I have a 96 sport with the tilt/cruise/airbag steering column. I want to replace the whole thing for one of those grant steering wheels.

Ive read its difficult to do so with these type of steering columns. something to do with how it tilts. others with the clock-spring not fitting back in place and the turn signals wont turn off automatically.

Also grant doesnt make install kits for 96-98 XJs. So does anyone have any idea or any one know a write-up.

 

You would loose the airbag..

 

I put a grant wheel into my toy, you will lose the airbag (duh) and also the clockspring which causes the turn indicator not to undo when you turn. They are all the same, they just dont sell "96-01" cause its illegal to remove the airbag on vehicles.

 

is it bad to loose the airbag? and why is it illegal?

 

Cause the government says its illegal to remove safety equipment from vehicles. Really depends on where you live for some do inspections and others dont. I removed mine cause I dont want an airbag to go off while I'm wheeling, but my toy is rarely driven on the street

 

I removed my SRS wheel. The clock spring did have to be removed, I swapped in a wheel from an 85, one of the nice looking 3 spoke Jeep wheels. Spline count is the same, though I had to get used to the multimalfunction switch being half an inch from the wheel. I need to put in a foot switch for high beams.
Turn signals not canceling is not a problem for me, and the old mechanical airbags on 95-96 are unsafe, especially off road.

 

^^man i need to do this i got a parts xj with one of these wheels sittin in it. how did u disable the air bag so it didnt go off when you took the wheel off?

 

Its mechanical. There is a cap on top of the wheel, pull it off and back out the bolt under it as far as it will go (it doesn't come out)
Then take all the screws out, remove airbag from wheel very carefully and set it somewhere it will not get knocked over. Pull the wheel, remove wiring, take out clock spring, pop in new wheel. You won't have a horn button anymore, or cruise control, or self canceling turn signals.

 

i dont have cruise anyway, and i hardly ever use my turn signals in the xj, ill have to up a button for some new air horns then, cuz mine are broke from an accident the PO got in lol

 

my clock spring fell apart when i took the wheel off. lol

deffinitly remove the airbag from outside the vehicle just incase.

 

Alright ill let my buddy know hes thinking of doing it. Why are the mecanchial airbags bad offroad?

 

^^ ummm... for the obvious reason that they can explode while you are wheelin, and while u arent expecting it. it can break ribs and noses too

 

I just dont want to have to turn off my signals manually. I dont want the airbag, dont use the cruise. I want my signals to work correctly and im sure i can wire the horn to work on the grant wheel. someone said they got their clockspring back in when they did the older style steering wheel swap. how hard was that?
Will having one of those 1" spacers that grant sells help to be able to keep the clockspring?