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Thread: not your typical e39 steering wheel upgrade post.

  1. #1
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    not your typical e39 steering wheel upgrade post.

    so here it is, i have completed the mounting of a 2002 540 m sport steering wheel into a 9/98 528. next i have to cross reference pinouts of the switches and make the appropriate wiring modifications to the harness to make sure everything works.

    what i did was remove the entire wheel and steering upper column section from a junk 540 and basically switch over the bulkhead onto the 528 steering column. everything is the same size, the bulkhead on the 540 just has the carrier for the column mount slip ring.

    had to drill out the ignition from the 540 (no key) and then put my ews ring and key cylinder into the 540 ignition. mount and done!

    its 106 outside today so im cooling off but, when i go for the electrical side of this ill relay all appropriate info with pictures...


    any questions id be happy to answer, btw, not sure how im going to work the airbag system yet, but i have a couple sound theories.
    fairly simple, my car is only looking for one airbag circuit so ill only hook the first stage up and adjust resistance if necessary..
    Last edited by xdougiex; 07-15-2018 at 07:34 PM.

    FUN: intel carputer w/ 8.5" touchscreen, Nardi Blackline steering wheel, retrofitted Z3 projectors, carbon lip
    RUN: ActiveAutowerke stage 2 SC, SS clutch line, SS brake lines, Bilstein PSS B14 coil-overs, RDsport catback, FDM w/custom hi/lo fan, Ground Control LCAB, M motorsports strut bar, UUC swaybarbarians (stiff front, med rear), SSK, 18" SSR GT-2H (235/40/18)...

  2. #2
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    update, wiring to telescoping and tilt controls are all same wire codes, one stalk down.

    FUN: intel carputer w/ 8.5" touchscreen, Nardi Blackline steering wheel, retrofitted Z3 projectors, carbon lip
    RUN: ActiveAutowerke stage 2 SC, SS clutch line, SS brake lines, Bilstein PSS B14 coil-overs, RDsport catback, FDM w/custom hi/lo fan, Ground Control LCAB, M motorsports strut bar, UUC swaybarbarians (stiff front, med rear), SSK, 18" SSR GT-2H (235/40/18)...

  3. #3
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    wiper stalk needs to be repinned to match 540 harness. one extra wire for the "s" function, unused for now, night use it as a trigger for something else.

    FUN: intel carputer w/ 8.5" touchscreen, Nardi Blackline steering wheel, retrofitted Z3 projectors, carbon lip
    RUN: ActiveAutowerke stage 2 SC, SS clutch line, SS brake lines, Bilstein PSS B14 coil-overs, RDsport catback, FDM w/custom hi/lo fan, Ground Control LCAB, M motorsports strut bar, UUC swaybarbarians (stiff front, med rear), SSK, 18" SSR GT-2H (235/40/18)...

  4. #4
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    use 540 harness to slip ring, match all colors. as of now all buttons for radio and cruise work. i have left airbag stage 1 and 2 disconnected until i can do a few tests.

    FUN: intel carputer w/ 8.5" touchscreen, Nardi Blackline steering wheel, retrofitted Z3 projectors, carbon lip
    RUN: ActiveAutowerke stage 2 SC, SS clutch line, SS brake lines, Bilstein PSS B14 coil-overs, RDsport catback, FDM w/custom hi/lo fan, Ground Control LCAB, M motorsports strut bar, UUC swaybarbarians (stiff front, med rear), SSK, 18" SSR GT-2H (235/40/18)...

  5. #5
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    So...

    Do you wire your air bag as stage 1 and and die at high speed or do you wire it as stage 2 and go deaf at low speed.

    One of the only reasons I've never done this mod, oh... And I didn't want to risk messing with the vehicles insurance

    Cheers
    Mat

    Edit:

    Can you wire both up as a Stage 3 and just send it?!
    Quote Originally Posted by hakhawk
    I know first hand that owning a bmw isnt what made hozy the way he is, its just his charm
    Quote Originally Posted by geargrinder
    HoZY is good guy and has proven it many times by being a longtime participant in this community.


