steering wheel question

[rjkc600]

chaps,

can i put a 4.8iS M steering wheel on my 4.4 and everything will still work, i.e. steering controls?

i long for a thicker girth than the current skinny one that i possess.

[Raj]

From your sig it appears you have a pre-facelift X5 and so have the round airbag. The 4.8is is facelift and uses a different shape airbag. You may need the facelift slipring but without doing a little digging I can't be sure. I think if you source the wheel and airbag then should be all good and straight forward (electrical connections being the same of course).

I know peeps have retro fitted the M3 SMG wheel with round airbag to facelift motors but they would have had to change the slipring (but possibly more because of the requirement of the paddleshift connection).

[rjkc600]

Yes mine is pre-facelift. 

Do you think the face lift wheel will fit my column?

I can order a wheel complete with airbag unit and ring, just don't want to unless i know for sure it will all work,

I've learnt over years of car ownership and tinkering that very little is straight forward when it comes to fitting different model parts. 

[stevox5]

It will defiantly fit mate ( use original slip ring) but obviously new air bag.

I did this mod on mine before I then upgraded again to an M3 smg wheel.

Straight swap very easy job. 

[rjkc600]

Cheers Stevo!

Raj's wheel in his other post got me all excited.


Stevo - did you instal paddle shift on your X5?

[stevox5]

Yes mate very easy job you need an E46 M3 SMG steering wheel , round air bag and the M3 SMG airbag slip ring. Also couple of lengths of wire to run to the gear shift selector and a block connector for the slip ring, wiring is very easy.
Pleased with mine.

[Raj]

I did the SMG wheel swap on my old E46 330d and also fitted the M5 wheel to my old 530d. They are fun.