Steering Wheel Fitment

[GC8E2DD]

Seeing as the dumb question thread is gone (maybe we should have a dumb question section instead), does anyone know if a BG era steering wheel is interchangeable with a GC8E? They are both four spoke Momo leather steering wheels with airbags.

[loner]

Why be dumb at all? just look at the part numbers http://www.jp-carparts.com/

[GC8E2DD]

Well the steering columns are different part numbers, but that doesn't mean the splines are different. The airbag modules and actual wheels are different part numbers but there are zillions of them in differing shades of leather and different stitching colours. Does that mean they won't plug into the loom or will instantly blow up in my face? If it doesn't have red stitching will I veer off the road wildly because the part number is different? Or will I simply not be able to physically fit it to the car.

Has anyone here on CS successfully fitted an OEM Legacy Momo airbag steering wheel to a Momo airbag steering wheel equipped Impreza of a similar era?

[Rosssub]

Nothing dumb about that question at all. Airbags can be fatal.

Here's a quote from Reuben below on legacygt.com, looks like possible loom plug differences:

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/95-99-jdm-legacy-gt-b-momo-steering-wheel-like-200389.html

Originally Posted by Reuben:

Wiring shouldn't be too hard, all you need to do is find out what wires do what. Physically it should just bolt right on.

That airbag momo is from 96-98 BG legacy's that didn't have dual airbags, mid spec 97-98 impreza's (HX20's, WRX's etc)(Version 4 only) and SF5A foresters. Later in 98 they changed to a different design (when they went to BH legacy's, and V5 imprezas)

During that period as well, there was a different style airbag wheel that came on BG's with dual airbags, and version 4 STi's. What I can tell you about the wiring is that the MY96 momo's, and the MY97 momo's are different, I know cause I have a spare airbag out of a 96 in my garage, and it doesn't plug into my MY97 GTB, yet are identical in every other regard.

That's about all I can tell you.

[Guest]

Pretty sure hijacka knows about swapping steering wheels.

[loner]

I have just remembered that I used my v6 sti wheel on my bg5 for a while... the airbag wiring was different,

and I was too chicken to mess with it. Everything else worked fine though.

[GC8E2DD]

I wish I'd taken the model code of the Grandwagon now. It would be ideal if the rim fit the column, and I could fit my existing airbag to it (assuming the airbag in it wasn't compatible).

[loner]

Just put a roll cage in and then you can remove the airbags.

[boon]

I'm keen as a weasel to swap a BP/BL era Momo wheel into my GDB, the GDB wheel is the size of a bloody hoola-hoop in comparison. The airbag loom plugs are different but I'm planning to be extremely brave/foolish and swap the plugs over.

[loner]

My opinion on swapping plugs on airbags is that even if the light on the dash behaves, there is no

guarantee that the airbag will deploy correctly... so the only reason to swap the plugs is to pass a WOF

inspection. It's a bit like wearing a second hand helmet.