  6. #6
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    well my supercharged M3 doesnt have an airbag any longer so if im gonna die at high speed its gonna be in that one! haha
    the 528 is my go around town, take the kid around, slowmobile comparatively. its not sure what high speed really is.
    i think the stage one deployment would help in either case honestly.



    Quote Originally Posted by HoZy View Post
    So...

    Do you wire your air bag as stage 1 and and die at high speed or do you wire it as stage 2 and go deaf at low speed.

    One of the only reasons I've never done this mod, oh... And I didn't want to risk messing with the vehicles insurance

    Cheers
    Mat

    Edit:

    Can you wire both up as a Stage 3 and just send it?!
    - - - Updated - - -

    next step might turn some people off but because im using all the 540 stalks, the turn signal stalk must be opened and modified to send seperate left/right signals. as is, it sends 2 different resistances for left vs right. im getting into it right now, doesnt seem too hard to bypass and add a pin

    FUN: intel carputer w/ 8.5" touchscreen, Nardi Blackline steering wheel, retrofitted Z3 projectors, carbon lip
    RUN: ActiveAutowerke stage 2 SC, SS clutch line, SS brake lines, Bilstein PSS B14 coil-overs, RDsport catback, FDM w/custom hi/lo fan, Ground Control LCAB, M motorsports strut bar, UUC swaybarbarians (stiff front, med rear), SSK, 18" SSR GT-2H (235/40/18)...

  7. #7
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    well ... every single function on the wheel and stalks work, except for "s" clean.

    ill get back on in the next couple days and do a step by step, this was actually very easy, but you must source a lot of parts, i was lucky i got the whole upper column with wheel and harness for only 38 dollars at the pick n pull, so a swap was inevitable, just the electronics got a tad tricky at parts.

    i wouldnt mind retrofitting this extra electric column to my e36, hmmm.
    Last edited by xdougiex; 07-16-2018 at 02:19 AM.

    FUN: intel carputer w/ 8.5" touchscreen, Nardi Blackline steering wheel, retrofitted Z3 projectors, carbon lip
    RUN: ActiveAutowerke stage 2 SC, SS clutch line, SS brake lines, Bilstein PSS B14 coil-overs, RDsport catback, FDM w/custom hi/lo fan, Ground Control LCAB, M motorsports strut bar, UUC swaybarbarians (stiff front, med rear), SSK, 18" SSR GT-2H (235/40/18)...

  8. #8
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    I completed this retrofit on my 9/98 540i and swapped several things over to make life easier. Get an LCM-IIIb or better and you can code it for your car and the voltage differential signal inputs will work fine. You'll have to repin some of the wires at the LCM to get it to all line up but it was better than any hack and you get the bonus of the newer LCM.
    1999 S62 Powered 540i
    2009 N54 335xi

  9. #9
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    i was thinking about doing this and i may in the future, im glad someone else chimed in about doing this. nearly everything on the net says its not possible when it clearly is.

    Quote Originally Posted by slandis View Post
    I completed this retrofit on my 9/98 540i and swapped several things over to make life easier. Get an LCM-IIIb or better and you can code it for your car and the voltage differential signal inputs will work fine. You'll have to repin some of the wires at the LCM to get it to all line up but it was better than any hack and you get the bonus of the newer LCM.

    FUN: intel carputer w/ 8.5" touchscreen, Nardi Blackline steering wheel, retrofitted Z3 projectors, carbon lip
    RUN: ActiveAutowerke stage 2 SC, SS clutch line, SS brake lines, Bilstein PSS B14 coil-overs, RDsport catback, FDM w/custom hi/lo fan, Ground Control LCAB, M motorsports strut bar, UUC swaybarbarians (stiff front, med rear), SSK, 18" SSR GT-2H (235/40/18)...

