Payload

The cover of my original(?) steering wheel was shot. Not a whole lot of brown 928 steering wheels available at a reasonable price, but I was able to find one from a 944 in great condition for less than half of what it would have cost to have mine recovered. However, the two do not have the same sized spline, so some additional work was required.

Tools and parts required:
Standard depth 27mm socket with an extension - the design of the center of the wheel prevents using a deep socket
Philips screwdriver
Ratchet with 8mm socket
Metal grinding wheel - I used a power drill kit from Northern Tool that came with its own mandrel.
Hammer
Metal punch or rod no more than 6mm in diameter
4 7mm x 12mm(minimum) bolts w/ nuts and locking washers

Procedure:
1) Remove the horn pad by pulling straight away from the horn. Disconnect the horn wire and put tape around it to prevent random honking.

2) Remove the wheel using the 27mm socket. While removing it, I noticed that the 928 wheel and steering shaft have alignment marks on them, which made re-installation a bit easier than I expected after reading some other posts. I marked them with red in the pic below. I couldn't find a similar mark on the 944 wheel.




3) Remove the three screws on the back of the steering wheel. Remove the horn ring, noting which side the black tab is on relative to the wheel. Remove the rubber boot from behind the wheel. Using an 8mm socket, remove the three horn contact screws and plastic support pieces from the front of the wheel.

4) Secure the spline cage in a vise with the wheel facing you as it would in the car. Grind the tops of the rivets off, being careful not to damage the leather on the spokes (if you plan to keep it). Use a punch to push the rivets out the back. I used a socket behind the rivets to prevent bending the tabs on the spline cage.




5) Repeat steps 3 and 4 for the 944 wheel.

6) Swap the cage from the 928 wheel to the 944 wheel. reattach using the 7mm bolts. The holes are actually slightly smaller than 7mm, so you will have to start the bolts with a ratchet and drive them trough.




7) Reassemble in reverse order. Torque the steering column nut appropriately

The 944 wheel is about 1" smaller in diameter, so it provides some minimal additional knee room. The 944 horn pad is smaller as well - not sure which one I'll use yet.

-Matt

DeWolf

Gotta love forums and the amount of brain power generated on them. Well done.

tailpipe

When you have the horn pad off make sure you check the small bolts inside the 3 black plastic buttons if they are loose the pad will rattle like crazy....

F451

Thanks for taking the time to post! I've been wondering for some time now if there is a smaller diameter Porsche steering wheel that would fit on the 928, but never looked into it. I'm currently running a 350mm Sparco deeply dished steering wheel and I love the smaller diameter, but don't care for the way it looks.

Knowing about this mod opens up some new options. Thanks! -Ed

2002M3Drew

Resurrecting this old thread, I was installing an original 944 steering wheel back in the car, and I have two issues:

1. The horn pad rattles like crazy, and
2. The horn contacts don't seem to be functioning.

With any luck, the cure for one will fix both issues! Any ideas? I saw the comment above that the little bolts need to be tight to avoid rattling, but I thought that those bolts are the contacts for the horn?

Any help appreciated!!

Payload

The bolts behind the pad should be tight to prevent rattling, but they should still make contact. Horn power flows through the wire that sticks out of the middle, the contacts on the back of the pad, the bolts, the steering wheel frame, and then the thin metal tab that sticks up from the steering column when the wheel is removed*. If the horn still doesn't work after tightening the bolts, you may have to remove the wheel and adjust that tab.

*Direction of flow may be reversed depending upon the model of electrical current you subscribe to

2002M3Drew

Thank you, Sir! The rattling pad is driving me nuts! Amazing how quiet and tight a 30 year old 944 is, and then the hood pad rattles!!!

atari boy

Can anyone advise what size the main nut is holding the wheel onto the spline is, please?
Also, does it need to be a normal socket or a will I need a deep socket or will a standard one work?

Wisconsin Joe

On a 928? It's a 27mm socket. Normal depth is fine, but you need a 6" extension to reach into the hub.

On a 944 it's a 21mm.

Edit to add: A 944 is 24mm, not 21. Oops.

atari boy

No, a 1990 964, Hopefully its a 27mm?

Thanks

Wisconsin Joe

Is that a typo?

I thought the 964 was done well before 90.

If it's a 90, it may be a 968. Since that's a descendent of the 944, I'd suspect it's a 24mm.

You'd do better asking in the correct forum for the car.

Edit to add:
Oops. I'm not super familiar with the 911 variants. 964 was made through 94. My mistake.

You'd still do better asking in the 964 forum.

RonCX

Followed this thread and swapped with a 944 wheel. Seems like its further away from the pod now. Is this space supposed to be here? Can it be deleted?
thanks.

Jerry Feather

That is the factory steering wheel extension. When you take it off (three screws, as I recall) you will then have no splines to remount the wheel... You will need to follow this thread and put another cage-like hub onto the wheel to be able to use it. When you do, let me know because I can use the extension in one of my steering wheel projects.

RonCX

I checked out two other 928s here, one an 82, the other a S4 and they both do not have this extension (original steering wheels)
picture of the 82 attached