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Thread: FFR Steering wheel installed

  1. #1
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    FFR Steering wheel installed

    Factory Five says an adapter is needed to mount their leather steering wheel in an 818, but they don't sell adapters. Now I know why. There are many adapters available and they are tricky to install. I wanted the steering wheel further from me so I bought the thinnest I could find from NRG. On the first try, the horn button hit the column bolt, the steering wheel was too close to the wiper stalk and the turn signals didn't cancel. I don't want to be that old guy who has his left blinker on all summer. So, here's what I did.

    I removed the steering wheel center (2 screws from the sides) to find the air bag. I carefully pried up the yellow tabs to disconnect the wires.
    1 steering wheel air bag.jpg

    Not having a steering wheel puller, I was able to pull the wheel at 3 o'clock, then 9 o'clock, and then at 12 & 6 o'clock to loosen it. Keep the nut loose on the column bolt so you don't pull the wheel into your face! Then, I saw this plastic disc with a yellow label. I carefully removed this disc and then removed the short plastic tube from the center of this disc. It's fastened by plastic tabs and notches so care was needed to avoid breaking anything. Discard the long white tape.
    2 disc w yellow lable.jpg

    The plastic tube is what cancels the blinker after a turn so I mounted it onto the NRG adapter ( the round thing with a copper surface). I filled the gap between the tube and the adapter with aluminum tape, drilled and tapped 2 holes and then screwed the tube onto the adapter with the plastic tab on the left where the turn signal lever is. The horn connection is the small wire spring riveted to the black plastic with a wire on the back side of the rivet. This rubs on the copper surface as the wheel turns to maintain contact for the horn button on the FFR steering wheel.
    3 adapter w tube.jpg

    To keep the center contact of the FFR steering wheel from shorting out on the column bolt, I added six 1/4" spacers as shown here. My knuckles are close to the wiper stalk but I think it will be okay. If I keep turning on the wipers when driving, I'll add 3/8" spacers.
    4 spacers on st wheel.jpg

    Next, I removed the cruise control switch from the old WRX steering wheel and mounted it on the steering column. I'll show what I did in the electric forum section.
    Last edited by AZPete; 08-05-2017 at 03:52 PM. Reason: re-inserted photos since Photobucket ransom
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

  2. #2
    rori's Avatar
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    So you made the horn adapter yourself? Very smart. I'm going to be using this. I've been trying to figure out how to get the horn on my Momo S202 wheel to work. I've been way overthinking it when most of the pieces are right in front of me.

  3. #3
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    Actually, the little spring I used for the horn contact came from my vacuum cleaner bag so it's from something in the house, but I don't know what. The Momo web site shows a hair clip so you can use about anything springy to contact the copper disc of the adapter. The FFR horn button comes with 2 wires and so does the NRG adapter so they must be connected also, of course.
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

  4. #4
    cobra Handler skullandbones's Avatar
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    Pete,

    Good work! I was wondering if you had thought about a solid spacer (especially if you have to go thicker) to close those openings and then you could blacken the edge to make it disappear. I had to fabricate a adaptor to adaptor for my quick release even without a horn button. So once again you have gone above and beyond!

    Good luck,

    WEK.
    FFR MkIII 302 (ATK), EFI 75mm TB with custom box plenum chamber, 24# injectors, 4 tube BBK ceramic, cold air sys, alum flywheel, crane roller rockers, T5, Wilwood pedals, custom five link with Watt's link, 4 rotors, coil overs, power steering with Heidt valve, alum FFR rad, driver's crash bar mod, mini dead pedal mod, quick release steering wheel hub #6046

  5. #5
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    Yes, I'd like a solid spacer. Do you know where I can find one in the Momo hole pattern?
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

  6. #6
    Senior Member RM1SepEx's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by AZPete View Post
    Yes, I'd like a solid spacer. Do you know where I can find one in the Momo hole pattern?
    cut one out of a sheet of polyethylene, buy a small chunk from McMaster, any thickness that you want. Use the wheel itself to match the bolt pattern
    Dan

