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97+ steering wheel/column interchangability?


GP1138

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I want to know if a '97+ column will bolt into my car.

 

I'm going to guess no, and in that case, will a '97+ wheel go on the current column I have? Will it be compatible with the airbag clockspring? I really like the newer wheel, and if I can find one at Pick 'n' Pull tomorrow, that's what I'm going to get. I think it'll go on fine, I'm just worried that the airbag clockspring isn't going to interchange.

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i'd imagine it ought to bolt right on, i wouldn't worry too much about the airbag, as it should be a bolt in job.

 

I'm not terribly worried about the airbag, I'm just worried that if I put the 97+ wheel on the '95 column that it's going to blow up in my face or something because the clocksprings are different. :lol:

 

What I'll probably do is just buy a '97+ column and if it doesn't bolt in I'll at least use the steering wheel nad find some way to make it work.

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The column in the 97+'s is nothing like the 94-96 saginaw. I don't see this working at all.

 

Well, we'll take a look, and if it's not doable, I'll find another way to quench the modding bug. :lol:

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Any GM steering wheel will fit your column, and it's possible if you get a pre-2000 airbag that it'll work with your clockspring. The "dual stage" airbags came along in 01, so not only will they not plug up to your clockspring, they won't work with your SRS system (the dual stage 'bags have 2 plugs on the back of 'em, and the connectors are different from those on the older single stage bag.)

 

I'd say mount up a 97-00 GP wheel with an airbag from a 97 GP to your 95 column...

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I'd say mount up a 97-00 GP wheel with an airbag from a 97 GP to your 95 column...

 

Well, I'm not really expecting to see anything newer than '99 or so in the junkyard, so I'm optimistic. I figured GM steering wheels would be interchangable.

 

I know you're the steering wheel guru, so I was looking forward to your input. :lol:

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I know you're the steering wheel guru, so I was looking forward to your input. :lol:

Yep, and I've swapped quite a few of em! Nothing has changed on GM columns as far as the size or # of splines on the steering columns' shafts since at least the early 70's. You could, literally, bolt up a wheel from a 70 1/2 Z28 if you were so inclined.

 

eBay is another good place to look for wheels and airbags. Hell, you might luck out and find a complete column with the wheel and airbag included. Might be kinda cool to dissect the 97+ column to see if there's any chance it'd work in your car.

 

I had envisioned bolting up an 01-03 GP wheel to the Regal, but I found that the airbag was dual-stage and thus not compatible with my car. I saw a single-stage airbag from a 2000 Bonneville (same wheel as the 01-03 GP) but it had the same style plug that the dual stage bags had, only there was one plug instead of 2. So strike 2 for that idea. I seem to remember seeing the plug on a 97 GP's 'bag, and it looked identical to the one on the 94-96's bag...

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It won't bolt on. The bottom looks the same, but the welded-on bracket near the top of the column won't match up.

I have a 97+ column laying around if you want pics. I seem to recall I had plans to use it for a future project, but at the moment I can't remember what those plans were.

 

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I discussed the idea with john, Here's the idea. the yard won't care what we grab, so I said we should grab a 94-96 GP floor shifter column and stick a 97+Gp wheel with steering wheel controls.

 

IIRC the Clockspring for a 97+ (pre-dual stage) could be the same. but if i'm there helping we would mix and match to make it work.

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i found a nice swrc steering wheel in a 97 aurora anyone know if this would work in my 94 cutty, besides the ecc because i do not have that feature

 

[attachment deleted by admin] Removed to free up storage space.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I swapped in a 98 steering wheel into my 96 Grand Prix. You can do this with the 94-96 GP's but you have to use a 97 airbag. The 97 airbag has the same connector as the 94-96. The connector in the 98-00 airbags are different even though the bag itself looks like the 97.

 

You can use 97-00 steering wheel. The 98-00 is aluminum and is like a matte finish leather. The 97 is steel with a smoother leather finish. Everything including radio controls works and it looks just like factory.

 

 

 

[attachment deleted by admin] Removed to free up storage space.

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Ya, I didn't do anything with the clockspring. Just removed old airbag and steering wheel. The 97 airbag pluged right in and the steering wheel controls plugged right in.

 

The 96 and older steering wheels use a threaded steering wheel puller to remove and the 97+ uses a special puller if I was to remove the steering wheel again...I guess that would be the only draw back.

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Anyone think the 01+ wheels would look out of place?

 

Iknow they got different SWRC which look much better imo.

Go for it! You'd need the airbag and clockspring from a 2000 Bonneville, however ('00 Bonne's AB is single stage.)
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