Need someone to measure bore of center hole in E34 steering wheel!

[Jon K]

Hey guys, I am trying to do a steering wheel swap. I need to know from side to side, what the splined bored hole in the center of the stock E34 wheel measures. I am trying to mate an E46 wheel up, and my car is at the shop so I need to know which way I am going to need to machine this to fit. Thanks in advance!

[winfred]

theres two different wheels on the e34, 89-90 has a 22mm nut holding the wheel to the column, the 91 and up is like the e36 with a 18mm (i think) bolt holding the wheel to the column and a much smaller hole

[Jr ///M5]

Just happen to have the original ///M5 steering wheel in the garage. The dial caliper says:

21 mm at the deepest part of the spline, diameter.
20.25 mm at the peaks of the spline, diameter.

This means that each spline is .375 mm. in depth.

This also means, if this works you owe me BIG TIME!!! =)

Hmmm, an E46 wheel? The tri spoke with the bottom spoke split in two?

Hope this helps,

Jr

[ukm5]

so what are the diameters of the later steering wheel mounting holes?

id like to fit one of those with the buttons, i appreciate the e34 didnt have option to wire it up, but i have an aftermarket pc unit that plays mp3s that i could connect up to it, if i had details of what bores the newer units had on say a later 7 or 5 series

[Jon K]

Just happen to have the original ///M5 steering wheel in the garage. The dial caliper says:

21 mm at the deepest part of the spline, diameter.
20.25 mm at the peaks of the spline, diameter.

This means that each spline is .375 mm. in depth.

This also means, if this works you owe me BIG TIME!!! =)

Hmmm, an E46 wheel? The tri spoke with the bottom spoke split in two?

Hope this helps,

Jr

That's EXACTLY what i was looking for JR... I do owe you big time I am going to go grab a tape and measure my E46 wheel. Yes, its the tri spoke with controls, split spoke on the bottom. I wish i remembered to bring it to the shop tonight so I could use a feeler gauge... but 21mm is damn near 3/4" right? And this is damn near that too... holy hell if this works....

[Jon K]

Good news JR!

21mm outter to outter!






next question... how far does the "hub" stick out from the "bottom" of the leather/plastic part of the wheel... here's a picture of what i mean:

[Jr ///M5]

From the base to the end of the hub is 18.5 mm. But I notice sort of a square guide pin on the hub of the E46 that the E34 doesn't have. Sort of like a keyway. There are also holes for the turn signal cancelling pin and other gizmos that look different. You might have to file off that keyway looking thing on the outside. For some reason, the hub on the E34 is not concentric all the way, there is like a side of it lopped off at about 7 o'clock as you're looking at the wheel.

Hope this helps, good luck Jon. You might be on to something here!

Jr

[Jon K]

From the base to the end of the hub is 18.5 mm. But I notice sort of a square guide pin on the hub of the E46 that the E34 doesn't have. Sort of like a keyway. There are also holes for the turn signal cancelling pin and other gizmos that look different. You might have to file off that keyway looking thing on the outside. For some reason, the hub on the E34 is not concentric all the way, there is like a side of it lopped off at about 7 o'clock as you're looking at the wheel.

Hope this helps, good luck Jon. You might be on to something here!

Jr

Hey JR, would it be too much for you to snap a pic?

[Jr ///M5]

Now that will really cost you

[Jon K]

Now that will really cost you

Oh dear, realize I am a poor college student!!!!! ARGH!