MichaelBenz

iTrader: (2)

Help...does anybody have the procedure for rewinding the steering wheel cable reel...when I was installing the a-spec steering wheel tonight....during removal of the old wheel...the cable reel unwound and came out with the wheel and I need the procedure to rewind it properly to get the new wheel on....

Ron A

I couldn't find a procedure in the service manual for rewinding the cable reel.

When installing the steering wheel, it says to make sure the front wheels are aligned straight ahead, and then center the cable reel by first rotating it clockwise until it stops, and then rotate it counterclockwise about 3 full turns. The arrow on the cable reel label point should point straight up.

rbf351

be very careful when turning the cable reel, if you turn it too many times the cable with snap, and you can not repair it

if you open the plastic it's as good as garbage
it looks like this inside

MichaelBenz

iTrader: (2)

Ya, I did all the directions....but when pulling the wheel....the cable reel came off and "nested". OMG.....I was out figuring that damn thing out until 5:30a - SO I COULD FINISH THE INSTALL! Wow...I came into the office (home PC down right now...complicating issue more) and checked Acurazine...nothing....checked net....nothing. Everybody mentions it...but that is about it. It was very confusing when it came off that far (totally unspooled tape wire - and 2 of em with two clear tapes - ALL OF MARKEDLY DIFFERENT LENGTHS! All I can say is I dont want to do that again! Took forever to get to the point where I could resume the "centering of the cable reel" procudure. You have to have it spooled up to do that! And that is a HUGE trick and will boggle the mind and confuse scholars! I can hardly tell you how I did it...other than it spooled onto one side so many times...reversed back on itself (so it can go in both directions and have the slack to do it) and tucked back together in the case...where you could then rewind it was they mention in the directions. I centered it...would go 7 turns total from one way to the other....so I went right at 3.5 turns on the rewind....which put the cable reel spooled even for both direction turns....and almost right to directions (they mention 2.5 I think) - but given the wires had totally unravelled.....I did have to improvise and test results. Thanks for looking it up though....I figured there would be something in the service manual about it though? Wow...guess nobody did that one before? And not something you want to do/think about when you are very tired either!

End result....great install after all was said and done. Can be done fairly easy, so long as you follow directions closely AND DONT NEST THE SPOOL WIRES! If you are very slow about the wheel removal...that shouldnt be a prob though as the spool wires are encased in a plastic case. There are two protruding tabs that go into the back of the wheel from that case and in my case it brought the front of the spool off too, but if you were slower and didnt YANK it like I did (pay the $15 for a remover) this should not be a problem. Install should have been 1.0 hours to 1.5 hours.....turned into an all night project for me cause I duped it and had to figure out how to rewind that damn spool...which ate up all the time...later it got....worse your mind worked! Finally got it though....would recommend to anybody with A-spec kit installed.....JUST BE VERY SLOW WHEN YOU PULL THE ACTUAL STEERING WHEEL OFF and watch the plastic case top below as this is where the wire reel is that can come unspooled. Thanks for the efforts Ron! Much appreciated!

MichaelBenz

iTrader: (2)

Ya...I know! I found that out! Sucked BIG time....but it can be respooled if you are smarter than the tapewire! (j/k) Took a LOT of figuring out....but I hadnt split or tore the tapewire at all...so it was do-able.

05ssm

Do you know if the horn panel and the silver pieces surrounding the steering wheel buttons can be removed?

Thank you,

Terry

Ron A

Here's a picture and the parts list so you can get an idea of what it looks like.

A-Spec Guy

The "Horn Panel" you mention is actually your airbag unit under there...so no you cant remove that unless you give up your airbag system.....as for the silver surrounds around the switches....those are four switch boxes that are complete...they dont disassemble...just detatch.

TampaMike

Nope. My plastic chrome 'A' badge has given up it's plastichrome and is now white plastic. My dealer is replacing the entire airbag assembly! "Lay off the horn!" he says. Little does he know it is really due to my acidic alien blood.

A-Spec Guy

Mike explaining to the dealer about his horn?

SilverStoneTTL

wow, i think I would freak out and my parents would kill me if something like that happened to me and I couldnt get it fixed. Whats the tool your talking about? Your story makes me not want to ever attempt this.

Also, have any pics. Always like to see these things in other peoples cars..

A-Spec Guy

A simple steering wheel puller....available at any parts store. It is an easy project....just gotta take your time and dont yank it off!

05ssm

So, in trying to figure out where the rattle is coming from in the steering wheel/column area, I removed the airbag/horn and the steering column cover. Nothing was noticably loose. Even checked the buttons on the steering wheel. I believe that the rattling is coming from the cable assembly.

Michael Benz, when you worked on your steering wheel, do you think there is any way to get the cable assembly to be quiet?

Thank you,

Terry

A-Spec Guy

Nope....it is what it is. I seem to remember there being some type of TSB for cable reels making noize and having them replaced. I do believe several people have had to have this done...but memory serves me that this was on 04 models? Do a search and check it out. I am sure I remember something about a TSB on cable reel though or people having them replaced because of some type of "click" or something that occured. Mine does not do that. Basically....what is in that plasic case is a tape wire like shown above and it is rolled around the hub and rolled back on itself (so you can turn both ways and not stress the cable) and the wire has a minimal amt of some type of clear grease on it to make it slippery....its a pain to work with! Check it out on this site and with your dealer on the cable reel though...I am sure there was some type of issue with it at one time.

Michael B