    818S #17 Picked up 8/1/13 First start 11/1/13 Go Kart 3/28/14

  7. #7
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    Another entry on my To-Do list. Thanks, Dan, for nudging me to the best solution: make it yourself.
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

  8. #8
    Senior Member RM1SepEx's Avatar
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    too bad that box is all packed to ship to you... I could have thrown in a piece of poly... I only have white here, black would be better and the plastic is so easy to work too!
    Dan

    818S #17 Picked up 8/1/13 First start 11/1/13 Go Kart 3/28/14

  9. #9
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    great DIY solution. I installed an aftermarket momo on my 02 wrx last weekend, the only adapter that I could find on the market had the turn signal cancellation and horn was a Bell Works adapter, you can also find it refered to as a Splash brand. It was plug and play and no fiddling with the clock spring, the plastic piece with wiring attached in the above photo's.

  10. #10
    Senior Member RM1SepEx's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 901racer View Post
    great DIY solution. I installed an aftermarket momo on my 02 wrx last weekend, the only adapter that I could find on the market had the turn signal cancellation and horn was a Bell Works adapter, you can also find it refered to as a Splash brand. It was plug and play and no fiddling with the clock spring, the plastic piece with wiring attached in the above photo's.
    link please, let's document all the options and make it as easy as possible
    Dan

    818S #17 Picked up 8/1/13 First start 11/1/13 Go Kart 3/28/14

  11. #11
    cobra Handler skullandbones's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RM1SepEx View Post
    cut one out of a sheet of polyethylene, buy a small chunk from McMaster, any thickness that you want. Use the wheel itself to match the bolt pattern
    I was going to suggest an aluminum blank and drill it with the correct bolt pattern template. However, you would probably have to paint the edge and the above suggestion uses a material that is easier to work with and probably get the correct color. Either way: it's a cool mod. WEK.
    FFR MkIII 302 (ATK), EFI 75mm TB with custom box plenum chamber, 24# injectors, 4 tube BBK ceramic, cold air sys, alum flywheel, crane roller rockers, T5, Wilwood pedals, custom five link with Watt's link, 4 rotors, coil overs, power steering with Heidt valve, alum FFR rad, driver's crash bar mod, mini dead pedal mod, quick release steering wheel hub #6046

  12. #12
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    Thanks, Bill, for the suggestion. I've got a wood lathe that I can use to turn some plastic to the right diameter. I'll look around the house for something to destroy & repurpose. Yesterday when you and I were at Barrett-Jackson we should have "found" something! I'll look over B-J again today.
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

  13. #13
    Senior Member RM1SepEx's Avatar
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    http://www.mcmaster.com/#polyethylen...sheets/=qak9aa

    6 x 6 pieces, get it the next day, cost depends on thickness
    Dan

    818S #17 Picked up 8/1/13 First start 11/1/13 Go Kart 3/28/14

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by RM1SepEx View Post
    link please, let's document all the options and make it as easy as possible
    You can get the hub adapter here that supports turn signal cancellation and horn. You can get it in a short hub for a quick release setup or regular hub. Excellent guys and quick shipping.
    Last edited by 901racer; 01-17-2014 at 05:45 PM.

  15. #15
    818 builder metalmaker12's Avatar
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    You can also mod pretty much any hub to work with the factory clock spring. The splash one is made to work like oem.

  16. #16
    Senior Member AZPete's Avatar
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    I replaced the photos in post #1 since Photobucket blocked the previous photos and asked for ransom.

    Since I started this thread in December '13, Factory Five has started offering steering wheel adaptors so please see their website.
    Last edited by AZPete; 08-05-2017 at 04:13 PM.
    818S/C : Chassis #25 with 06 WRX 2.5 turbo, ABS, cruise, PS, A/C, Apple CarPlay, rear camera, power windows & locks, leather & other complexities. Sold 10/19 with 5,800 miles.
    Mk3 Roadster #6228 4.6L, T45, IRS, PS, PB, ABS, Cruise, Koni's, 17" Halibrands, red w/ silver - 9K miles then sold @ Barrett-Jackson Jan 2011 (got back cash spent).

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