Cooked ribbon behind steering wheel

[drewusmaximus]

Hi all, 1995 525i 5 SPD 279k

I’m replacing the steering wheel. I took off the 16mm bolt but, there is this grey connector that connects a coiled ribbon to 4 wires. Anyone know how to remove the grey connector from the cooled ribbon or vise versa?
Thanks in advance.

[drewusmaximus]

Here is the pic with the cable.

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/a...G_0095%203.jpg

[drewusmaximus]

No one knows what that cable is or how to remove it?
http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/a...G_0095%203.jpg

I communicated with a couple of people and they said they don't have that ribbon cable on their steering wheel. I know i can't be the only one with this design but, that would be my luck..

[squirrelhill]

From what I can tell from your picture and from what I recall when swapping my steering wheel, the ribbon that you are referring to is part of and fits around the perimeter of the clock spring. The ribbon itself is not removed/disconnected from the clock spring when swapping the steering wheel, rather you should be disconnecting the downstream connectors. The red and white wires go to the ABS (orange connector) and the blue and brown wires feed into a white connector.

To help you visualize, the following picture may be helpful: https://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-Steerin...sid=m570.l1313

[drewusmaximus]

From what I can tell from your picture and from what I recall when swapping my steering wheel, the ribbon that you are referring to is part of and fits around the perimeter of the clock spring. The ribbon itself is not removed/disconnected from the clock spring when swapping the steering wheel, rather you should be disconnecting the downstream connectors. The red and white wires go to the ABS (orange connector) and the blue and brown wires feed into a white connector.

To help you visualize, the following picture may be helpful: https://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-Steerin...sid=m570.l1313

Thanks for the response. So the red white brown and blue wires disconnect from the steering console? I just have to remove the plastic covers to disconnect the 4 wires?

[drewusmaximus]

In this link I can see the grey connector attached to the steering wheel, in which the coiled ribbon is in the steering wheel. I'm going to assume I need to disconnect the 4 wires from the steering console.

https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...irbag-retrofit

[drewusmaximus]

I figured out how to disconnect the ribbon cable from the column but, not sure which wire(s) I connect to the horn.

http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/...syobzrbs5.jpeg

Can anyone tell me what I need to do to hook up the horn? I believe the white connector with the brown wires is for the horn. But, which wire or do I mesh both wires together?

Thanks in advance.

[drewusmaximus]

Does anyone know which bmw model(s) steering wheel is interchangeable with the 1995 525i 5SPD steering wheel?
Thanks!

[drewusmaximus]

How can I find out the millimeter size of my steering wheel spindle? I couldn't find it on www.realoem.com The last 7 of my VIN is, GB38765
Can anyone help me with the size of the spindle? All I got was 14x1.5 from the site. Frtom what I read, the E34 used 3 different spline sizes.
I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!

[theBMWbeast]

If the steering wheel was mounted on a bolt vs a nut, then you have the late size splines, any wheel that is compatible with e36/e31/e32/e34/e38/e39 will work. There may be more, idk. What you don’t want is anything that works with e24/e28/e30, those are going to have the early splines for an early car (like mine, finding a reasonably priced 370mm M tech 2 wheel was a pain). You’ve got a lot of well priced options

[drewusmaximus]

If the steering wheel was mounted on a bolt vs a nut, then you have the late size splines, any wheel that is compatible with e36/e31/e32/e34/e38/e39 will work. There may be more, idk. What you don’t want is anything that works with e24/e28/e30, those are going to have the early splines for an early car (like mine, finding a reasonably priced 370mm M tech 2 wheel was a pain). You’ve got a lot of well priced options

Mine has the 16mm bolt. I assume I have the late spline shaft. I read I can use a 1994+ e36 hub adapter on my E34 but, I'm worried that the spline hole on the hub adapter will be too small. Everywhere I look there are no dimensions on the hub adapters, nor the spline shafts. I would hate to purchase and rteurn, purchase and return, etc...

