2004 - 2008 F-150

steering wheel replacement

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  #1  
Old 03-16-2005, 05:26 PM
mister ed's Avatar
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Question steering wheel replacement

A search came up with nothing..

The dealer replaced my steering wheel because the leather was comming un-done.

Now the wheel is a darker shade of tan and it tilts to the left. The dealer says it is keyed and not on a spline so they cant adjust it. i can live with the color but I feel like I am on a racetrack making left turns all day.

Does anyone know if this is true? I did not want to get into an argument with them without some input.

Thanks
 
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Old 03-16-2005, 05:32 PM
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Pfffft

If it were my truck, they'd be fixing that chit !

If it was good BEFORE they jacked with it....it should be good when they are DONE jackin with it.

MY 2
 
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Old 03-16-2005, 05:48 PM
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another 2 cents

you could always ask for your old steering wheel back and get one of these:

Steering Wheel Cover

I have one, and I like it.
 

Last edited by jamzwayne; 03-16-2005 at 05:54 PM.
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Old 03-16-2005, 06:41 PM
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Thanks for the info and the link. I guess I have never heard of a steering wheel that would not have any adjustment. The only adjustment the dealer suggested was to jack with the alignment. That sounds like a really bad idea.

I wonder if the 2004 and the 2005 steering wheels are different. It is a different shade of tan, but it also feels like a different material.

Maybe some of the techs or builders will have some insight.

Thanks again
 
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Old 03-16-2005, 08:21 PM
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Well, I've swapped three wheels on mine, black, gray, and leather, and there is only one way to put it on. It has splines, but it has a big honkin flat at the top. Thought mine was off a spline, but next time I swapped wheels I spent ten minutes trying to find any way to move it around.
Not off far enough to adjust the front, just not perfectly straight.
Chris
 
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Old 03-16-2005, 10:27 PM
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Thanks Chris

How hard is it to get around the airbag without blowing it.

Thanks again.

ed
 
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Old 03-16-2005, 10:43 PM
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Simple, but you ain't a gonna get it straight..

Still, if you need to check it, (I had to’ to be sure, when mine was off), the method is as follows
1. disconnect battery cable. Ground side. 8mm wrench.
2. wait ten minutes. OK, I only wait 3 or 4 but, you know...
3. Remove the little 'discs' one on each side of the plastic surround on the column. prying them out without marking them or the surround is the hard part.
4. use a 7 MM, or is it an 8 mm (never can remember, take them both to the truck) socket on a screwdriver type handle, or quarter inch ratchet with four inch extension, to remove the two airbag holding bolts. Use a mirror to look inside, they are at a strange angle.

5. Carefully ease the airbag out, remembering it's still held on by a wire.
6. holding the airbag, reach back with a small screwdriver and release the red tab, that locks the harness to the column. Then release the latch. The red thing is the safety latch so it can't pop loose.
7. lay the airbag somewhere it wont get kicked, static sparked, or dropped. Don't forget, it's a very small bomb. Treat like you would a blasting cap (that will set you back 4 or 5 hundred bucks if you ruin it.)

Glare at wheel.

8. Remove wheel bolt if you want, using a 45 or 50 torx head socket. I always carry a set to the car, never remember which one it is. The seats are 45. At least I remember that...

9. using a two claw type wheel puller, remove wheel. I don't think I would do this without a good wheel puller. No yanking on the wheel. The clock spring, etc. on these new trucks is pretty delicate to abuse.

10. don't forget to remove the horn harness, and the cruise harness.


Curse when it only goes on one way. Or maybe that's just me.

If you can find a way to put it on a little different, please post. I couldn't, and I have one spare wheel laying by my desk right now.


Chris

Whoops spelling was ugh!

Hope you actually can straighten it, but have fun either way.
 

Last edited by ChrisAdams; 03-16-2005 at 10:46 PM.



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