Steering wheel from a TT/Mk4/other new VAG car?

[dinkus 10]

Just having a thought here...

 

Is it possible (as in, fairly easy) to fit a new-style VAG steering wheel into a Corrado?

 

Obviously you'd want to take the airbag out/disable it, but what about the steering boss connections, would they work? Are they the right size? Can you get/is it wise to use adapters?

 

Any clues are welcome :D

[Phil K 0]

This chap may be able to help you- says he has a TT wheel in his sig :D

[dinkus 10]

Ahh, cunning!

 

PM sent ;)

[Jim 2]

Can I have your old VR6 one? ;)

[Supercharged 2]

Dom - Neil has an A4 one for sale and it fits the Corado fine but it is HUGE!

[NickVR6 0]

Ive had a de-airbagged R32 wheel for eons, but could'nt find a way to fit it.

Would be very interested in the outcome, although ill prob sell the 32 one tbh

as i like mine now!

[dinkus 10]

Hmm, hadn't thought about the size of the thing - all the new wheels seem to be big enough to pilot the Titanic with, despite having the most stupidly over-servo'd steering systems known to man.

 

Essentially, I was looking for a modern looking steering wheel with built-in stereo controls that's either the same size as, or ideally, smaller than a standard Corrado one.

 

May be asking for a bit much there, but any suggestions would be good...

[Ryan S 0]

What about Lupo?

I think Adam G on No-Rice had one on his rocco.

(well someone with a white rocco had one)

[DUB 0]

I popped nexted door {VW BRISTOL} the other day to have a nose at the new 32 - I to would like to fit a new wheel with controls, let me know how you get on mate - I'm gunna go next door today to have a bit more of a look and will report anything I find - good work by the way / glad I'm not the only one thinkin of this mod

[dinkus 10]

Well it's come in a roundabout kind of way - I was thinking about how I can tidly remote-control a car-pc, as the only main interface is a touch-screen.

 

So I was thinking I might hack up a mouse or gamepad and use that, but it's a bit messy.

 

Then I found some adapters online so you can use the built-in car controls on after-market head units.

 

Then I thought, well if you can do that, you must be able to make up a USB interface for them, so maybe I could use that...

 

Then I was thinking "well I'd quite like a new steering wheel too..." :lol:

 

The USB interface bit is going to be tricky and I also need to work out how you transfer the signal from the buttons in the steering wheel through the boss to the steering column - it might not be possible to fit that bit to a Corrado.

 

Hmm, I may ask Mr. Renshaw and see what he knows...

[DUB 0]

keep it posted what ever you find dinkus - cheers

[dinkus 10]

Well it would appear that a post 2000ish wheel is likely to have a resistive matrix in it, which essentially means you only need to get 2 wires from the wheel to the column.

 

You can then use something such as the Phidget 8/8/8 interface kit to convert the steering-wheel button signals into USB 8)

 

So now I need a wheel! :lol:

[DUB 0]

Yeah but what wheel GTI or 32 and will they can they fit? what size are they? I'm gunna pop next door and get the sizes I hope - back in a min dinkus

[DUB 0]

hhhmmmmmmm the demo 32 has gone from next door just had customers 32 there which they wouldn't let me get in and have a poke about anyway by the looks of it wheel is smaller than standard C wheel / maybe same size as VR's wheel not muck in it though {I think} and sits tight to colum so couldn't see nor gauge size of base/connection sorry dinkus - you got any more info?

[dinkus 10]

Hmm, did it have radio controls on it though?

 

I guess Nick can tell us what size an R32 wheel is? Any pics of it? From looking on google - it would appear that the Mk4 R32 wheel is a) ugly and b) doesn't have any buttons on, but the Mk5 R32 wheel is rather nice... (see attached)

 

and if you can fit an A4 wheel (what vintage is it Steve?) then I'd imagine you can fit at least some other VAG wheels to a C... is it possible to work it out from ETKA?

 

I would also imagine that if there are only 2 wires from the buttons on the wheel to the steering column, then it's probably not too hard to jig up a means of transferring the signal across, even if the standard method doesn't fit a C.

