Fitting An Aftermarket Steering Wheel

Written By SquaredArches.com

• Applies To: All variants of VN, VG, VQ and VP
• Example Vehicle: VN Calais
• Estimated Time In Beers: 3
• Tools Required: Steering Wheel Puller, 22mm Socket, Small Extension Bar & Ratchet Handle

Unfortunately I do not have any in progress pictures for this one as I forgot to take photos as I went... if you can help with pics please email me!

With so much emphasis placed on performance and exterior looks, it is easy to forget that as the owner and most likely driver or a vehicle, you will be spending the majority of your time with the car actually inside and driving it. As a result, dressing up the interior is something that you are most likely to notice and can be one of the most enjoyable differences you can make to your car- besides extra grunt of course! It is amazing just how much difference a change of gauges, pedals and steering wheel can make to your opinion of your pride and joy. Hopefully this article will illustrate how easy it is to swap that bus steering wheel out for a sportier number and inspire you to do a bit of work on your own- saving you money and giving you a feeling of accomplishment and the confidence to do more mods.

Having said that, it is also important to ensure that your new parts are legal- this will not only keep the car on the road and off defect but also will not compromise your safety. If you are not sure if the new wheel and boss kit meet ADR's it is worth doing a bit of research- if you are still unsure, look for something that you know is legal. I believe 350mm is legal diameter for a VN but their are other safety considerations that go into it. Do some research before parting with your hard earned.

Before beginning, ensure the vehicle is parked with the wheels as straight forward as possible to give yourself the best chance of aligning the new wheel correctly. In any case, a wheel alignment should be carried out after installing the new wheel as in most cases the wheel will be 1 or 2 splines out of alignment. You’ll probably want to disconnect the battery or at the very least remove the horn fuse to prevent accidental- and annoying- activation of the horn.

Out with the old…

First remove the centerpiece of the wheel / horn pad. The do this, simply grasp the bottom or opposing corners of the pad and gently pull forward so that it ‘clicks’ or ‘pops’ off. Obviously some care should be taken to ensure you don’t snap the thing. You will have to disconnect the horns spade terminals to fully remove this pad from the wheel.

Once the center pad is off, you will find two indented locations that are designed to assist removing the wheel with the aid of a steering wheel puller. You will also notice a large nut in the center of the wheel which basically secures it to the steering shaft / tapered spline. Taking up the ratchet handle, small extension bar and 22mm socket, loosen this nut however do not remove it entirely. You may find it necessary to hold the wheel with your free hand to prevent it moving as you loosen the nut. Leaving the loosened nut in place is primarily a safety feature so that you don’t cop a freshly dislodged steering wheel directly in the face.

Then, using the steering wheel puller kit (available from most auto parts stores for around $10 - $15) insert the two bolts in to the holes indicated earlier and line the larger bolt so that the end is resting on the tapered spline and tighten it until you hear a ‘pop’ and the steering wheel comes loose. Undo the remainder of the nut and slide the original steering wheel off the spline and remove it from the vehicle. It should be noted that a steering wheel puller is not a complete necessity- you can remove the wheel with either brute force, a can of WD-40 and a hammer and block of wood. However, the steering wheel puller is the preferred option as it is not only the most efficient but the least likely to cause damage.

There are plenty of stories going around the net of people destroying the original wheel by pulling and hitting it to force it off, but the worst stories are those involving a hammer and block of wood or similar. The VN steering column is designed so that in a crash it will collapse- a sufficient strike with a hammer on the spline will do the same and cause it to collapse and you to waste money on repairs that could have been prevented with the use of a $10 or $15 tool. Even worse- maybe it won’t collapse because of your dodgy doings and in the event of an accident you’ll find yourself impaled on it. The most common complaint: ‘but I’m only going to use the puller once, why buy it?’ Well, you’ll have the tool forever, your mates can use it, you may want to change wheels, or replace the original wheel and most are essentially universal anyway so they are definitely not vehicle specific. I strongly urge anyone upgrading to a sports wheel to splash out on a steering wheel puller- what’s ten bucks when you are fitting a $300 wheel and $100 boss kit anyway?

And in with the new….

As with any new toys, it is a good idea to test fit things before rushing straight in. Although most boss kits are designed to accept any wheel I recommend staying like with like if at all possible (i.e.: Momo wheel, Momo boss kit / Autotechnica wheel, Autotechnica boss kit) so that you can retain some desirable features such as the indicator cancellation stalk and the knowledge that it is going to mate correctly. There is nothing worse than getting home and working out that the predrilled holes on the wheel don’t line up with those on the boss kit. Except maybe having to flick your indicators off after every turn, lane change you make.

Most boss kits are marked with a line or similar which denotes the top of the boss kit. Provided your wheels are straight and you line this up correctly you can’t really go wrong. Slide the boss kit over the tapered spline so that it sits neatly on the steering column. You may want to try rotating slightly left or right if the splines will not line up exactly until you get it as close as possible. Once you have done that, take up the original nut and screw it on to the tightness specified in the instructions supplied with the boss kit. Some people use Loctite to ensure that the nut securing the boss kit will not work loose over time and damage the splines.

The boss kit is now installed. Depending on the style of wheel you are installing, you may have to sit a horn plate on the boss kit before placing and securing the wheel. This is where your test fit should pay off to ensure that when you fix the wheel to the boss kit it is on nice and straight and level. Everyone has seen an incorrectly lined up steering wheel and they look arse. Tighten the supplied screws and you are away.

As a final test- obviously you would reconnect your battery / reinstall the horn fuse- ensure the horn is working correctly and then head out for a short drive to determine whether straight ahead is where the new steerer says it is, it turns left and right without fault and the cancellation feature of the boss kit is correctly aligned and functioning. If not, strip the wheel from the boss kit, undo the nut and realign the boss kit- correctly this time! Just remember to take things easy at first- no one wants to be holding a disconnected wheel, spearing into the unknown at 140kmph. About 100meters with a couple of turns thrown in will just about tell you if there is going to be any problems or not.