you are first supposed to disconnect the battery before you disconnect the air bag. On a UK car you can't just disconnect the battery because the alarm siren will go off.

Hello - no, I didn't disconnect the battery or turn the ingnition on when I replaced the airbag.

Now that it's in place, and with the airbag dash light staying permernantly on, what would you suggest in order for me to fix this issue?

And it looks like my best option re me loosing the cap that fits over my locking wheel nuts is to hammer a 24m socket over each of them, undo them, throw them away and buy a new set of locking wheel nuts.

Best regards.

[Tool Pants]

Then I don't know why your light is on. You need to have the fault code(s) read out to see why it is on.

On your missing wheel lock key, Loren gave you the best answer.

Pounding on a socket with a sledge hammer is often repeated on car message boards, but I do not know anyone who has actually done it on a Boxster.

So you can be the first.

I have a 24 and 22 mm 12 point sockets in my tool chest, and an extra locking wheel bolt. So I checked the size.

24 mm is too large. The 22 mm socket seems just a bit too small. I do not have a 23 mm socket to check the fit.

I would say you need a 22 or 23 mm socket, 12 points. Buy a cheap one made of soft metal. You do not want the socket to split as you pound on it. Depending on your luck the socket may not last long enought to do all 4 locking wheel bolts.

Take lots of pictures and drink lots of beer, as I would like to see a Boxster owner actually do this. There are tools designed for this purpose, usually used with an impact wrench, but I would like to see someone try to do it the old fashioned way, maybe.

[honda_nos]

Back in my tire shop days, I'll taken off lock nuts with a hammer and socket many times. I would be very careful not to end up smacking your wheel. There actually are sockets you can buy for this exact purpose. We had SnapOn ones in the shop, you might be able to get similar tools from other brands.

Then I don't know why your light is on. You need to have the fault code(s) read out to see why it is on.

On your missing wheel lock key, Loren gave you the best answer.

Pounding on a socket with a sledge hammer is often repeated on car message boards, but I do not know anyone who has actually done it on a Boxster.

So you can be the first.

I have a 24 and 22 mm 12 point sockets in my tool chest, and an extra locking wheel bolt. So I checked the size.

24 mm is too large. The 22 mm socket seems just a bit too small. I do not have a 23 mm socket to check the fit.

I would say you need a 22 or 23 mm socket, 12 points. Buy a cheap one made of soft metal. You do not want the socket to split as you pound on it. Depending on your luck the socket may not last long enought to do all 4 locking wheel bolts.

Take lots of pictures and drink lots of beer, as I would like to see a Boxster owner actually do this. There are tools designed for this purpose, usually used with an impact wrench, but I would like to see someone try to do it the old fashioned way, maybe.

[johnbull]

When you replaced the air bag was the car battery connected, and did you turn the ignition key to the on position?

Most people who replace the air bag need to turn the ignition to the on position in order to rotate the steering wheel to loosen the air bag screws. But you are first supposed to disconnect the battery before you disconnect the air bag. On a UK car you can't just disconnect the battery because the alarm siren will go off.

I have a UK car.

How do I stop the Alarm siren going off if I want to change my battery then?

[Tool Pants]

On a UK car with the alarm siren, you turn the ignition to the on position, then disconnect the battery.