Search didn't work for me. I hope somebody can point me in the right direction.

I don't like the diameter of the stock steering wheel. It's slightly larger for my liking/comfort. I noticed that on the Lower Forty concept Jeep that they've installed the steering wheel from the Viper. I've driven a Viper before and that diameter wheel is ideal for me. I realize that 2 inches might not seem like a lot, but it does make a difference. Granted, the JK is far from being a sports car and I know the reasoning behind the size of a steering wheel in a sports car - I've driven plenty.

That being said, I like keeping my vehicles clean and stock-looking. I'm wondering what the implications would be of installing the Viper steering wheel in the JK. With regards to the SRS airbag, is there anything I should be considering? What other considerations, if any?

Thanks, friends.

NOTE: I've done a little bit of searching around and found this thread regarding steering wheels swaps between a Viper and SRT-4 or PT Cruiser and the like.

http://www.srtforums.com/forums/f69/...2/#post6991903

Does anybody know if such electronic issues would be the same for the JK?

 

yea basically don't swap it with a wheel that does not accept the stock airbag ... so choice is the leather wheel or a plastic wheel ...

different airbag would leave you with a plug that does not fit your harness most likely, a airbag that has not been crash tested in that car that may not provide ok protection in that cabin, and make it illegal to sell it as thats considered tampering with safety equipment ...

stick with it .. size of the wheel is insignificant compared to your safety. love your minivan wheel.

 

Totally aside from the air bag issue, which is critical IMHO:
Keep in mind that the JK has 3.5 turns lock-to-lock and the Viper has 2.4. The steering on the Viper is much faster and hence the steering wheel is smaller (feel and responsiveness).

Reducing the radius of the steering wheel is going to make the steering feel heavier. I prefer slightly heavy steering, but try driving with your hands on the inside spokes of the steering wheel and gradually move your hands towards the center. This will give you a general idea of how it will feel.

 

That's precisely what I want. I'm used to vehicles with tighter steering, so to speak - WRX, Mustang, Corvette, etc.

 

ask your wife if 2" would make a difference

 

right... and a smaller wheel on a larger turn lock to lock is going to turn 3.5 lock to lock into 5.5 lock to lock and turn your turning into slug

or am I missing something?


12 inch circle turns 12 inch and that = 1

8 inch circle turns 8 inches and that equals .85 so a full turn on the wheel is less then a full turn on the 12 inch wheel... so now you have to turn the 8 inch wheel one and a half times to equal the standard 1 turn...

x3.5

5 and a half turns or something like that would be lock to lock...

thats a lot of crossover hand action...

again I might be burnt out from work and doing this backwards...
oh and the numbers are totally there just for ease of caculation not actual meaning.

 

Crap! