Grand Cherokee Steering Wheel Swap
I never have much liked the original steering wheel on the XJ. Seemed kinda sad looking and was too thin at the top and bottom. I figured a Grand Cherokee steering wheel might work and I was right. Kept the cruise (you will have to swap connectors) and a GC airbag up to and including 2001 will work. 2002+ are dual stage and will not work - they cannot be made to either.
I was thinking of adding cruise control to my '00 XJ. Found a '99 XJ with cruise control in the boneyard. Instead of taking everything apart in the steering column in my Jeep and the boneyard one I figured I would just swap out the whole steering column. Replace the ingnition with mine so I could use my key. So after seeing your post wondering if I should just steal everything in the engine compartment from the boneyard XJ I need for the cruise and swap in a GC steering wheel like you did. What year is that GC steering wheel from in the picture? What year is your XJ? When you say up to and including '01 do you mean '99 to '01 or will even older ('93 - '98) GC steering wheels work? I am assuming the whole steering column from a GC is not the same as the one in an XJ. Is that true? And you say I will have to swap the connectors. So does that mean the wiring is the same, same number of wires and colors are the same, it is just the connectors themselves that do not match? Thinking if I am adding cruise this might be another way to go. Especially since I have boneyard access at this one place, I do business with them in the auto parts store I work at, and they pretty much let me go in their yard and do whatever I want. They never charge me for the small stuff, I pull it myself, but they might charge me something like $40 for the steering column and other cruise control parts from the '99 XJ. They would charge me something equally stupid if I steal some parts from a GC.
Any year GC wheel from 99-04 will work. I assume earlier will work, but I can't personally confirm that. For the airbag, it can't be newer than 2001 because of the single stage going to dual stage in 2002.
My XJ is a 2000.
For the cruise, one of the wires is exactly the same, the other isn't but I just connected the one that matched and then the one left over. Cruise is controlled by two wires in both the models.
My XJ is a 2000.
For the cruise, one of the wires is exactly the same, the other isn't but I just connected the one that matched and then the one left over. Cruise is controlled by two wires in both the models.
Any year GC wheel from 99-04 will work. I assume earlier will work, but I can't personally confirm that. For the airbag, it can't be newer than 2001 because of the single stage going to dual stage in 2002.
My XJ is a 2000.
For the cruise, one of the wires is exactly the same, the other isn't but I just connected the one that matched and then the one left over. Cruise is controlled by two wires in both the models.
My XJ is a 2000.
For the cruise, one of the wires is exactly the same, the other isn't but I just connected the one that matched and then the one left over. Cruise is controlled by two wires in both the models.
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Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 539
Likes: 4
From: Cincinnati, Ohio
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Any year GC wheel from 99-04 will work. I assume earlier will work, but I can't personally confirm that. For the airbag, it can't be newer than 2001 because of the single stage going to dual stage in 2002.
My XJ is a 2000.
For the cruise, one of the wires is exactly the same, the other isn't but I just connected the one that matched and then the one left over. Cruise is controlled by two wires in both the models.
My XJ is a 2000.
For the cruise, one of the wires is exactly the same, the other isn't but I just connected the one that matched and then the one left over. Cruise is controlled by two wires in both the models.
I picked up am Overland steering wheel and 2001 single stage airbag from the junk yard and the airbag doesn't seem to want to fit? The same airbag came off the wheel but it was a little newer two stage.
Any ideas?
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 539
Likes: 4
From: Cincinnati, Ohio
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 539
Likes: 4
From: Cincinnati, Ohio
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Sorry it took so long.
So it turns out, when I found that steering wheel at the jy it was late in the day and I did not have my puller so I tried other ways to get the steering wheel off and nothing. Turns out I gentlemen was walking by and decided to "help" me. He says, here man let me try, so I move over, he jumps in and tries everything in his power to just yank the thing off with his bare hands, didn't work. I came back the next day with my puller and got it off. I am guessing he bent the steering wheel in his steroid rage trying to pull it off.
I did find another and have that one ready as soon as I decide to do this.
Thank you for the info my friend.
Jeff
So it turns out, when I found that steering wheel at the jy it was late in the day and I did not have my puller so I tried other ways to get the steering wheel off and nothing. Turns out I gentlemen was walking by and decided to "help" me. He says, here man let me try, so I move over, he jumps in and tries everything in his power to just yank the thing off with his bare hands, didn't work. I came back the next day with my puller and got it off. I am guessing he bent the steering wheel in his steroid rage trying to pull it off.
I did find another and have that one ready as soon as I decide to do this.
Thank you for the info my friend.
Jeff
Member

Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 113
Likes: 7
From: Titusville, FL
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Where did you get your gauge cluster leds? They look great, if you have the link for them that would be much appreciated. I will be in the junkyard next weekend back home helping my dad out with something and I am hoping that the overland they just got still has the steering wheel so I can put it in my limited to match the interior. Does the cruise control work? Is there anything you had to do to make it work? I've heard you have to solder a resistor onto the controls.



