aftermarket (not Ford airbag) steering wheels in these cars-what's involved, is it possible??

[M-Sport fan]

I got used to my suede covered, sparco mod 383 wheel that's been in my fourth gen f body since I bought it new in 1999.

Is there ANY WAY possible to install one in these cars, or did the safety Nazis make that impossible in the present day (some sort of sensor interlock on the ignition, preventing the car from starting if the air bag is removed, or non-functional)??
I just got a dash air bag light which I taped over on the Z28, and used a Momo 2401 hub adapter.

Does; Momo, sparco, OMP, etc. even make a hub to fit this (U.S.) model?

(I tried the search, but nothing came up. )

TIA,

Dave H.

 

[twolf]

Losing the steering wheel controls would be a deal breaker to me... but AFAIK I think you can use a resistor.

Be a guinea pig and buy this:

http://en.ss-tuning.com/individual-4-spoke-anatomic-steering-wheel-ford

 

[gronktired]

You could also look into getting the wheel re-wrapped to get rid of the awful "leather" it comes with.

 

[Wimp Lo]

If you look at the Fiesta R2 manual it has all the parts required to install an aftermarket steering wheel.

It also tells you how to install a roll cage, race seats and 5 point harness...

Short of a cage, race seats, 5 point harness and a helmet, keeping the air bag is safer.

 

[Young L]

Losing the steering wheel controls would be a deal breaker to me... but AFAIK I think you can use a resistor.

buddy of mine used a resistor in his STI hatch, he was able to trick the computer so that the light wouldn't come on.

 

[M-Sport fan]

buddy of mine used a resistor in his STI hatch, he was able to trick the computer so that the light wouldn't come on.

Yes, this is the same thing most in the f body world did when going to an aftermarket, non-air bag wheel.

I actually do not like/want steering wheel controls, and wish I could delete them on an ordered car.

As far as safety goes, so many of the younger generation have been brainwashed into thinking that they could NEVER survive a crash without 20 air bags in the car.

But I have ALWAYS worn a seat belt/harness, ever since I first learned to drive, and will not move a car unless I'm wearing one, regardless of the law.

I would rather steer my way out of a head on/any collision (WHY I always want a great handling car!) then count on Joan Claybrook's mandated safety nannies, and a great aftermarket steering wheel enables/promotes that ability.

Somehow, I was able to survive for 17 years of driving BEFORE air bags even existed, and for 26 years since they have, with no balloons in my cars.

 

[M-Sport fan]

If you look at the Fiesta R2 manual it has all the parts required to install an aftermarket steering wheel.

It also tells you how to install a roll cage, race seats and 5 point harness...

As in; the FIA issued R2 class build manual/rules??

 

[Wimp Lo]

As in the M-sport Fiesta R2 build manual. You can find it and a parts list online if you look hard enough.

 

[M-Sport fan]

As in the M-sport Fiesta R2 build manual. You can find it and a parts list online if you look hard enough.

THANKS!

 

[twolf]

Yes, this is the same thing most in the f body world did when going to an aftermarket, non-air bag wheel.

I actually do not like/want steering wheel controls, and wish I could delete them on an ordered car.

As far as safety goes, so many of the younger generation have been brainwashed into thinking that they could NEVER survive a crash without 20 air bags in the car.

But I have ALWAYS worn a seat belt/harness, ever since I first learned to drive, and will not move a car unless I'm wearing one, regardless of the law.

I would rather steer my way out of a head on/any collision (WHY I always want a great handling car!) then count on Joan Claybrook's mandated safety nannies, and a great aftermarket steering wheel enables/promotes that ability.

Somehow, I was able to survive for 17 years of driving BEFORE air bags even existed, and for 26 years since they have, with no balloons in my cars.

Well you're ignorant. I love hearing old people go on and on about this shit. Do you need airbags? No. Are you more likely to survive an accident with them? ABSOLUTELY.

 

[frankiefiesta]

Well you're ignorant. I love hearing old people go on and on about this shit. Do you need airbags? No. Are you more likely to survive an accident with them? ABSOLUTELY.

I'm with this.. Although seat belts are great I'd rather hit an airbag than the windshield/launched into the street

 

[Young L]

Well in theory if you are wearing a seat belt you wouldn't go threw a windshield unless the restraints fail but the airbag isn't gonna help if that happens.

