Sport Steering Wheel Retrofit

snj1013 · 03-11-2012, 07:55 PM

How difficult is it to remove the standard steering wheel and install a Sport Steering wheel? I know I would need the matching airbag as well.

crashandburn45 · 03-13-2012, 12:37 PM

Easy. There is a small hole in the back of the steering wheel. Just insert a flathead screwdriver and you will feel a tension wire. If you press up on that, it will release the airbag. There is a YouTube video on how to do this. I don't know if the the sport wheel uses the same airbag as the standard one but I definitely know the M-Sport wheel uses a different one.

stealth.pilot · 03-13-2012, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snj1013

How difficult is it to remove the standard steering wheel and install a Sport Steering wheel? I know I would need the matching airbag as well.

It would be cheaper to call DCT motorsports and have them modify your existing steering wheel with a thicker grip like the M Sport wheel. You can make it even beefier than M-Sport if you want. Their work looks OEM, it isn't cheap, but it's cheaper than buying an M-Sport and an air bag.

snj1013 · 03-14-2012, 02:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stealth.pilot

It would be cheaper to call DCT motorsports and have them modify your existing steering wheel with a thicker grip like the M Sport wheel. You can make it even beefier than M-Sport if you want. Their work looks OEM, it isn't cheap, but it's cheaper than buying an M-Sport and an air bag.

I did contact DCT a couple of weeks ago. They said that it would take 3 weeks to rework my existing wheel. I guess another option would be installing some cheap steering wheel while my wheel is off getting reworked. Any comments or suggestions on the whether that could work?

jedpause · 03-14-2012, 09:47 AM

I know you probably have your mind set on it (otherwise you would not have considered the retrofit!), however from my experience... I would have preferred the standard steering wheel.

I have an M Sport wheel with paddles,and sometimes it just seems too thick and uncomfortable (and I have big hands)... when I compare it to the non-M-sport that I did my test drive in. The M Sport one looks cool, but functionally for city and long driving I find less in control than expected. YMMV, just my 2cents worth

03-11-2012, 07:55 PM	#1
snj1013 Captain 87 Rep 937 Posts Drives: 2011 528i Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Houston, TX iTrader: (1)	Sport Steering Wheel Retrofit How difficult is it to remove the standard steering wheel and install a Sport Steering wheel? I know I would need the matching airbag as well.
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03-13-2012, 12:37 PM	#2
crashandburn45 Private First Class 6 Rep 120 Posts Drives: very fast! Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: SoCal iTrader: (5) Garage List 2012 BMW 528i [0.00]	Easy. There is a small hole in the back of the steering wheel. Just insert a flathead screwdriver and you will feel a tension wire. If you press up on that, it will release the airbag. There is a YouTube video on how to do this. I don't know if the the sport wheel uses the same airbag as the standard one but I definitely know the M-Sport wheel uses a different one.
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03-14-2012, 09:47 AM	#5
jedpause Captain 159 Rep 619 Posts Drives: G20 330e M Sport '21 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: London iTrader: (0)	I know you probably have your mind set on it (otherwise you would not have considered the retrofit!), however from my experience... I would have preferred the standard steering wheel. I have an M Sport wheel with paddles,and sometimes it just seems too thick and uncomfortable (and I have big hands)... when I compare it to the non-M-sport that I did my test drive in. The M Sport one looks cool, but functionally for city and long driving I find less in control than expected. YMMV, just my 2cents worth __________________ Sunset Orange G20 330e xDrive M Sport Pro - Tech/Pro Pack, Park Assist Plus Bluestone G30 M Sport - Gone to Stud Alpine White F10 M Sport - Gone to Stud
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