[dinkus 10]

Bwahahaa... how about an RS4 wheel (mmm, bet they're cheap...not)

[Kevin Bacon 5]

It was me that fitted Neil's A4 steering wheel. It was off a current shape car. I've also tried a MK1 A4 wheel and it fits too.

 

The fitting isn't the problem and they look and feel nice, but far too big in diameter. The problem is your horn and any other wiring the wheel may have. As you know, the Rado uses a brass prong and contact ring for the horn. Current VWs and audis don't and I've not looked at either column/hub yet to see how they do it. As you say, it's all done by K line bus now a days, but it's how they get the wiring to work through 360 degrees. There certainly weren't any wires coming out of the A4 wheel. Dunno mate.....

 

One way you could do it is fit blue tooth senders in the space the airbag once occupied and use relays to trigger the horn or whatever....just a lunatic and probably impossible idea :-)

[DUB 0]

not on the customer car that i looked at {thought it looked quite nice without tbh} your pic att looks cool is that in C or 32 thats what I want now for deff and if you can work out how to get the conrols working that will be sweet I only want to use my stereo and if pos the trip computer, but dinkus where can you get the wheel from other than main stealer ? do you know a place mate?

[dinkus 10]

Ahh, should have guessed Mr. Haybale would have tried it :lol:

 

Well if we know the wheels will fit (I'll ask Neil what things are the same fitment as the one you tried) then that's a major bit of it.

 

Whether it'll look stupidly large or not in the cabin is another, but that's just a case of getting a tape measure out. I would suspect that it will be a little on the large side, but I'm hoping if the wheel comes from a more 'sporty' car then it'll be smaller than the usual one...dunno tho.

 

I'm assuming that there must be 2 rings somewhere which transfer the signal from the wheel to the boss - so if I can rip them off a junker A4 then I'm potentially in business.

 

Hadn't thought about the horn issue though - It's almost certainly possible to rig up some kind of relay trigger to fire the horn, but it's another thing that needs working out.

 

I guess the other option is to just use a stand-alone stalk - anybody know any cars that have a separate radio stalk?

 

 

 

Edit: And BLACKG60 - most of the reason that I want a modern wheel is for the buttons, so a wheel without them doesn't help me much ;)

[.Rich. 0]

Chop up a wireless 4button mouse and assign the buttons to the PC command you require?

[dinkus 10]

Yeah, I thought of that, but it looks messy and I've no idea where I could actually mount it.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

They're all the same Dingles, they will all physically fit on the Rado splines.

 

Size wise, the A4 one (sport) was at least 2" bigger in diameter. I suspect you'll need an RS range wheel if you want a smaller one. Odd that the wheels are so big in the Rado but feel fine in the cars they're from, LOL! Must just be more arm space.....

 

You're probably right about the rings. The wheel did look like it needed 'something' bolting on to the clock facing side of it .

[dinkus 10]

Right, so time to ask Neil to get a tape measure across an RS4 wheel and to tell me how comically expensive they are :lol:

[Lippy 0]

what about from a leon cupra r, skoda (:oops:) could change the badge on the front quite easily?

[dinkus 10]

Yeah, not bothered what car it's from cos I can probably change the badge anyway :)

 

The main problem is size and fitment.

 

After some research on the uk-mkiv forum, I found this thread, which tells you how to retrofit the buttons to a Mk5 Goof. Not the same as an Audi, but I'd wager it's not a million miles away.

 

It would appear that there's a loom in the steering wheel which has a plug on it. This plugs into the top of the steering column, which in turn is connected to the slip-rings.

 

Retrofitting the slip ring/plug to the C steering column may be a bit of a challenge, but anything is possible with a bit of gaffer tape :lol: (jk)

 

I've attached a couple of pics, but has anyone got a pic of the exposed steering column of a C? I'm impatient and don't want to take mine apart when I'm sure someone on here must have a pic already (looks in Haywire's direction) :lol: