|
Steering Wheel Installation Guide
EXTREME CAUTION IS ADVISED:
The installation of an airbag steering wheel involves an EXPLOSIVE DEVICE and
should be done by a knowledgeable professional. Improper removal and/or
installation of an airbag wheel can cause serious injury or DEATH.
This procedure is for the removal of an existing Lotus airbag steering wheel and installation of a Raid airbag steering wheel.
Please read through the entire procedure to familiarize you with each of the steps involved.
This procedure is for informational purposes only.
This does not condone the removal or replacement of your steering wheel.
Proceed at your own risk.
Parts required:
- RAID Airbag steering wheel
- Hub adaptor
Raid Steering Wheel
Hub Adaptor
Tools required:
- 19mm socket and extension
- T25 torx bit and driver
- Wheel puller (this may not be necessary and was not used in the ones that I have done)
- Wire cutters
- Soldering gun
- 3mm and 5mm allen wrench
- electrical tape
Note that all of the airbag wiring in the
following pictures are yellow and marked as SIR (Supplementary Inflatable
Restraint) circuits.
*Before beginning be sure to note how the stock
steering wheel is aligned with the wheels tracking straight ahead. If for some
reason your steering wheel is not straight up/down when the car is going
straight ahead you may be able to correct that when mounting the new wheel.
Also, be sure to do your yoga exercises in
preparation for assuming Lotus position #1 (head in footwell, feet on the roof) as this will be required for steps 1 and 2
Lotus Service Notes for disabling the airbag
Step 1
Locate the 15 amp fuse holder for the airbag circuit in the passenger side
footwell just behind the dash cover and remove the fuse. It is the one closest
to the center console. See Photos A and B
Photo A
Photo B
Step 2
Locate the driver’s side airbag harness connector attached to the steering
column and unplug the harness. See Photo C
Photo C
Step 3
Loosen the four (two on each side) T25 torx screws
at the back of the steering wheel which attach the airbag assembly to the
steering wheel. These are captured screws and will not come out completely. Do
one side at a time and alternately loosen each screw a few turns until they are
both completely released and then do the other side. You will have to rotate the
steering wheel to allow access for your torx driver.
See Photo D
Photo D
Step 3
You may now carefully remove the center airbag portion of the wheel. You will
see two connectors inside the wheel. The one connecting the airbag circuit and
the other is for the horn circuit. Cut the two wires going from the steering
column to the airbag connector leaving the entire connector attached to the
airbag with enough wire on the airbag side in case you ever want to re-install
the factory wheel. Be sure to leave enough on the steering column side to splice
in the new connector. See Photo E
Photo E
Step 5
*Center the steering wheel to the straight ahead position as noted in the
beginning. Remove the 19mm nut in the center of the steering wheel. (green arrow
in Photo F)
Cut the horn wire (red arrow in Photo F) between where it comes through the
steering wheel and the connector, being sure to leave enough wire on both
sides as you did in Step 4.
Photo F
With your hands gripping the wheel at the 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock positions, rock the wheel back and forth while
pulling on the wheel and it should pop loose and come off. You are not turning
the wheel, just rocking it with your hands. (only use minimum force, do not try
to rip it off like a gorilla) Be sure to keep the steering column shaft oriented
straight when the wheel comes off the column in order to correctly align the new
wheel.
If for some reason it doesn’t come loose with
minimal force you will then need to resort to some kind of wheel puller.
As per the Lotus Service Notes-- CAUTION: Do NOT apply excessive axial force to
the column without the use of a steering wheel puller or the mechanism retaining
the telescopic length of the collapsible column may be overridden, necessitating
column replacement.
Once the wheel is off you should be careful not to rotate
the plastic rotary connector too far since it needs to stay in this orientation
when the new adapter is installed. The rotary connector and the two plastic pins
protruding from it are what supplies power to the horn/airbag and cancels the
turn signal when the wheel is turned.
Step 6
Splice the supplied airbag connector to the two wires that you cut in step 4. It
doesn’t matter which wire goes to which, just be sure the two connections are
insulated from each other. I prefer to solder the connections and use heat
shrink tubing (also supplied) to insulate each connection and then use more heat
shrink or electrical tape over the entire splice. The photo shows one connection
soldered and the other partially twisted in preparation for soldering. Don’t
forget to put the heat shrink tubing over the wire before you twist them
together. See Photo G.
Photo G
Step 7
Splice the red wire with the female spade connector on one end (supplied) to the
green horn wire from the column and be sure the connection is insulated against
any possible metal contact.
Step 8
Install the custom machined adapter with the arrow side out and with the arrow
pointing straight down. The large opening should be to the right and the wires
(horn/airbag) from the rotary connector on the column go through this opening.
Slide the adapter gently onto the shaft and once the splines are engaged align the two plastic pins on the rotary connector
with the appropriate holes on the adapter and push the adapter completely onto
the shaft. Finger tighten the 19mm nut on the shaft
to hold the adapter in place.
Using the small M4 screw (supplied) secure the black horn ground wire with the
ring connector (supplied) to the 4mm threaded hole in
the adapter. See Photo H
Photo H
Step 9
Remove the airbag from the Raid wheel and install your new steering wheel to the
mounted adapter using the four M6 allen
screws supplied. Tighten securely but do not over tighten as the threads on the
adapter can be stripped with too much torque.
Now tighten the 19mm steering column nut and
torque to 40Nm (30 ft. lbs)
Plug the red horn wire with female spade connector
into the appropriate terminal on the wiring block of the steering wheel. Plug
the black ground wire with female spade connector into the remaining terminal of
the wiring block. See Photo I.
Photo I
At this point you may drive the car if you wish to
make sure the steering wheel is centered correctly and because by this time you
won’t be able to wait any longer to see just how great the new steering wheel
feels. You will also notice we have enlarged the interior of the car by about
23.445% or at least it feels that way.
If you turn on the ignition your airbag warning
light should be on at this time and if it’s not you have a problem since we have
not yet connected it.
If after test driving the wheel is not centered
correctly, note its’ location when tracking straight ahead so you can duplicate
that steering wheel position when you get back in the garage. If adjustment is
needed, remove the 19mm nut and pull the entire wheel/adapter assembly and
rotate right or left to the correct orientation.
Step 10
After determining all is well with the wheel orientation, connect the airbag
electrical connector to the new airbag and install the airbag in place being
sure that all the exposed wiring is securely tucked/taped
into the recess in the center of the wheel. Tighten the torx screws to secure the airbag.
Step 11
Reconnect the airbag harness connector on the steering column from Step 2 and
then replace the 15 amp fuse removed in Step 1. Check the horn button to confirm
the horn works.
As per the Lotus Service Notes
Conduct the “SIR Diagnostic System Check” as follows:
Turn on the ignition and observe the SIR tell tale; it should flash seven to
nine times and then go out. When the engine is cranked, the lamp should come on
steady, and then flash for another seven to nine times after the engine has
started.
WARNING: If the SIR tell tale
lamp does not come on with the ignition, and follow the sequence above, or if it
lights at any other time, a fault in the SIR system is indicated which should be
investigated without delay (see section WC.4 of the SIR Service Notes) as the
SIR may not function correctly
Install is complete, go out for a spirited drive
and enjoy your new steering wheel.
| 
