WARNINGS
1) The spacer comes pre-assembled, so you don’t have to unscrew the 5 Allen screws that hold the 2 hub parts together.
2) Carry out the entire procedure with the battery disconnected, to avoid unintentional ignition of the airbag warning light.
3) Handle all cables with care, even when disconnecting and reconnecting connectors. Be careful not to never, even accidentally, pull on any of the cables.
DISASSEMBLING THE STEERING WHEEL
If possible, watch some videos on youtube searching for “BMW 1 series F21 steering wheel removal”. It helps to familiarize yourself with the procedure if you have never even seen it done.
1) Remove the arbag from the steering wheel. Depending on the type of steering wheel (M Sport or normal), to unlock the airbag, the grinding wheels that hold it attached to the steering wheel must be released. To access these springs, a screwdriver must be inserted into the 2 holes on the side of the steering wheel, behind the spokes, half-hidden and sometimes “drowned” in the rubber structure of the steering wheel. Take some time and patience and insert the screwdriver slowly and several times until you feel the elasticity of the spring, and only then push a little harder until the airbag deploys.
2) Disconnect all connectors, starting with the one (or 2) connected to the airbag. Each connector has a snap-on safety latch, it’s not enough to just pull, you need to unlock first. Either with your fingernails, or with a small flat screwdriver. Familiarize yourself with the safety features of each individual connector. Place the airbag away from everyone, especially children.
3) Unscrew the central screw that holds the steering wheel, without removing it completely, make sure that the steering wheel slides on the steering column first. This is because, if the car is a few years old, the steering wheel can be “nailed” in the steering column and suddenly unlock if pulled hard, risking tearing the wires.
4) When you are sure that the steering wheel slides on the steering column, remove the screw and pull it away, gently running the cables through the slots in the steering wheel.
5) Now you have to stretch the wires. Harnesses have been supplied with the spacer that work even if they do not have the same connectors with the snap closure present on the machine. They have the same pitch as the pins found in the connectors. Insert the connectors into the corresponding slots on the rotating contact above the column, taking care not to rotate the contact too much, which must maintain its position.
The connectors require a certain amount of force to be inserted into the corresponding pins, and they are never under traction, even when driving, so there is no risk of them accidentally disconnecting.
INSERTING THE SPACER
6) The spacer must be inserted into the column respecting the alignment of the ribbed (the tooth is at the bottom at 6 o’clock), and passing the cables gently through the corresponding window of the spacer itself.
7) From this moment, proceed to reassemble the steering wheel as if the spacer were not there, because this is a faithful replica of the steering column. Slide the steering wheel into the spacer, passing the wires through the groove of the steering wheel. Insert the large and long screw included in the kit, into the center and tighten to 60 Nm. At this point, the steering wheel is fixed. Keep the original BMW center screw aside, in case of future return to the original configuration. Connect the cables included in the kit and previously connected to the rotary contact, this time to the wiring harnesses coming out of the steering wheel.
8) Stow the airbag back in position, oriented as before, after making sure that the cables are not pressed between the steering wheel and the airbag, and press down as hard as when pressing the horn. You will hear 2 clicks when the airbag is reattached to the steering wheel itself.
9) Reconnect the battery.