  10. #10
    geargrinder's Avatar
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    Nice job, sounds mostly very well done. Good tip on the LCM, would have been great if you'd known that ahead of time, right and just toss an updated LCM in there... LCMIII's are cheap (its the IV's that are $) so that should be simple to pull off..

    Re: airbag wiring, maybe wire the unused "S" button to trigger it? That'd be fun.
    2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
    2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
    2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
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    Former:

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  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by geargrinder View Post
    Re: airbag wiring, maybe wire the unused "S" button to trigger it? That'd be fun.
    I'm on a call with the gf while reading this and just f'n snorted with laughter... I hate you
    Quote Originally Posted by hakhawk
    I know first hand that owning a bmw isnt what made hozy the way he is, its just his charm
    Quote Originally Posted by geargrinder
    HoZY is good guy and has proven it many times by being a longtime participant in this community.


  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by geargrinder View Post
    Nice job, sounds mostly very well done. Good tip on the LCM, would have been great if you'd known that ahead of time, right and just toss.... blah blah blah blah blah....
    Re: airbag wiring, maybe wire the unused "S" button to trigger it? That'd be fun.
    BOOM!!! Lmao!
    Set the controls for the heart of the sun

  13. #13
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    reminds me of the old

    "whats this button do?"
    *click, BOOM*

    "ooh that's the ejector seat."




    Quote Originally Posted by geargrinder View Post
    Nice job, sounds mostly very well done. Good tip on the LCM, would have been great if you'd known that ahead of time, right and just toss an updated LCM in there... LCMIII's are cheap (its the IV's that are $) so that should be simple to pull off..

    Re: airbag wiring, maybe wire the unused "S" button to trigger it? That'd be fun.

    FUN: intel carputer w/ 8.5" touchscreen, Nardi Blackline steering wheel, retrofitted Z3 projectors, carbon lip
    RUN: ActiveAutowerke stage 2 SC, SS clutch line, SS brake lines, Bilstein PSS B14 coil-overs, RDsport catback, FDM w/custom hi/lo fan, Ground Control LCAB, M motorsports strut bar, UUC swaybarbarians (stiff front, med rear), SSK, 18" SSR GT-2H (235/40/18)...

  14. #14
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    If you do that, make a stencil that says “Do Not Press This Button!!!”
    Set the controls for the heart of the sun

  15. #15
    geargrinder's Avatar
    geargrinder is offline Having No Trouble Here BMW CCA Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by HoZy View Post
    I'm on a call with the gf while reading this and just f'n snorted with laughter...
    And I bet it was right as she was saying “...and I really think you never take my feelings seriously...” [SNORT-CHORTLE]
    2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
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  16. #16
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    For what it's worth I wired up a single stage of the two stage bag. Do this at your own risk, I'm not an airbag detonation expert - yada yada. I decided that for me wiring up a single stage was better than having nothing at all. As I think about the process I went through with the LCM I remembered that by default the LCM-IIIb will also mess with your tail light connections but I've read enough to believe that the LCM could be coded in such a way as to eliminate the problem I faced (standard E39 LCM-IIIb is coded for CELIS I believe and as such doesn't output the correct number of signals for all the lights on either side.)

    I'm sure somebody who has experience with custom coding/hacking those things could assist with making it work with standard pre-CELIS tails. I have cheap-o after market tails with with odd connections anyhow so I just made it work with some splicing and crimping.
    1999 S62 Powered 540i
    2009 N54 335xi

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by slandis View Post
    For what it's worth I wired up a single stage of the two stage bag. Do this at your own risk, I'm not an airbag detonation expert - yada yada. I decided that for me wiring up a single stage was better than having nothing at all. As I think about the process I went through with the LCM I remembered that by default the LCM-IIIb will also mess with your tail light connections but I've read enough to believe that the LCM could be coded in such a way as to eliminate the problem I faced (standard E39 LCM-IIIb is coded for CELIS I believe and as such doesn't output the correct number of signals for all the lights on either side.)

