Instrument Pod

Steering Wheel Replacement

How in the heck does one get the steering wheel off. The factory manual
tells me how to get an airbag unit off, but on my non-airbag equiped /89GT
I see no screws to undo. I really would like to get this brand new MOMO
wheel on this weekend. Somebody ... HELP!!

Angel Paredes
'89 GT


It's not that bad. The horn section just needs a little help - carefully with a rag-wrapped screwdriver at the top and bottom, a little prying may help. You should be able to hold it, give it a sharp tug (not too hard - there's a wire connected to it) and it'll pop off in your hands. Disconnect the spade lug for the wire, look down the hole and you'll see a monster nut down in the center. I think it's a 27 mm (let me know if you want to know precisely - I remember I had to go buy a socket specificaslly for it and haven't used it since. Unscrew that puppy (before you do - MAKE SURE THE WHEELS ARE POINTED ABSOLUTELY DEAD STRAIGHT AHEAD AND THE STEERING WHEEL IS CENTERED!) The steering shaft is splined, so you may have to wiggle the wheel a little to get it off. Put on the hub adapter, connect the wire to the Momo horn button (after futzing around for 20 minutes trying to figure out how it all goes together) and put the huge nut back on. The torque setting is in the book someplace - it's not huge - maybe 22 ft-lbs or so). Put the 6 phillips head screws in the Momo and screw it in place to the hub adapter. If your car had the raised hub option, you'll have to remove the raised hub with the Momo (it's better without it anyway). Then touch your horn button - it won't work. Take everything off, run down to your mechanic, and have him cut off a bit of the rubber insulator down by the horn contact ring at the very bottom of the hub adapter so that the brush will hit the contact. Put it all back together again, and discover that you've accidentally turned the wheels and your fancy Momo is now crooked. Take it off and put it on 4-5 more times (until you learn to do it in 2 minutes flat) and fiddle with getting it on the splines just right. Go for a drive. Have a beer. -Tim