Steering Wheel Upgrade How-To

Well, a lot of us who have 95-97 trucks just don't like our steering wheels. Personally I prefer the 98-current wheels. Unfortunatly very little if anything across any of the s10/blazer boards have covered anything outside of putting on an aftermarket grant steering wheel. Some of these can be nice but unfortunatly it's illegal to remove an airbag...(yeah I know some of you don't care). Anyway

As I said, not much has been covered in regards to putting a 98+ steering wheel on a 95-97 airbag equipped truck.. Well, I went and did it!!! Yes folks it works fine! I even stopped by Baierl Chevrolet and had my tech meter and scan the system to make sure the airbag is working correctly!!! Everything is A.O.K!


So here we have the 98+ Steering Wheel and airbag system...

http://www.pghconsulting.net/teal/swheel1.jpg

Here is the 95-97 Steering Wheel and Airbag..

http://www.pghconsulting.net/teal/swheel2.jpg

And here is the 98+ Steering Wheel and Airbag in my 95 Blazer

http://www.pghconsulting.net/teal/swheel3.jpg

The install took about 20 minutes... Just remember to disconnect your battery for about 10 minutes before you touch the airbag as it needs to discharge.

On a side note. This particular steering wheel has the radio controls built into it. After some initial testing I have figured out how to make it work with my existing head unit. (Pioneer) and will be wiring it this weekend. Granted, I will have limited functionality compared to the regular remote, but what the hell, if I can adjust volume and mute,, power, and what not, I'll be happy. I will be using my spare remote and extending the IR led into a base holder in the cowling behind the wheel. There is boat loads of room inside those steering wheels.. So for those wanting to upgrade, take heart, it's easily done!

Most excellent - you are making me itch to go and play in the salvage yard this weekend. Looks really sharp!

Thanx... Gonna try and do a write up if I get the remote stuff done this weekend....

Just pulled apart the remote...Definatly do-able... Going to use 22 gauge wire...

Did you wire it up yet? Just searching the forum looking to see if any info on how to get an airbag put into a 91 blazer. Would it be possible with the right spacers and adapter kits to go with the 98+ wheel or is this something i should leave to the dealer?

Did you wire it up yet? Just searching the forum looking to see if any info on how to get an airbag put into a 91 blazer. Would it be possible with the right spacers and adapter kits to go with the 98+ wheel or is this something i should leave to the dealer?

There are no after market airbag installs. The dealer wouldn't be able to install it for you. You would have to wire in the BCM, ECM, and all the air bag sensors. I really don't think it would be doable for a 1st gen. As far as wiring the buttons in the steering wheel, yes that came out well.

You didn't happen to notice what kind of lights are in the radio controls when you did this, did you? Mine are gone, and I'm just trying to be lazy in figuring out which ones I need... :icon16:

Can you give us any details on how you wired the the steering wheel audio controls to the aftermarket audio unit? I have a 2001 Blazer and I want to install an aftermarket MP3 unit, but do not want to lose the GM steering wheel controls.

Can you give us any details on how you wired the the steering wheel audio controls to the aftermarket audio unit? I have a 2001 Blazer and I want to install an aftermarket MP3 unit, but do not want to lose the GM steering wheel controls.

Since you already have a harness, you want this...

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-W1JLfS2GTD6/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?search=steering+wheel&i=127SWIX

geez Rick, don't you ever pay attention to the family??

geez Rick, don't you ever pay attention to the family??

What's a family? :icon16:

the people who live with you and leech $$$

the people who live with you and leech $$$

Oh! I killed them a long time ago and sold their organs to private buyers on the black market so I could do more mods to my truck..

hahaha.

hahaha.
His not kidding. I bought an arm from him and took it to the taxidermist. Makes a great back scratcher and it's a blast at parties....

Can you give me just a little more information on your swap? I plan to do this as soon as my new wheel arrives. I want to hook up the radio controls to my factory radio. I guess that I need to make a harness for the controls. Do you know what pins I will have to use on the back of the radio?

unless your factory radio supports a remote control you won't be able to make it work with the factory one.

I checked, it does. Any idea where I can find schematics (blow ups) like they have at the dealership?

I checked, it does. Any idea where I can find schematics (blow ups) like they have at the dealership?

In your case then I would get the newer clock spring and get the newer column harness. I built my remote into the steering wheel itself and simply wired it to the switches. I use a pioneer headunit though.