    I'm sure somebody who has experience with custom coding/hacking those things could assist with making it work with standard pre-CELIS tails. I have cheap-o after market tails with with odd connections anyhow so I just made it work with some splicing and crimping.
    Airbag newbie here; what is the difference between stage 1 & 2 air bags & why is it bad that you hooked it up the way you did?

    Also what's the difference between the LCMIII & LCMIV as far as functionality goes, besides one being newer than the other.
    2003 530i M Sport [Black Sapphire Metallic & Sand Interior]

    IMG_1075 by Alex Wilson Photography, on Flickr



  18. #18
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    In case you didn't know, the sport steering wheels were recalled for repair because their airbag deployment can injure or kill you. Has your wheel been serviced for this defect yet?
    [IMG][/IMG]

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by slandis View Post
    As I think about the process I went through with the LCM I remembered that by default the LCM-IIIb will also mess with your tail light connections but I've read enough to believe that the LCM could be coded in such a way as to eliminate the problem I faced (standard E39 LCM-IIIb is coded for CELIS I believe and as such doesn't output the correct number of signals for all the lights on either side.)

    I'm sure somebody who has experience with custom coding/hacking those things could assist with making it work with standard pre-CELIS tails. I have cheap-o after market tails with with odd connections anyhow so I just made it work with some splicing and crimping.
    I'll have to dig back in to NavCoder and BMW Scanner to see if I have an option for it, but a IIIa will drive CELIS tails. My '01 has a IIIa and CELIS. LCM IV from a pre-facelift X5 drives them as well. There are some other funky things I need to work out, but that's for another post.

  20. #20
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    i did not know and i will be checking thank you.

    Quote Originally Posted by JaxPlanet View Post
    In case you didn't know, the sport steering wheels were recalled for repair because their airbag deployment can injure or kill you. Has your wheel been serviced for this defect yet?

    FUN: intel carputer w/ 8.5" touchscreen, Nardi Blackline steering wheel, retrofitted Z3 projectors, carbon lip
    RUN: ActiveAutowerke stage 2 SC, SS clutch line, SS brake lines, Bilstein PSS B14 coil-overs, RDsport catback, FDM w/custom hi/lo fan, Ground Control LCAB, M motorsports strut bar, UUC swaybarbarians (stiff front, med rear), SSK, 18" SSR GT-2H (235/40/18)...

  21. #21
    geargrinder's Avatar
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    Ufartunutly, swappers are hosed w/ the recalls... cant get the free airbag.

    Wife and I have been procrast on the airbags but trying to finally knock them out this month... we got 3 cars each with 1-2 that qualify. PITA.
    2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
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  22. #22
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    BMW replaced my swapped airbag out. My steering wheel is a e46 paddle shift with M style airbag out of a 530i.
    They checked with corporate and were told to change it out.


  23. #23
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    They didn't swap mine, they said it was already changed. They said may be if it wasn't changed they would of done it, but since it was tied to the VIN they couldn't. Mine is out of a 03 330i.

  24. #24
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    My early 2002 production car is not eligible for the recall, for whatever reason. I’m not terribly concerned, as the failures generally came from Hondas, and in high humidity areas.
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  25. #25
    geargrinder's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by computiNATEor View Post
    My early 2002 production car is not eligible for the recall, for whatever reason. I’m not terribly concerned, as the failures generally came from Hondas, and in high humidity areas.
    Weird. My 2002 def is getting all the notifications in the mail constantly.

    I am AMAZED that BMW will honor recalls for part-swapped cars. I'd think their lawyers would say "PART SWAPPING BY NON-DEALERS INVALIDATES ANY OBLIGATION OR LIABILITY ON OUR BLAH BLAH BLAH..."
    2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
    2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
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    Former:

    1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
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