[ross1]

Mine has the 16mm bolt. I assume I have the late spline shaft. I read I can use a 1994+ e36 hub adapter on my E34 but, I'm worried that the spline hole on the hub adapter will be too small. Everywhere I look there are no dimensions on the hub adapters, nor the spline shafts. I would hate to purchase and rteurn, purchase and return, etc...

Are you looking for a steering wheel? I have one from a '94 that will work, with the clock spring.
PM if interested

[drewusmaximus]

Are you looking for a steering wheel? I have one from a '94 that will work, with the clock spring.
PM if interested

I have a 320mm steering wheel. My problem is, I don't know the spline shaft size to order the correct hub adapter. It seems the standard is 21mm but, I think mine is 21.6mm. I'm not sure how many splines. I'm assuming is 66

[The Chauffeur]

If the replacement steering wheel is aftermarket, I know for a fact that MOMO makes adapters for both early and late style; dunno if other brands have the same options.

[kouks]

I will slightly hijack this thread.

I have a 95, steering wheel is with airbag and BMW logo (not just printed on the plastic). I also have a 1994 wheel, but the slip ring is different and so are the airbag connectors so it will not fit in the 95. I just saw a nice steering wheel on a e39 in the JY and it looks more like the '95 type wheel, although it has an extra connector (most likely for the steering wheel controls we don't have).

Is there any way to use just the outer portion of the 94 wheel and the airbag portion of the 95 wheel? Or will a e39 basic 4 spoke wheel work?

The e39 wheel in the JY has a destroyed connector ribbon, so I'll have to see if I can disconnect that and use mine. I know where the connector is in the steering column (for the OP, the connector goes into the steering column and is in the lower side. You must unscrew a single screw under the column, and then carefully unsnap and pull down the lower portion of the column. You'll see where the connectors are then. WARNING! You have an airbag in your wheel, you MUST disconnect the battery before working on the steering wheel with an airbag, otherwise one wrong spark and kaboom!)

Has anyone disconnected the ribbon from the steering wheel and know where it goes into?

[drewusmaximus]

I will slightly hijack this thread.

I have a 95, steering wheel is with airbag and BMW logo (not just printed on the plastic). I also have a 1994 wheel, but the slip ring is different and so are the airbag connectors so it will not fit in the 95. I just saw a nice steering wheel on a e39 in the JY and it looks more like the '95 type wheel, although it has an extra connector (most likely for the steering wheel controls we don't have).

Is there any way to use just the outer portion of the 94 wheel and the airbag portion of the 95 wheel? Or will a e39 basic 4 spoke wheel work?

The e39 wheel in the JY has a destroyed connector ribbon, so I'll have to see if I can disconnect that and use mine. I know where the connector is in the steering column (for the OP, the connector goes into the steering column and is in the lower side. You must unscrew a single screw under the column, and then carefully unsnap and pull down the lower portion of the column. You'll see where the connectors are then. WARNING! You have an airbag in your wheel, you MUST disconnect the battery before working on the steering wheel with an airbag, otherwise one wrong spark and kaboom!)

Has anyone disconnected the ribbon from the steering wheel and know where it goes into?

I have disconnected the ribbon. The ribbon is hard connected to four wires that run under the left side of the steering column. It snaps into a black connector that holds that wire along with the orange airbag wire connector. The 4 wire harness that is hard connected to the ribbon has a white and black connector that connects to another set of wires in the column. That black and white connector is not a solid piece like the grey connector on the ribbon. That black and white connector snaps apart. Once you snap that connector apart then the steering wheel is free, or at least the clock spring is no longer attached to the steeeeing column.

- - - Updated - - -

Wait. Do you mean disconnecting the clock spring from the steering wheel?

[ross1]

I will slightly hijack this thread.

