d.i.y. aftermarket wheel and hub install acura rsx

[bigdaddy]

Warning!!!
My method of this d.i.y. results in parts necessarily being broken. It is not reversible. If you plan on selling the car later on, or installing the original steering wheel, i Highly advise that you purchase the following parts so that you can reverse the install for later sale. Please understand, you are doing this install at your own risk. i am not responsible if you damage something or if you have any safety related accidents. I will do my best to describe each step properly, but with this install i do recommend a supervisor if you do not feel confident. by no means should you avert the install, im just making sure you understand the possible risks.

OEM Parts for later sale or reverse install

The above is only necessary if you cannot get the clock spring to go back into place and stay put.
Its listed as a body,(#5 in the illustration) i guess that means if you need to go to the parts department you might want to print the pic and bring it with you.
Oem Acura Parts has it listed for $28.78.
http://www.oemacuraparts.com/partloc...layCatalogid=0


The Above will be necessary if you use my method. you will be destroying this part in order to get the hub installed. i couldnt find another way.
Its called a Clockspring (#8 in the illustration) It sells for $173.60
http://www.oemacuraparts.com/partloc...layCatalogid=0

Parts Layout


Tools and Supplies Layout


Additional Tools and Supplies needed:
1 Roll Electrical Tape
The supplied Allen Wrench included in the hub package
10mm Regular length socket
T30 Torx Bit Socket (i forgot to include, sorry, heres a pic)
- without this tool you cannot correctly remove the airbag bolts
Intestinal Fortitude, a.k.a grunt (arrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!)

Do not bypass this necessary safety step!!!

Connect the 10mm socket to your ratchet and disconnect this terminal from your battery.
this takes all electricity from the car. it also prevents you from accidentally tripping the airbag and having it blow in your face

[bigdaddy]

Lets get started!

Make sure the steering wheel is as stright as possible. you have to be careful with this, becuase the steering column lock will not engage at this point. it would be a good idea that once the steering column head is revealed (the 14mm bolt removed, as explained below) that you mark it with something as a reference point.


using the flat tip bit and bit driver, insert the flat tip into this trim peice on the side of the airbag and pry it out


this harness must be disconnected, pull the collar back and then seperate the plugs


harness disconnected


on the other side of the steering wheel is another
trim piece that needs to be removed with the flat tip



using the phillips bit and the bit driver, unscrew the phillips screws holding the cruise control...controls onto the steering wheel


remove the controls, and then disconnect the harness


controls removed


Torx head socket ready for duty. sadly i cannot think of any other use
for the torx bits on a honda but the airbag


heres the first torx bolt that needs to be removed, right above the harness exposed from the
first trim piece that was removed from the steering wheel


on the other side of the wheel, the opening from the smaller trim peice hides a torx bolt. remove it too


after you removed the two torx bolts, pull the airbag and it should pop off with a bit of arrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!
the black harness you see at the base of the air bag, needs to be disconnected, the harness on the left in yellow
is the first one you already disconnected from the first opening you pulled the trim peice from


pop this harness out from the small white clip you see directly behind it and then disconnect it.


grab your 3" extension and 14mm deep socket, connect to the ratchet, and loosen this bolt
if you choose, take it off, then put it back on, with 4 full turns, and no more



grab hold on the wheel, apply some arrrrrrrrr and pull.
it popped right off for me, you might have to wiggle it a bit while pulling
please note, i did not put the 14mm bolt back in. if you did, then once the steering wheel is wobbly, remove the bolt. steering wheel should come off



alright guys. this is the point where we begin breaking shit. this is the srs clockspring. it does not come off. it has two horns on it and a harness block that is part of the reel.
if you have made the decision to never re-install the oem wheel, or have a backup clockspring and body just in case, begin the carnage. continue on

[bigdaddy]

this is the underside of the steering column cover, go ahead and get the phillips bit and the bit driver, and remove the three screws holding it in place
once all three screws are out, pry the cover off

the top cover is easy, just pull it off


there is a phillips screw securing the body assembly to the column, i wasnt able to get a shot of it while it was on the steering column
here it is so you have an idea of its location, as well as some extra instructions


this tab need to be broken off. at this point your going to begin breaking shit. here we go


if you remove the body assembly from the steering column, then be careful not to break the turn signal or wiper control stalks


this is the stopping point for breaking shit. i feel bad becuase at this point i was so aggrivated that i didnt get pics of the carnage.
be careful not to break this, it cancels the turn signals when you make a turn, and will be necessary for the horn button fix
after you break off the clocks[pring cover (in the pic above this pic) it will reveal a white ribbon cable that is spooled up in the clockspring. rip her out.


