M42club.com - Home of the BMW E30/E36 318i/iS

DISCUSSION => General Topics => Topic started by: jrobie79 on February 17, 2008, 12:28:10 AM

Title: steering wheel fit
Post by: jrobie79 on February 17, 2008, 12:28:10 AM

will a steering wheel from a 1986 535 fit onto my 91 e30?

Title: steering wheel fit
Post by: ak96ss on February 17, 2008, 07:59:02 AM

Good question - other than the airbag issues, you'll need to make sure the splined column is the same size, and something is tickling my memory that they are not, but I don't know that for sure and unfortunately I dion't know where you could find that info.

I don't suppose you have the 535 wheel available to test fit it, do you?

Title: steering wheel fit
Post by: Vladi on February 17, 2008, 08:08:37 AM

It doesn't fit. The only steering wheels that fit the E30 plug and play are from E34 and E32. I'm talking about the non airbag ones.

Title: steering wheel fit
Post by: Choking Hazard on February 20, 2008, 06:16:17 PM

Isn't an 86 535 an e 34?  I have a 3 spoke -non airbag- wheel alledgely from a 535 that fit my 91 318is no problemo.  What is the style of the wheel you are talking about?  I'll take a pic but my old (1997) computer doesn't talk to my cam- i'll have to load the pic later...

Title: steering wheel fit
Post by: e30 4cyl on February 20, 2008, 07:22:10 PM

Quote from: Choking Hazard;43198

Isn't an 86 535 an e 34?

A 1986 535 would be an e28.

Title: steering wheel fit
Post by: eric16v on March 12, 2008, 08:32:00 PM

do you guys know if a steering wheel from my 87 325is non air bag car will fit on my 91 318is w/air bag?
thanks

Title: steering wheel fit
Post by: gearheadE30 on March 13, 2008, 08:11:51 AM

Yes it will, but you will need another spacer for the shaft. Washers should work for this. Also, the signal and washer stalks are different. The current ones will work iirc, but they will be quite a ways fromt he steering wheel. Non-airbag stalks are reletively cheap, and you could even upgrade to a 13-button OBC at the same time and get a multifunction signal stalk.

Title: steering wheel fit
Post by: eric16v on March 13, 2008, 01:12:23 PM

Quote from: gearheadE30;44690

Yes it will, but you will need another spacer for the shaft. Washers should work for this. Also, the signal and washer stalks are different. The current ones will work iirc, but they will be quite a ways fromt he steering wheel. Non-airbag stalks are reletively cheap, and you could even upgrade to a 13-button OBC at the same time and get a multifunction signal stalk.

"signal and washer stalk" do you mean the turn signal right behind the steering wheel. is it  a direct fit? because i have a spare on my 87. what does this have to do with the 13 button obc? i also have one in my 87, is this direct fit or are mods needed?
thanks again.

Title: steering wheel fit
Post by: gearheadE30 on March 13, 2008, 01:34:50 PM

The one in your '87 should work great.

Many of the cars with 13-botton OBCs have a special stalk that allows the OBC to be cycled through modes and controlled without removing your hands from the wheel. I think you can tell them apart because the turn signal stalk can be pressed inwards as well as all of its normal functions.