Non Air-Bag Steering Wheel

[Clarksonvalley]

Has anyone fitted this non air-bag steering wheel to their E34 540i or 5-series car?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-MTechnic...dWi8QU&vxp=mtr

It is a $220 reconditioned wheel versus $790 for a new version.

Tom

[632 Regal]

Someone put a smaller wheel on their car and was complaining that they couldnt see what you need to see in the dash display...just a heads up.

[Clarksonvalley]

The non air bag wheel is 370 mm in diameter, the stock 5-series wheel is 395 mm in diameter, 25 mm difference is 1" or 1/2" on the radius. No problem for me still being able to see the gauges. My wife drives the 540i - she is 4'-11" tall, thus sits really close to the wheel. An air bag deployment would probably do more harm to her than good. I have replaced the air bag wheel in her Miata with a Nardi wheel for the same reason. Plus, air bags have not been getting a lot of good press lately. Use your seat belt.

[Coyote_ar]

i have a e30 mtech1 370mm wheel, and have no problems with the instrument cluster. i really like the smaller wheel size compared to the original one.

this is the old one


as for the airbags ... they have expiration date. unless you replaced it, its expired by now. they may work just fine ... they may work but deploy at a slower speed, or not work at all.

[Clarksonvalley]

Coyote_ar,

Where and when did you buy your wheel and did you have any problems installing it?

Tom

[Coyote_ar]

i've had it for many years in my E30. no problems at all swapping it with the one in the E34. Its a 22mm nut, a washer ... and thats about it.

[genphreak]

370mm is the ideal size (as per M Tech I wheel).

E32 and e34 has a nice large cluster, so small wheels are a problem. If you cannot see the top of the gauges properly, just sit further back and/or reduce the seat angle/rear height.

Also, there is more than one comfortable position behind the wheel for any one body type. Not that a racing position is ideal for daily driving in traffic or going to and from the shops...

If really tall, you have to go for a low seat height and more of a reclined position than most would be used to. However, a lot of people aren't aware of how the seat height adjuster (at the back of the manual seat) works, and just never find the right position and spend all their time pissing and moaning on the forums. I've had to show a lot of people that have owned their cars for years. For that matter, its shocking how many people have no idea about how (or ever even bother) to find the best position behind their own car's wheel. It can take some understanding of the many adjusters as explained in the manual. After all, BMW engineers vary in size like us, so have never allowed their colleagues to make too many mistakes during the design phase, long before the e34 came to fruition.