Date: Sun, 25 Aug 2002 15:11:24 -0300
Reply-To: Malcolm Stebbins <Malcolm.Stebbins@MSVU.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Malcolm Stebbins <Malcolm.Stebbins@MSVU.CA>
Subject: Removing steering wheel and/or Horn mechanism
In-Reply-To: <00f001c24a16$f832a600$6367410c@laptop>
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Some folks asked for the procedure for removing the steering wheel and/or
horn button/bar. Any comments are welcome if you think I missed a step.
For a limited time photos will be available at:
http://photos.yahoo.com/mwstebbins under "Vanagon steering wheel" (or
some such). If the photos are not there, try p-mail to me.
I have only done this twice, so: Line up front wheels so that the wheels are
STRAIGHT and the steering wheel is STRAIGHT, this is important in
getting the wheel back on STRAIAGHT..
On my Canadian 91 Westy, there is a VW insignia in the centre of the
steering wheel cross bar, This insignia will pop out: Gently put a thin flat-
head screwdriver in at about 4 or 5 o’clock to release the hooks, then again
about 7 or 8 o’clock. There is a hook at 12 o’clock too, but it is more a guide
than a hook. Now the VW insignia should pop out.
One will need a long 24 mm (I think) socket wrench (like a spark plug
wrench) to get at the nut down there. It will just screw out, try to NOT move
the wheel as you do this, as you will need the wheels STRAIGHT for when
you put it all back on.
The steering wheel should now just slide up and out.
Taking the horn part apart can be done WITHOUT removing the steering
wheel.: There are 3 major parts here: 1) the steering wheel; 2) the outer
padded part that one pushes for the horn; and 3) a plastic part shaped
similarly to (part #2) that sits between part #2 and Part #1 (the steering
wheel). The outer padded part has 4 circular clips that seat/clip into the part
under that (#2 above) and then part #2 (above) has 6 clips that hold it into the
steering wheel --- got that, like a sandwich???
I think it is easier to try and get part #2 & #3 out as a unit and then separate
them later. So: The padded part of the cross-bar of the steering wheel (the
“press here” for horn part) is seated into another plastic part with 6 clips: 4
along the four OUTER (top and bottom) edges of the steering wheel cavity.
These are located at each corner (about ˝ inch in from the edge) and then 2
more clips centre top and bottom.
Again try a flat head screw-driver to carefully try and release the 6 clips. The
clips are about 1 inch down on each corner and about 1.5 inches down in the
top and bottom middle. If you are successful it will pop off and you will have
2 wires from the steering wheel to the part in your hand. The wires unplug
from the part in your had. You will know if you do not get UNDER part #3
as the outer padded horn part will pry up easily (but not release) – LOOK
carefully.
Now you are free to turn the part (Part #2 and #3 above) in your hand over to
look at the underside. One can see 4 circular plug type clips, 2 at the edge
and 2 more centred. I use a pair of needle nose pliers to pinch the clips to
remove them, they can be tough.
Now you can see the contacts for “honking the horn” and you can clean them
up or do whatever you want to.
I hate it when they say this but : Re-assemble in reverse order making sure
that the wheel is STRAIGHT. If anyone wants digi-pics so that you can
enlarge them you can send p-mail. I hope this helps. Malcolm
