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Steering wheel swap
- Thread starter CheesyTaco
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- Watchers 14
Unfortunately I’m not in the area, but that wheel you have is the one I want (if it plugs in). I assume it likely does. I’d buy the wheel off you if you were willing to ship it, but I probably need to confirm connector pin out before I make a purchase.
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I have some pictures of the trd leather with heat.
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- Paul
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What are you asking for it?I have some pictures of the trd leather with heat.
Homies in the thread,
I just replaced my steering wheel with a pro wheel and I swear I installed the new one straight on the with the sharpie mark I made on the spline when taking the old one off. I am also quite (90%) sure my wheels were "straight" before the removal. When parked, everything seems nice and lined up, see pic below.
When I'm driving tho - I now notice I have to pull my steering wheel to one side to keep the truck straight. Idk if this has been happening and I only notice it now with the noon marker or what... for context though I have not checked alignment for probably 12-15k miles so it may just be time that. Tires look ok as far as wear and have been rotated every oil change every ~4k miles. Tire pressures were all close enough that I don't attribute it to tire pressure.
My question - did you all have to get an alignment after/adjust the tie rods per the repair manual to center the steering wheel after your install? My research points towards an alignment via tie rods. Some results say just remove the wheel again and move it over one spline tooth, drive and check it again, etc. The repair manual makes it sound like I could have also messed the clock spring sensor position up upon install.
I'm curious, did any of you have to rework/change anything after install as far as:
1. Steering wheel position, i.e., where on the spline teeth it sits and had it removed and reinstalled,
2. The clock spring sensor position, or
3. Have to get an alignment to adjust tie rods to center the wheel
I thought it was fairly simple to perform and everything "works" correctly, but I'd love your guys' insight. I may have just messed up the install, too, but still - what have you all experienced?
I just replaced my steering wheel with a pro wheel and I swear I installed the new one straight on the with the sharpie mark I made on the spline when taking the old one off. I am also quite (90%) sure my wheels were "straight" before the removal. When parked, everything seems nice and lined up, see pic below.
When I'm driving tho - I now notice I have to pull my steering wheel to one side to keep the truck straight. Idk if this has been happening and I only notice it now with the noon marker or what... for context though I have not checked alignment for probably 12-15k miles so it may just be time that. Tires look ok as far as wear and have been rotated every oil change every ~4k miles. Tire pressures were all close enough that I don't attribute it to tire pressure.
My question - did you all have to get an alignment after/adjust the tie rods per the repair manual to center the steering wheel after your install? My research points towards an alignment via tie rods. Some results say just remove the wheel again and move it over one spline tooth, drive and check it again, etc. The repair manual makes it sound like I could have also messed the clock spring sensor position up upon install.
I'm curious, did any of you have to rework/change anything after install as far as:
1. Steering wheel position, i.e., where on the spline teeth it sits and had it removed and reinstalled,
2. The clock spring sensor position, or
3. Have to get an alignment to adjust tie rods to center the wheel
I thought it was fairly simple to perform and everything "works" correctly, but I'd love your guys' insight. I may have just messed up the install, too, but still - what have you all experienced?
I am using @rijc99 steering wheel off of his TRD Off-Road in my SR. Same story, I’ve actually swapped the wheel back and forth probably 5 times trying to evaluate if I liked it better or not. I know for 100% certain I could not get it on any closer spline. Mine is currently crooked slightly to the right when going straight. If I move it one spline it will be crooked to the left going straight. The splines do not offer a super fine adjustment. The root issue is the manufacturing tolerance in the splines and wheel. They aren’t exact.Homies in the thread,
I just replaced my steering wheel with a pro wheel and I swear I installed the new one straight on the with the sharpie mark I made on the spline when taking the old one off. I am also quite (90%) sure my wheels were "straight" before the removal. When parked, everything seems nice and lined up, see pic below.
