Steering wheel choices

[Kenny1958]

Happy new year chaps.

I`v been thinking of getting a different steering wheel for my E39 but have no real idea about which ones are able to be swapped over from different models or years but i do know that my current wheel is a 2 stage.

I`d like to have a flappy paddle wheel if i can, with all the buttons i`ll need to control the usual things.

I`v seen one from a 2010 E92 3 series and the other wheel pictured was from Redlines steering wheel covering thread which looks lovely albeit not having flappy paddles.

So basically i want to know what i can swap over from what.

[DennisCooper]

Hi Kenny!

HNY to you!

Some of the steering wheels from later cars can be made to fit and work. What you'll find is to do that there's quite a lot of extra work involved in terms of having the newer wheel modified to fit. This involves machining the central section of metal so that there's clearance to fit onto the E39's steering wheel hub/spline/middle thingy that pokes through the aperture !

Here's a post which shows an E9x M3 Competition Steering wheel on an E46
http://forums.m3cutters.co.uk/showthread.php?t=63598

The control buttons don't work as the CANBUS system doesn't exist in later cars. In my car as you know I have the E46 CSL SMG steering wheel which has that single button on it and of course it's defunct on an E39. I personally don't need/want steering wheel control buttons so I don't mind, but if you like not having to lift your hand from the wheel then you'll miss them!

I have an E46 SMG steering wheel, so I'll drop you a PM about it - it needs a few pieces to finish it off as I had to collect the bits over time for it. I'll likely be back near you very soon, so will need a cup of tea when I pop in!

Cheers, Dennis!

[Kenny1958]

Thanks for that info Dennis and of course your always welcome to pop in for a cuppa when are in my area, although now i`m working albeit part time, it would be best to give me a heads up when you might be around.
So to recap i will need a canbus enabled steering wheel to be able to keep the buttons working and rather a lot of work is needed to get later wheels to fit anyway ??

[sparklee39]

I'll chose the oem one, not the e9* type.

[FredRC]

Hi Kenny!

HNY to you!

Some of the steering wheels from later cars can be made to fit and work. What you'll find is to do that there's quite a lot of extra work involved in terms of having the newer wheel modified to fit. This involves machining the central section of metal so that there's clearance to fit onto the E39's steering wheel hub/spline/middle thingy that pokes through the aperture !

Here's a post which shows an E9x M3 Competition Steering wheel on an E46
http://forums.m3cutters.co.uk/showthread.php?t=63598

The control buttons don't work as the CANBUS system doesn't exist in later cars. In my car as you know I have the E46 CSL SMG steering wheel which has that single button on it and of course it's defunct on an E39. I personally don't need/want steering wheel control buttons so I don't mind, but if you like not having to lift your hand from the wheel then you'll miss them!

I have an E46 SMG steering wheel, so I'll drop you a PM about it - it needs a few pieces to finish it off as I had to collect the bits over time for it. I'll likely be back near you very soon, so will need a cup of tea when I pop in!

Cheers, Dennis!


Nice to see you are always willing to help Dennis,

a while ago there was a discussion if it was possible to make a dual stage air bag work on a single stage car. Well, my friend wants to add paddles to his Steptronic 05/1997 540i.


Thats his Steering wheel : http://memimage.cardomain.com/ride_images/1/1735/1881/4335940418_large.jpg

Thats what he wants: http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww201/Msia_bimmersgarage/BMW%20Parts/2012-09-08135330.jpg

Last picture btw is installed in a 1997 car, however the member who did this left the forum and couldn`t get in touch with him.


So what we`d like to to do is fit a Dual Stage Steering wheel with Paddles on a Single Stage Car with steptronic.

We don`t need the full conversion, he said he is ok just by pluggin one stage of the airbag, he doesn`t need 2 stage function to work.

I Understand we need a Heated Slip Ring as well.

Is there anything else we need to make this work the way we want to ?