Aftermarket Steering Wheel Install

I don't know about you all but I always loved the feel and look of an aftermarket steering wheel. When I was growing up it was always Grant. The following outlines what I had to do to install the pictured NRG wheel and hub.

Cons:
Losing Airbag, Steering wheel controls and cruise control

Pros: It's awesome.

NRG model: SRK-125H. This works on Tundra 1999 +

Link to hub I bought:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/NRG-Steeri...G-SPARCO-OMP-Toyota-Tundra-2007-/121750200590

Picked up the wheel on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009G8GLDW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Step 1. Make sure your wheels are straight. Unplug the neg terminal on your battery.
Step 2. Remove your factory boring steering wheel and airbag. A video for more help with that part. This is not my video but I found it helpful. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzQka16TCnM
Step 3. Once your wheel is off you will need to keep the horn cable from your factory wheel as seen below.
Step 4. Using the jumpers (I think that's what they are called) that came with the hub kit you will plug them into your airbag plug sockets. This will keep the airbag light from coming on.
Step 5. Make sure you center everything and put the hub on sliding the horn cable through and storing the airbag plugs inside the back of the hub.
Step 6. Attach the horn button.
Step 7. Bolt the steering wheel on.

I love how it feels and looks. This particular wheel does get in the way partially of some of the gauges but I don't mind it. Feels like 1999 again.

If anyone has any questions let me know. I looked high and low for information on this but could not find it so hopefully this will help someone else who wants to do this.

 

I dig it. Party on Brian.

 

Very nice. 1st I've seen!

 

Thanks

 

I really interested in the feel of the drive with new wheel. This has me intrigued for sure.

 

After a couple days with it I can tell you for me it feels like a race car. I know this truck is not a race car but I dont see any harm in making it more fun to drive. Losing the airbag is not good in safety terms but the way I look at it is the cars I truly love that being cars made in the 60s and 70s didnt have airbags and I would drive a classic daily if I could and will someday. So for me I dont worry about that.

It takes more to turn seeing as the wheel is smaller so that is another feel difference but it feels stiffer which gives it that race feel.

Like any change it will take getting used to. It feels like a different truck.

 

I have had grant steering wheels before, but always on 70s cars. Personally, I would not replace a airbag wheel with an non airbag wheel due to safety. But I do like that wheel!

 

I would enjoy the feel for sure! And I know all too well about the more rotation to turn. Just to have the feeling from the road to the wheel be more direct. Oh and don't worry about no air bag, hell this is my first car and I survived with simple lap belts let alone any safety equipment.

 

Nice car!

 

Thank you kindly!

https://www.tundras.com/threads/my-1st-car-what-was-yours.64684/

 

Is your cruise control module off the steering column? Or off the wheel? Mine is 2018 and off the wheel so I would have issues going this route I think. Not sure how I feel about losing the air bag; I'm sure they save many lives but I have also heard they can go off during even minor fender benders and could possibly break your nose but not sure if that's true or a myth. Either way unless I can remount the cruise control arm to the column with a janky homemade metal bracket I don't see how this could work but I dig the look!

 

Yep it is mounted to the wheel it self so its gone now. I rarely used the cruise because I dont take long trips with my truck but I could see that being a reason not to do this if you use it a lot. There might be a more finished way to handle the cruise control but given how little I could find online regarding this Im not sure really hahaha. Thats why I posted this thread hoping people would see if when searching so at least they know its possible with a couple of sacrifices of course.

When it comes to the air bag I dont mind losing it. If I had my way I would be driving a car that doesnt have one anyways. Something old and big.

 

To each their own, I surely respect our personal freedoms. Having said that, I was rear ended last September on the freeway. I stopped at the end of a line of backed up traffic, the guy that hit me was on his cell phone and had looked down for an instant. He hit me doing about 55-60. The entire front end of his RX 350 was gone. His steering wheel air bag deployed and he still made contact with the wheel hoop. Had he been without an airbag he surely would have broken his ribs, even with the bag it seemed like he had done so anyway as he could barely talk.


Here's the route I went, still keeping the airbag which is nice for me, IMO. Nothing against the OP, but an option for those that still want to keep the airbag.



As far as steering feel from replacing the wheel it is more ergonomic and comfortable to use for sure. But steering input and road feel wont change without modifying the steering rack. A smaller wheel will affect the amount of torque or rotational force needed to turn the wheel but not actually affect the steering itself. The rack ratio remains unchanged and the hub of the wheel still turns at the same rate, so response remains unchanged. Akin to using a longer wrench the further your hands move from the center the less effort needed, so steering would feel a bit harder to turn on a smaller wheel for sure.

 

Nice wheel! I looked at those as well but it was out of my price range.

 

Ok one last question how did you remove the cruise control module and if so did you get some yellow warning lights pop up? Or did you just zip tie it under the dash to abandon it?

 

It is attached to the wheel so it came off with that. Sorry If I am misunderstanding the question. When it comes to warning lights the only one you have to worry about is the aigbag light but the way around that comes with the hub kit which is 2 little jumpers to bypass it.