Eric in Chicago

This is a DYI overview for the guys that asked me to post how to change you airbag steering wheel to a racing, non airbag wheel. I have a great factory carbon fiber wheel that was too nice for the track and got a little slippery even with gloves. I decided, since the car spends most of its time on the track, to get a smaller 3-spoke wheel. I got the Momo GT3R wheel, (very similar to the Momo Mod 7 wheel) with Porsche stamped into one of the spokes and the Porsche crest horn button. I am using the Momo 7004 hub adapter. There is a DYI on <a href="http://www.p-car.com" target="_blank">www.p-car.com</a> on how to take your wheel off so I won’t cover that here, and I don’t have any pictures... Some things not explained in Robins DYI, you disconnect the air bag wire at the air bag, not at the wheel. There are 2 other wires that must also be disconnected from the steering wheel make sure you have let your car sit with the battery disconnected for at least 30min, I left mine off for an hour. This will keep your airbag from exploding in your face. Once the wheel is off the fun begins. You will find a black hub sitting between the wheel you just took off and the steering column. This is called the spring clock assembly. This part must come off for a non-airbag wheel. 2 screws and it is off. On the top of the spring clock assy (below the tach) is a set of 4 wires that do not unplug from the spring clock assy. They run under the dash and plug into 2 orange connectors. To get to these connectors you should take off the plastic cover on the sides of the steering column (around the turn signal and windshield washers stalks. There are 2 Phillip screws on each side. Once undone, pull the 2 pieces apart. (You can leave the rubber grommets on the stalks) When the plastic shrouds are off you can follow the wires coming from the back of the clock spring to the orange connectors.
I tried getting to these connectors from under the dash but could not reach them. Pull the wires coming out of the clock spring from these orange connectors. The connector with the green/blue and green/red wires controls the airbag sensor. To trick the system into thinking the air bags are working, you need to buy the special Porsche air bag test tool. Part # 000 721 951 60. $60.00-80.00 from Dealer. This is a box with a resistor inside. The top of the resistor has a small male plug which fits the airbag wire coming out your clock spring (red connector) I cut the wire in half, and cut the corresponding orange plug Green/Red and Green/Blue off. Make sure you leave enough wire to attach wire nuts or like I used, wire connectors from radio shack. You then connect the air bag wire that you have plugged into the Porsche part resistor to the wires you just cut and push this connection into the dash opening under the steering wheel. My understanding is the will fool the sensor into thinking the steering wheel air bag is connected and functioning. This will also allow the pass. side airbag to deploy in case of an accident.
To get the horn to work: You will need to order Porsche part # 964 652 104 00. This is a small L shaped part that has a copper plate on top of it and a 1/4 pin on the bottom. This part pushes into the hole on the steering column face, there is only one hole, it is at the 1'O'clock position it looks like a slot with a hole in the middle. This contact will allow the brass plate on the bottom of the Momo 7004 hub adapter to make contact thus completing the circuit when the horn is pushed. I believe this to be the most complete installation of a race wheel for the 993. I checked with Kelly Moss, Racers Group, Crescent City Porsche, no one had ever done this with the horn and airbag bypass. I used info gathered from our friends on the 964 board as well as info gathered here and on Robins site (www.p-car.com).
Standard disclaimer apply, Your results may not be the same as mine if you screw something up, I am not a professional modifier nor do I know what I am doing most of the time. So try this at your own risk. If your going to do this to a street car, be aware, this may have a negative impact on your ability to collect on a claim should you be involved in an accident as our cars are stock with airbags. You have been warned. Now hook your battery back up, start your car and be amazed your air bag light will not come on and on your victory cool down lap at the track, you can blow your horn in celebration!

poorb0yw

Cool thanks a bunch. Now I'll have to take mine off and get everything working again.

Flying Finn

Thanks Eric!

I have the same wheel (defenately worth paying extra $100 for that "Porsche" on right spoke <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> ) and my horn doesn't work, so I'm defenately one of those who will benefit from your DIY.

<img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" />

tchanson

Eric,
Dumb question, but what is the Momo GT3R wheel? Is it the same as the suede <a href="http://www.carnewal-europe.com/cpx/p93078.jpg" target="_blank">Cup Wheel</a> that I currently have?

I only ask as I've never heard of the Momo GT3R wheel.

Thanks,
Tim

JC in NY

Tim,
Yes they are all the same. The Momo Mod .007 is identical except for the engraving of the word "Porsche". Not similar, I mean identical.

Eric in Chicago

Tim,
As JC stated, they are the same but with that extra .003 microns of weight removed, you of course can be faster than a non GT3R wheeled car!!! I think the GT3R wheel came stock with the Porsche horn button instead of the Momo button. I got lucky and found the wheel/hub on e bay, cheap.

tchanson

Eric and JC,

Thanks for the replies. Perhaps I'm not making myself clear.
I know that the <a href="http://store4.yimg.com/I/fusevsl_1719_805441" target="_blank">Momo Model .07</a> is esentially the same wheel as the <a href="http://www.carnewal-europe.com/cpx/p93078.jpg" target="_blank">Cup Wheel</a> (as in Carrera Cup/Supercup) that I bought a few years ago from Gert, except that my Cup wheel has the crest horn button and the Porsche script on the upper right spoke. (and of course, the weight savings from that engraving, albeit offset by the red paint, that Eric pointed out... )

My question was whether my Cup wheel was any different than the "GT3R" wheel, that Eric referred to. Perhaps its the same wheel, but I've never heard it referred to as anything other than the "Cup" wheel, and just wanted to know if there was any difference.

Thanks,
Tim

JC in NY

Tim,
They are all the same. All Porsche factory race cars since about 1994 (964 RSR and later) use the same Mod .07 wheel. Earlier 964 Cups used a different Momo wheel but many have since been refitted with the Mod .07. Bottom line, they're all the Momo Mod .07.

993PET

I just purchased the 993RS steering wheel from Gert. Can anyone who has fitted this wheel advise me if the installation is basically as Eric describes above? From reading I understand I will need the airbag test tool 000.721.951.60, will I also need the horn contactor 964 652 104 00.?

TIA

JF

97' 993 Artic Silver Coupe RS Look
Now with RS Seats

Eric in Chicago

JF,
Looking at Gerts pic, It does not look like it comes with a hub adapter?? Depending on the hub, you will probaly need the above parts to make the horn work (if it has a horn button). Hopefuly someone who has put this wheel on will jump in.
To keep the pass. side airbag working and to keep the airbag light from comming on, you will need the airbag test tool.

tchanson

JF,
I also have the 993RS wheel from Gert in another car.

That wheel is also manufactured by Momo, and comes as a factory item from Gert with the 7004 hub attached. (I've got an extra 7004 hub, BTW, if anyone is looking for one.)

Installation is exactly the same as Eric listed above for the (Momo) Cup wheel (or "GT3R" wheel as Eric refers to it) or any other non-airbag Momo, for that matter. Horn wiring is the same under the removable leather center pad of the RS wheel.

Good luck,
Tim

993PET

Tim:

So I don't need the L-Shaped part # 964 652 104 00 to make the horn work? Just the are bag tool?

Thanks,

JF