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While I am restoring my 1990 XJS V12 'Cherry Blossom'
There is only one thing that I'd really love to Change and that's the Skinny Steering Wheel that doesn't have the 'Classic Feel' of the 'Sports' one fitted to my 1989.
But then I remembered I'd got one on my Parts Car where the only problem was that it really looked in very poor Condition, with the only question being how would it clean up?
Basket Case or What!
The Sports Steering Wheel I found inside my 'Parts Car' but would it clean up?
First of all I had to take it off, by undoing a couple of 'Cross Head Screws' which were underneath the Central Cross Beam.
Then once the Front Cover was lifted away, I was able to undo the Center Locking Nut with a Socket Wrench.
Then using the palms of both hands I hit the Center Beam from underneath where much to my complete surprise, it came off easily.
So first I cleaned off all the dirt with a combination of some Water and Washing up liquid.
Water and Washing up liquid got the dirt off but it still didn't look very good.
So the next thing I did was make myself a 'Witches Brew' of 'Bumper Black and Shoe Polish'
Where after several heavy applications with a Brush, I let it dry and then I Polished it off.
My 'Witches Brew' of 'Bumper Black and Shoe Polish' seemed to be doing the 'Trick'
After I had let it dry, I Polished it off and then it looked like this!
By the time I'd finished Polishing, it looked almost like New!
But have I Broken anything?
As after I took the Wheel off, I found the two halves of this Metal Collar, so not sure if I have accidentally snapped this Collar in two, or whether it's supposed to be like that?
Is that Metal Collar supposed to be in Two Halves or did I break it when I took the Wheel Off?
After a Night in the Warm to dry out, She's looking better than ever.
Last edited by orangeblossom; Dec 17, 2016 at 04:49 AM.
Nope, no chance at all mate! The steering coloumn is TOTALLY different. Your sports wheel is from an 89 (or older). And it looks like it should go in a 90 (or younger). The <89 has only a pull adjustment. The >90 has a tilt. You COULD change the entire steering column with indicator stalks etc.
Regarding the wheel as such: it looks like it came out quite well! I have the same in my 89 and I prefer the rounded off style compared to the standard "squarish" one before... Mine has a little bit of mould on the horn buttons, so I'll have it wrapped with some new leather and maybe even with a cream stitch to bring a bit of the seats into the steering wheel
Just to confirm... Here is a column from until 1989:
And this is the column from 1990 on:
The collets you have, are supposed to be in two parts, as they "wedge" the steering wheel position in place on older cars... See part number 16 in this drawing:
Why not remove the wheel from the car and see if the old wheel's splines are the same and will fit? If they do, you might just need to bung it on and replace the nut holding it on, and be able to forget about the collar etc etc. If they do not fit, nothing to be done. See Daim's post (no. 8) just above though.
Greg
Last edited by Greg in France; Dec 17, 2016 at 12:29 PM.
I had a 90 and my 89 here at the same time. The 90 was a parts donor... The wheel is just so different, it can not fit. It just won't fit to the steering column. Not only is the spline different but also the "offset". The wheel would make it nearly impossible to get into the car in a 1990 if you fit the original boss to the wheel base to the steering column...
I had my horn buttons off and the nut and was having a look and saw the differences... All OB has to do, is remove his "airbag" unit (if it has an airbag... Which would then instantly permit using the airbagfree wheel) or that, what is filling the area and look down into the connections...
The steering wheel doesn't look like it has an air bag, it would have SRS embossed on it. That makes it easier to remove.
I changed my '91 facelift non-airbag over to a Myrtle wood airbag version. As the spline number was different l had to source an adapter ring from an xj. JLM 12390.
My Wheel is a non Airbag but also a Pre-facelift, so theoretically the 'Sports Wheel' would go straight on, except for a couple of potential problems.
The Sports Wheel takes its power for the Horn, from a probe in the Steering Column Shaft, while the 4 Spoke (non airbag on mine) take its power for the Horn from a Slip Ring on the outside of the Steering Column Shaft.
Also word has it that The Sports Wheel would be too close to the (later type) Indicator Stalks.
So on balance it might be better just to change the Steering Column, unless I could find the same Slip Ring, as fitted to the later 4 spoke wheel.
That link shows a totally different Wheel to mine.
My Soft Face Wheel does not come apart like in that illustration, its moulded all in one piece, as its non-airbag.
I've seen a 1992 pre-facelift and in order to get the 'Sports Wheel' on, the owner had to replace the Steering Column with one from an earlier car and put the ignition switch back in the dashboard and then re-wire the indicators etc.
Its doable but its also a lot of work and as my Car has been off the road for so long I would just be happy to drive her as She is at least for a while.
Last edited by orangeblossom; Dec 22, 2016 at 04:12 AM.
New lease of life for XJS Sports Steering Wheel
