Help!! Frustrated installing M Tech II wheel on airbag E30

[Laguna e30]

Hi guys,

I'm really struggling on my M Tech II install on my '91 325i. I have the correct spacer, but cannot get the wheel down far enough for the turn signals/horn/steering lock to work. It feels like the c-clip that holds the spring on the spline is up too high. I've tapped it down with a mallet, but I'm still about 1/8th of an inch away from where I need to be. I can push the wheel down to the appropriate depth, but it pops back up once the steering lock is released. Any help on this would be appreciated as I'm going crazy. I can confirm I have an E30 wheel.

FYI, I just purchased the car. Only other variable I can think of is that the steering rack was replaced with a Z3 rack by the prior owner. Thanks in advance!

[82eye]

best way is to replace the column as a unit.

otherwise you need one or two spacers from a non airbag car to make it work.
number four here

there will be a gap between the wheel and the stalks. some try stalks from a non airbag car to correct. mixed results. another trick is to remove the plastic ring that the airbag wires were routed through. others bend the stalks.

most bmw non airbag wheels in airbag cars never look or act quite stock.

[sienayr]

My '91 came with a non airbag wheel. I'm constantly hitting my fingers on the stalks and turning the damn wipers on, the gap isn't big enough.

[superj]

you are supposed to change the stalks to non-airbag stalks also

[sienayr]

you are supposed to change the stalks to non-airbag stalks also

thanks, good to know, I thought maybe it needed more spacers or something. haven't done a ton of research into it.

[superj]

the airbag wheels are deeper so the stalks have more angle on the arms. that's why they are so close on steering wheel swaps.

[Laguna e30]

SOLVED...The retaining ring had popped out of its spot, resulting in the spring around the shaft pushing up too far. Answer is to flip the spacer around and tighten the steering wheel on. This will push the ring down into its groove, creating the correct amount of spacing for the wheel to be installed properly. Then, remove wheel, flip spacer around properly, and reinstall.