When I'm driving tho - I now notice I have to pull my steering wheel to one side to keep the truck straight. Idk if this has been happening and I only notice it now with the noon marker or what... for context though I have not checked alignment for probably 12-15k miles so it may just be time that. Tires look ok as far as wear and have been rotated every oil change every ~4k miles. Tire pressures were all close enough that I don't attribute it to tire pressure.
My question - did you all have to get an alignment after/adjust the tie rods per the repair manual to center the steering wheel after your install? My research points towards an alignment via tie rods. Some results say just remove the wheel again and move it over one spline tooth, drive and check it again, etc. The repair manual makes it sound like I could have also messed the clock spring sensor position up upon install.
I'm curious, did any of you have to rework/change anything after install as far as:
1. Steering wheel position, i.e., where on the spline teeth it sits and had it removed and reinstalled,
2. The clock spring sensor position, or
3. Have to get an alignment to adjust tie rods to center the wheel
I thought it was fairly simple to perform and everything "works" correctly, but I'd love your guys' insight. I may have just messed up the install, too, but still - what have you all experienced?
I’m having mine aligned out with toe adjustments Friday. That’s what the factory does to begin with after installing the wheel anyways. That’s all you need to do to fix it. Nothing is wrong with the truck, it’s just a difference between the two steering wheels. They’ll lock the new wheel straight and adjust everything to fit it. Clock spring ought to be fine.
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Thank you for the insight. I thought I was tripping for real. Like, I swear it was a good swap maybe one spline tooth off at the most. But same for me, I hold it to the right to go straight! Probably like 5 degrees max. I'm going to my local shop tomorrow to inquire about alignment and steering wheel centering tomorrow.
You're right, looking at the factory manual install procedure for a steering wheel install, there is not too much about getting it on the exact spline when installing. But there is a whole separate procudure about realignment with the tie rods after to get it centered.
I was surprised the manual literally tells you to drive at 35 mph in a straight line for like 100 yards while holding the wheel so that it's "straight" and then match marking Scotch tape you've placed on the column and wheel at the same time. Every time I visualize how to do this it seems/feels dangerous. I'm not a Toyota engineer though, so don't count on my imagination for properly doing these procedures.
Once i get the alignment, I'll be sure to report back what happens. Hope your shop works and fixes things or at least reduces it to an unnoticeable degree.
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Just an FYI, I got my alignment on Friday and things are good now. Apparently, the bone stock truck was already running toe out and was out of spec, so I guess it's good I got this anyways.
While the steering wheel alignment is basically perfect, it could probably use just the tiniest bit of further steering wheel adjustment. Like the wheel is just the tiniest bit turned to the right when going straight, but it's close enough that I'm not going to bother going back. It is essentially unnoticeable. It was bad before (unlivable for me) when I swapped the wheel initially.
- First Name
- Paul
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- Nov 1, 2025
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- TRD Off-Road (inbound), Civic Type R
You could make the adjustment at home. Just adjust both tie rods the same amount in the directions until it’s straight. I bet you’d only need like 1/16 of a turn to line it up. There are YouTube videos on how to do it if you wanted visuals
BL,
Hey thanks for the follow up. I also got my truck aligned this weekend. The shop guys told me something similar, everything else alignment wise was fine except the toe angle had my tires pointing to the left which is why I was holding the wheel to the right. They got me back in spec and straightened the wheel pretty dead center so I am happy with it.
My truck is now pulling ever so slightly to the right still when I let go of the wheel driving straight, but I chalk this up to uneven tread wear since I was probably driving with the out of spec alignment for awhile now that I think about it.
At first I felt the wheel was just a cosmetic upgrade, but now I see the usefulness of the noon marker as a visual indicator of alignment changes or of similar related driving issues that should be addressed. Super happy with the new steering wheel.
Every truck I’ve ever owned very slightly steers right when letting go of the wheel. I don’t think that’s an issue at all and you probably just never noticed it before and are noticing it now after the alignment due to paying more attention.
