Sport steering wheel swap

[weezer]

I'm a newcomer......recently got a '97 318ti at less than 70,000 miles.
Just replaced the steering wheel with a sport steering wheel, disconnected the SRS system, didn't realize that it also disconnects the horn. Any ideas to reconnect?

Thanks,
Weezer

[Constant]

What exactly did you do to disconnect the SRS system? On the back of your factory steering wheel, you'll see a black plastic circular piece w/ a wiring connector and a separate brown wire. That's called the slip ring. The brown wire is the horn contact from the steering wheel. The airbag has a contact for the horn, triggered when you push down on it. This grounds the connection and fires the horn.

My bet is you removed the slip ring, eliminating the ground path for the horn contact. You either have to replace the slip ring or buy something that attaches to your new steering wheel. HTH.

Constant

[weezer]

Thanks, when I took the wheel off, i disconnected the cables from the steering wheel housing. The slip ring still on the steering wheel.
If take off the slip-ring how do i attach it to the new steering wheel?

Thanks again

[Constant]

The slip ring can be removed and put right onto the new wheel. (Remove your new wheel first). I believe it is held by 3 Torx head screws.

Also, is your SRS/airbag light on? You'll need to get it reset by the dealer if so...

Forgot to ask, what brand of wheel did you replace it with? I was assuming a sport wheel from another BMW, but I don't think you did?

Constant

[weezer]

No, I actually bought another BMW 3 spoke wheel, but could not find an airbag for it, so I got a Momo instead. If connect the brown wire by itself to the steering wheel will that work?
Thanks for your help.

[Constant]

Does your Momo wheel have a horn button? If so, you want to connect it to the brown wire. However, does the Momo wheel have it's own slip ring as well? Hopefully it does, because if you connect the brown wire directly to the horn button, it will wrap itself around the steering shaft and rip itself out.

Constant

[Constant]

I just remembered, the last time I took off the steering wheel there was a blue(?) & brown wire. The brown one should have a circular lug on it. You can attach this to a bare metal surface for ground. The blue one carries the signal to the horn and should go directly to the horn button.

Constant

[J!m]

Brown is typically 'hot' in all european (and English) cars. Don't ground it, or you will pop a fuse (or worse).

[Constant]

Found this writeup on bimmerforums.com:

Momo install on bimmerforums (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=218989)

Also found a picture of the blue & brown wires for the horn, as suggested earlier:
Steering wheel install (http://home.earthlink.net/~frankie66/cars-bmw_diy_steeringwheel.html)
Jim may be right about the brown wire being the signal, which corresponds w/ the site above. The Bentley manual shows the '97 horn switch activates when the brown wire is grounded, however.

No idea if that helps or not.

Constant

[weezer]

Thank you all very much for all the help and suggestions. I'm going to try it out today.
I rememberred from my Audi, the brown wire was hot.

[weezer]

I got a used slip ring..............any idea hoe to install this with an aftermarket hub?
I did get the horn to work, but have to periodically check the wire to make sure it's not hooked onto something. I've installed enough slack for the horn wire, but will still get wound up somewhere.

Thanks again

[Constant]

I think I have your answer. After a bit of digging, I found this thread: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=223529

Was your original slipring the same as the one in the first pic? If so, then you might need to order the "carbon pin" (PN 32 31 1 158 475, $8.88 list) referred to in the thread.

If you have the Momo hub adapter like this pic: http://store1.yimg.com/I/shopmomo_1815_2790969
then the carbon pin will make contact w/ that brass ring. You just have to splice the carbon pin connector w/ the brown horn wire. You don't even have to bother with the slipring.

Constant

[weezer]

Constant,

Yes my adapter hub is exactly like the pic. I have two available sliprings, one on my original steering wheel and recently bought one for this purpose. Is it possible to just get the carbon ring from one of these sliprings?
Again thanks so much for all your input.

[Constant]

The carbon pin is separate from the slipring. Unless it's already on the steering column, then you don't have it.

Constant

[weezer]

Yes! Thanks, I ordered one from the dealer and it actually cost $19.95
Looked everywhere on the internet, but could not find one.
Bavarian auto parts had one for $13.95 plus shipping of $6.95.

Thanks again.