the body of the clockspring (not the body assembly itself) needs to be removed as well.
this pic shows the clockspring removed and emptied out. you will be disconnecting the harness holding it and toss it


pic of all the shit i broke on the floor

put the body assmebly back onto the steering column and tighten the phillips screw that secures it to the column

[bigdaddy]

gently pop the white part of the body assembly out. do not lose the big ass spring behind it


tape up the steering column with electric call tape. do not tape the splines
once this step is complete, re-install the big spring and the white plastic piece.

now we begin the fun stuff!!!

HORN FIX!!!!!!!


first, find the harness with the 3 wires going into it. it should be disconnected.
the plain orange wire (02-04 base rsx, 05-06 not sure) needs to be cut and stripped
grab your crimpers and the butt connecter, place the stripped end of the wire into the butt connector, and, using the crimpers, place the butt connector into the color coded slot, and crush that bitch like it cheated on you


pic of the orange wire with butt connecter on it. please note, like an idiot, i used the wrong butt connector, thats why the colors dont match from the tool and supply layout.
take the foot of wire and crimp it onto the other end of that butt connector.


take the included rings and bend them as shown


trim the foot of wire that you crimped onto the butt connector to a reasonable length, it only needs to reach the body assembly
strip the end to expose some wire
crimp the female connector (yellow peice in the tool and supply layout) onto the stripped end
take both rings, and put them together, so that the bends are facing inward.
you can easily test the ring spring (as i call it) by giving it a slight squeeze and it should compress and expand with no issues.
make sure the bent tabs are not set in a way that they could get stuck in the openings of the opposite rings.
connect the female connector to one of the tabs on the rings.
center the rings onto the body assembly, on top of the white plastic piece.


install the nr-g short hub (or whatever you bought) onto the steering column
with the nr-g hub, its easy to line it up with the marking you put on the column, so you know its going on straight
make sure the rings stay in place
make sure the two small horns on the hub line up with the two slots on the white plastic piece.
press the hub on as much as possible


thread on the 14mm bolt and then tighten that bastard down.
i dont know how much your supposed to torque it down, i did it to the point that the hub will not come loose ever.


take the receiving end of the quick release, and connect the....connections.
male goes into female, not the other way around, which will cause you to walk funny


in this pic, i like a retard, originally installed the receiving hub upside down.
the brass dimples are supposed to be under the phillips screws, not over them.
take the six long allen screws and screw them in using the included allen wrench.
make sure your receiving hub is still straight.


go ahead and place the steering column covers. your almost done


place the steering wheel onto of the releasing hub.
make sure the steering wheel is straight with the nr-g logo on the releasing hub
for those of you with the quick release 2.5, the paddles are going to be a bit crooked, dont worry about it.
as long as you follow the directions, the nr-g logos will line up when both ends are connected onto the short hub


take the six short allen screws and thread them in like so, then tighten down with the inlucded allen wrench.


in order to get the horn button to fit, your going to have to lightly trim down some of the outer edge.
best method is to sand it down a bit and then try to push it into the steering wheel with light force, if it doesnt go into place, continue to sand it down some more.
please note, you do want a nice snug fit, so some force is going to be necessary to get it in.
do not install horn button yet


now, your going to have to lightly trim down one side of this opening, as shown in the pic. the reason being is becuase the spring inside the damn button is the ground necessary to close the circuit for the horn to activate
you also want this to be a snug fit, so occasionally test fit the male connector from the releae hub and try to slide it in. it needs to be touching the spring inside.


connect the female connector to the prong on the bottom of the horn button, and slide the male into the trimmed opening you made
its going to be a bit tricky, but if you work at it, you will get the whole mess into place on the steering wheel center.
make sure the button is sitting as far in as it can go
make sure all your allen screws are tight

take the newly completed release assemble and wheel, place it onto the receiving assemble, press and turn, it should pop into place. if the wheel keeps spinning freely, you did something wrong. you bastard.
if it locks into place and you can feel the tension from the wheels without power steering, your good.
go under the hood and reconnect your negative terminal. push the horn button and if you hear the horn, go get your self an ice cream. install complete.

the prize of your labors

some notes
1. make sure you get the wheel straight before doing this, and make sure you make the column shaft just to be safe
2. if you can, get some electrical grease and smear the hell out of the ring that will be making contact with the short hub. it will ensure longevity.