I have a 95, steering wheel is with airbag and BMW logo (not just printed on the plastic). I also have a 1994 wheel, but the slip ring is different and so are the airbag connectors so it will not fit in the 95. I just saw a nice steering wheel on a e39 in the JY and it looks more like the '95 type wheel, although it has an extra connector (most likely for the steering wheel controls we don't have).

Is there any way to use just the outer portion of the 94 wheel and the airbag portion of the 95 wheel? Or will a e39 basic 4 spoke wheel work?

The e39 wheel in the JY has a destroyed connector ribbon, so I'll have to see if I can disconnect that and use mine. I know where the connector is in the steering column (for the OP, the connector goes into the steering column and is in the lower side. You must unscrew a single screw under the column, and then carefully unsnap and pull down the lower portion of the column. You'll see where the connectors are then. WARNING! You have an airbag in your wheel, you MUST disconnect the battery before working on the steering wheel with an airbag, otherwise one wrong spark and kaboom!)

Has anyone disconnected the ribbon from the steering wheel and know where it goes into?

I have both wheels, the '94 & the early E39 one. The E39 wheel has the controls for the audio and cruise control but they seem to occupy the space the old E34 airbag may have.
If no resolution to this someone send me a PM I'll dig them out( stored away) to compare.

[drewusmaximus]

I just realized something. The steering wheel I have is the 4 spoke without the controls, with airbag, and click spring. I noticed my steering wheel doesn't have the metal tab that touches a plate behind the steering wheel for the horn but, instead uses the clock spring ribbon for the horn. Since my aftermarket steering wheel doesn't have a clock spring and my hub adapter has two wires for the horn, how in the world do I connect the horn? The aftermarket steering wheel has two wires but, there's no way I can connect the wires from the hub adapter to the steering column without ripping the wires while turning. Am I missing something? I don't see a way to connect the horn without connecting the wires from the hub adapter to the steering column.

[demetk]

Can you use the carbon pin found on the 89? Your column may have a provision for the pin.

[drewusmaximus]

Can you use the carbon pin found on the 89? Your column may have a provision for the pin.

There is a slot in the steering column that the carbon pin sits in. I don't have the carbon pin because of the type of steering wheel I have. From what I researched, I have to buy a carbon pin, cut the wire and splice it to the brown and beige wires in the steering column.

If you look at the picture, the two wires with the white connector, I believe is for the horn because the orange connector was for the airbag. I can't find a carbon pin that will connect to the white connector. So, I assume I will have to cut and splice. I would prefer not to cut but, I can't find a carbon pin with that type of connection.

http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/...syobzrbs5.jpeg

[demetk]

You said you have a hub adapter that you are installing?

- - - Updated - - -

And yes you will need to cut and splice.

[drewusmaximus]

You said you have a hub adapter that you are installing?

- - - Updated - - -

And yes you will need to cut and splice.

Yes, I bought one from EBay for 45.00 in oppose to the #2008 MOMO hub adapter for 90.00. From what I read, the E34s used three spline shaft sizes. My 1995 has the 21.6mm spline. The Flashpower hub adapter I bought has the 21.6mm hub adapter. It came in chrome and fits perfectly!

[demetk]

Cool. Can you post a couple of pics of the adapter?

[drewusmaximus]

Cool. Can you post a couple of pics of the adapter?

Absolutely!
http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/a...0/IMG_7508.jpg

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/a...0/IMG_7509.jpg

[The Chauffeur]

Yes, I bought one from EBay for 45.00 in oppose to the #2008 MOMO hub adapter for 90.00. From what I read, the E34s used three spline shaft sizes. My 1995 has the 21.6mm spline. The Flashpower hub adapter I bought has the 21.6mm hub adapter. It came in chrome and fits perfectly!

I can vouch for the quality of Flashpower products. I got the horn I have installed from them (not the hub, though); quality and fitting are as good as MOMO's, and the spade terminals on the back have provision for two types of connectors -haven't seen that on any other brand! . Besides, my package got lost in the mail (typical... ), and they promptly sent me a replacement with faster shipping!