 

[twolf]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NACA1W2A5Wk

 

[Wimp Lo]

Yeah, if two cars hit head on, each traveling 35mph, I want the air bag. That is a collision that can happen on a surface street, no expressway or freeway required, sometimes it won't be your fault and you can't do anything to avoid it (ask me how I know).

Anything faster and I really want that airbag.

When I was younger and driving cars that were too cheap and too old to have an airbag, I didn't think that way but after some first and second hand experience, a steering wheel with airbag feels good enough.

 

[M-Sport fan]

Well you're ignorant. I love hearing old people go on and on about this shit. Do you need airbags? No. Are you more likely to survive an accident with them? ABSOLUTELY.

Thank you for the ricer/'millennial' insult.

Believe what you want to, but at this point one is more likely to be injured by Joan's pillows than be 'saved' by them in your average accident, and they CERTAINLY are not going to keep you alive in a head on between your FiST and a fully loaded semi.

I would NOT even have to "go on and on about this shit" IF the damned manufacturers would just FIRE their shit tard interior design people, and give us some decent, suede covered factory wheels, even as an option.

 

[twolf]

Thank you for the ricer/'millennial' insult.

Believe what you want to, but at this point one is more likely to be injured by Joan's pillows than be 'saved' by them in your average accident, and they CERTAINLY are not going to keep you alive in a head on between your FiST and a fully loaded semi.

I would NOT even have to "go on and on about this shit" IF the damned manufacturers would just FIRE their shit tard interior design people, and give us some decent, suede covered factory wheels, even as an option.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rIcrXjIbfpQ

tell me which person got injured in this video.

I may be a millennial but for some reason I have more common sense than you?

I can tell you one thing: paramedics won't be pulling my teeth out of a decent, suede covered aftermarket wheel.

It'll be even funnier when you're paying your medical bills out of pocket because insurance refused to cover you since you removed the air bags.

"at this point one is more likely to be injured by Joan's pillows than be 'saved' by them in your average accident"

^this statement has no basis in reality.

I'm honestly not sure who is worse: "airbags are the devil and will kill you if you look at them wrong" people or "the government did 9/11" people. You sound crazy.

 

[MetalMyke]

lets all just be glad we don't have the Honda air bags that shoot shrapnel....(and uglier steering wheels) there, that ends it.

 

[Wimp Lo]

Getting back to the Fiesta vs a semi truck, an air bag might be the only thing that can save you. If you are wearing a race harness, that impact might create enough Gs to break your neck if you aren't wearing a helmet with HANS device. If you take it in the face with an air bag it might keep your head attached to your body.

Of course that's all talking about extremes, in the middle which is more likely to happen, airbags might cause some unnecessary injury (I have seen that) but on the whole they do far more good than harm.

I don't want to crash but if I do, I want to give myself the best chance to survive and that means airbags and seatbelts.

 

[SirSlaughter]

Ok, getting back to answering the actual question that was asked. YES, you CAN disable the airbag and install an aftermarket wheel.
How do you think they replace the things or remove the steering wheel for various reasons.

You should be able to do the resistor trick as it seems to work on a myriad of items in the vehicle. As an example: When taking out the stock Fiesta ST seats (Recaro or otherwise) you can wire in a resistor for the airbag sensor as those seats have airbags as well. A few people did it when installing aftermarket seats.

As for the whole airbag debate, I'm with the "ricers/millennials" (despite the fact that the ricer thing to do would actually be to remove features from your vehicle for no real reason other than for sake of aftermarket).
Anywaaaaaay...After going to school for A.S.E. certifications and looking at the math behind half this stuff, yes, airbags = good.

I'm not stopping you for taking them out, I am neither going to berate you for wanting to take them out (but I will state my 2 cents at being called a typical ricer/millennial for sake of wanting to live in event of accident, You can't avoid all accidents that come your way).

I thought about doing that with my last Fiesta because I wanted the nice Tuner style steering wheel and racing seats as well, but then I got the ST and opted for the Recaro package and was really happy with the product. Hell I actually really like the steering wheel compared to a lot of aftermarket. But again, it's possible to remove and disable the stuff. If you end up doing it, please make a thread and do a post about it or put it in a build log. I am sure you aren't the only guy that wants to know.

 

[M-Sport fan]

lets all just be glad we don't have the Honda air bags that shoot shrapnel....(and uglier steering wheels) there, that ends it.

Yes, while the ST's tiller is most certainly NOT the worst factory/OEM wheel out there, a nice suede cover option would go a long way towards making it better.