I bought a nice used '88 steering wheel off eBay that came off a convertible, but mine is a fixed head coupe. The guy also sent me the column nut that went with it. This new wheel (non-airbag) is thicker and more comfortable than the original skinny wheel but both are 15" wheels. My original nut thickness is different than the nut of the new wheel. Both nuts fit the steering column okay but one nut is just thicker than the other. So, my questions are what nut do I use and are these two wheels interchangeable with each other or do I have to make a modification of some sort to make the new wheel fit. Any help would be much appreciated. Note: both wheels fit on the spline okay. ..............thanks, Mike.

 

The wheel fits fine from what you're saying. Use either nut.

 

The reason I posted the question is that I have not been able to put the horn pad on the wheel all the way in place with little or no gap between the wheel and the horn pad itself. It's as if the two screws holding the pad on can't pull it all the way down, leaving a gap one one side. That made me think that perhaps the column nut thickness or something else is holding the pad from going on all the way down to the wheel. Trying both nuts mad now difference. Perhaps there is something wrong with the new horn pad (as in bent?).

 

Is the pad from the replacement wheel or are you trying to put on the old pad from the original wheel? Does the pad fit without the wheel actually mounted on the column?

 

I haven't tried the fit to the new wheel without being installed. Currently I'm trying to fit the new pad to the new wheel. I'll pull off the new wheel this weekend and see if it's a problem with my new wheel assemble fit. ......................thanks!, I'll post what I find.

 

A further note.
, .......the old steering wheel pad (skinny wheel) versus the newer wheel pad (thicker wheel, same diameter) is significantly different on the underside where it mounds to the wheel, though the same screws are used in both wheels. I doubt that they are interchangeable at all. The reason is that both steering wheels are constructed differently, though they mount on the same splined column shaft. The back side of each horn assembly is totally different except for the same splines and apparent mounting depth. So, when I put my newer wheel on it fit as it should and the horn works fine but the horn pad just doesn't appear to be able to close up the space between the wheel and horn button pad, where that wasn't a problem on the old wheel and horn pad.

 

This ISSUE is now solved. The horn push pad on the steering wheel was slightly bent. It took about 5 minutes to re-shape the horn pad to the new wheel. The horn pad is molded over sheetmetal which is flexible so I just bent it slightly here and there so it would correctly fit the wheel with no gaps between it and the wheel. Looks good now and works great. ...........................Mike.