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How to swap / remove / change an F20 Steering Wheel

49K views 34 replies 17 participants last post by  marco_polo 
#1 ·
This one's nice and easy you'll be pleased to hear.

Tools:
10mm spanner
Medium flat blade screwdriver or similar
T20 Torx bit / driver
16mm socket + extention.

First job, open the boot (and driver's frameless door on an F21 / F22), and leave them open.



Next, disconnect the negative terminal of the battery with your 10mm spanner, as you don't want error codes once you're finished. If the cable wants to flop back on to the terminal, insulate it with a plastic bag or similar insulator.



Airbag time! Double check the power is off, drain any residual current in the system by turning your side lights on. Airbag is nice and easy on these, as BMW have provided a release hole at 4-o-clock and 8-o-clock. Insert your flat blade screwdriver with the tip horizontal, aiming for the centre of the steering wheel. Push the spring you'll find inside, whilst simultaneously gently pulling on that side of the airbag. It should release half at a time.



Once free, release the yellow electrical plug, and the small black electrical plug to the right of it too. Airbag removed:



Next job, 16mm Hex-head bolt. This is fairly tight, I'm guessing around 75ftlb.



Once the bolt is removed, the wheel will release with a gentle wiggle, leaving:



Home straight, wheel trim. Take your T20 Torx driver, and remove the 3 screws on the back of the wheel:



and the 3 on the inside, plus a spade earth connector.



The trim and button packs will then release, you might need your flat blade screwdriver again to release a couple of plastic clips.

Refitting is the opposite of removal, 20 minutes start to finish. Ta-da!



HTH :)

Special thanks to Jack at , great value - highly recommended.
 
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#2 ·
Looks really nice mate!!

__________________
Monacoblau e87 1m
 
#3 ·
I've been looking for recommendations for a steering wheel retrim for the wife's car as the leather is totally shot. That looks pretty good to me. I'll be 'aving a chat with them in the new year.

How does the retrimmed wheel feel Marco? Are you happy with it now it's been on a while?
 
#5 ·
BMW steering wheels are pretty chunky anyway compared to some others, especially on the wife's car. She's already said she'd like a bit more meat on it. No, the steering wheel, I'm meaty enough. Well marbled I think they say!
 
#7 ·
Aaaargghh! This is driving me crazy!

I've purchased a new style wheel for my M135i but cannot for the life of me get the right side clip to release. The left releases perfectly...

With the left side released and right clip pushed in, the airbag moves around quite freely but it just won't come out! What could be caught?

The wheel is not yet attached to the car. I haven't even tried removing the old wheel yet, this was meant to be the easy one...
 
#9 ·
Agree with Marco. Or push harder. Make sure you've made contact with the spring and you're not pushing against the airbag casing.

Used to do this a lot in the MINI scene. I could do a steering wheel swap including trims in a bout 5 mins.
 
#10 ·
Finally got it! One of the smaller holes in the airbag that the plastic points slot into was out of shape, so I presume it was holding on more than it should have.

Now struggling with the actual difficult one... The old wheel. Thanks for the prompt replies as always.
 
#12 ·
ILikeJam said:
Is it possible to remove the metal trim that goes around the airbag and down the middle spoke?

Thinking about wrapping mine in CF vinyl...
You can buy them on eBay so I would think so.

Has anyone going from old wheel to new looked at changing the plastic trim around the steering column? One of the primary motivations for my changing the wheel was to open up the view of the instruments, but I find the plastic bulges out and blocks it almost as much... :?
 
#13 ·
3xxie said:
ILikeJam said:
Is it possible to remove the metal trim that goes around the airbag and down the middle spoke?

Thinking about wrapping mine in CF vinyl...
You can buy them on eBay so I would think so.

Has anyone going from old wheel to new looked at changing the plastic trim around the steering column? One of the primary motivations for my changing the wheel was to open up the view of the instruments, but I find the plastic bulges out and blocks it almost as much... :?
Cheers bud.

I know what you mean about the plastic though! It's either block the bottom of the instrument cluster with the steering column or the top of it with the wheel.
 
#14 ·
marco_polo said:
:?

Start again from the right side?
A stab in the dark but would you know if the MP wheel would be a straight swop. Any program needed ? Additional parts
 
#18 ·
Bimmer said:
Does anyone know if you can take the trim off the steering wheel without taking the whole wheel off? Wanting to change the metal look to a carbon fibre look. Thanks for any advice
Ryan
I believe it depends on what wheel you have, what's your car, f2X or f2X lci?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#19 ·
Brandonclifford said:
Bimmer said:
Does anyone know if you can take the trim off the steering wheel without taking the whole wheel off? Wanting to change the metal look to a carbon fibre look. Thanks for any advice
Ryan
I believe it depends on what wheel you have, what's your car, f2X or f2X lci?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I believe it is the f21 lci. Was registered on the 23/12/16 but the steering wheel is the same as what is shown in the pictures.
 
#20 ·
Bimmer said:
Brandonclifford said:
Bimmer said:
Does anyone know if you can take the trim off the steering wheel without taking the whole wheel off? Wanting to change the metal look to a carbon fibre look. Thanks for any advice
Ryan
I believe it depends on what wheel you have, what's your car, f2X or f2X lci?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I believe it is the f21 lci. Was registered on the 23/12/16 but the steering wheel is the same as what is shown in the pictures.
Yes it would be the lci model and I believe you can just unclip it without removing the steering wheel

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#22 ·
Thread resurrection!

I'm just about to buy a wheel from Jack at royalsteeringwheels too and am still deciding between driving up there for him to do it (4 hour round trip - 200 miles) or getting it posted and fitting myself.

Removal of old wheel seems easy enough.

I have an 8AT and wanted to know how easy it was to remove the paddles and buttons from my current wheel to put on the new one? If anyone has any pics or vid that would be ace!

TIA
 
#23 ·
Quattrodave said:
Thread resurrection!

I'm just about to buy a wheel from Jack at royalsteeringwheels too and am still deciding between driving up there for him to do it (4 hour round trip - 200 miles) or getting it posted and fitting myself.

Removal of old wheel seems easy enough.

I have an 8AT and wanted to know how easy it was to remove the paddles and buttons from my current wheel to put on the new one? If anyone has any pics or vid that would be ace!

TIA
You have a PM.
 
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