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Author Topic: Modifying a stock airbag steering wheel?  (Read 2908 times)

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Modifying a stock airbag steering wheel?
« on: July 23, 2013, 10:04:01 AM »
After debating it for a long while and talking to people who know a few things about insurance laws I've decided to keep my airbag steering wheel.  What do you guys think about modifying the rim of a stock wheel to make it a smaller diameter?  Like from 15.5 to 14 or 14.5"?

http://www.customclassictrucks.com/techarticles/1208cct_reclaiming_stock_steering_wheel/

The inner frame of a stock S-series wheel is magnesium according to the stamp on the back, which can apparently be TIG welded.  I was thinking of cutting the rim off, cutting a chunk out of it to shrink the diameter as in the above link, and then having it welded back together.  After that I would use something like the Eastwood steering wheel resto kit they used in the link to fill the gaps and then send it to an upholstery shop to have it leather wrapped.

Do you guys think it's possible / realistic?  I have an extra wheel to experiment on but I would have to locate a welding shop with the appropriate gear.  I thought about going the 'vette wheel route but I'm guessing insurance companies probably wouldn't dig that either.  The modded stock wheel is a bit more stealth.
03 Sonoma ECSB, 4.3 auto, bolt-ons, xtreme80 tune, ZQ8 steering box, QA1 coilovers and rear shocks, UB Machine UCAs, Spohn LCAs, tall balljoints, ZO6 wheels, race seats.

Re: Modifying a stock airbag steering wheel?

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Re: Modifying a stock airbag steering wheel?
« Reply #1 on: July 23, 2013, 10:23:38 AM »
I don't think going the vette wheel route would matter much. As long as you still have a functioning airbag. Thats why I like my 94, second gen body 1st gen everything else LOL.

Re: Modifying a stock airbag steering wheel?

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Re: Modifying a stock airbag steering wheel?
« Reply #2 on: July 23, 2013, 10:54:15 AM »
i'm all for fabrication, but that seems like a lot of trouble to mod a wheel...

why stick to a gm wheel? can you use a miata wheel or something?
some miatas came with nardi wheels stock.
my blazer is cooler than your s10

Re: Modifying a stock airbag steering wheel?

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Re: Modifying a stock airbag steering wheel?
« Reply #3 on: July 23, 2013, 11:37:25 AM »
The problem is that there's no way to tell whether the airbag will work on a wheel swap without crashing the truck...

Moon509 figured out the 'vette wheel swap and the airbag should work but who knows for sure?

http://www.s10forum.com/forum/f178/c6-corvette-steering-wheel-swap-with-airbag-514382/

Airbag wiring is also akin to wiring a bomb and I have trouble getting a simple fog light switch to work reliably. I am open to suggestions though!
03 Sonoma ECSB, 4.3 auto, bolt-ons, xtreme80 tune, ZQ8 steering box, QA1 coilovers and rear shocks, UB Machine UCAs, Spohn LCAs, tall balljoints, ZO6 wheels, race seats.

Re: Modifying a stock airbag steering wheel?

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Re: Modifying a stock airbag steering wheel?
« Reply #4 on: July 23, 2013, 07:54:06 PM »
solution: don't ever crash the truck, and  you'll never need to know if it works or not....

i always assumed airbag wiring was fairly constant across everything because there's only like 1 wire that goes to it right?
my blazer is cooler than your s10

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Re: Modifying a stock airbag steering wheel?
« Reply #5 on: July 24, 2013, 05:33:24 AM »
solution: don't ever crash the truck, and  you'll never need to know if it works or not....

i always assumed airbag wiring was fairly constant across everything because there's only like 1 wire that goes to it right?

The single stage has two wires, multi stage and has two, two wire connectors. Along the wiring path there is also like 2 or 3 shorting bars so when the connectors are unplugged it doesnt blow.

Re: Modifying a stock airbag steering wheel?

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Re: Modifying a stock airbag steering wheel?
« Reply #6 on: July 24, 2013, 06:22:16 AM »
I think the GM stuff went from a single to two stage system sometime recently.  Moon509 posted a bunch of wiring info in that thread I linked to. 
03 Sonoma ECSB, 4.3 auto, bolt-ons, xtreme80 tune, ZQ8 steering box, QA1 coilovers and rear shocks, UB Machine UCAs, Spohn LCAs, tall balljoints, ZO6 wheels, race seats.

Re: Modifying a stock airbag steering wheel?

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Re: Modifying a stock airbag steering wheel?
« Reply #7 on: July 24, 2013, 08:01:05 AM »
Personally, I'm wary of swapping airbags into different vehicles since the bag shape itself is designed for certain seat positions and shapes, from my understanding.  The safest bet would be to have a disabled airbag and a good restraint system like a 5 point belt.

 

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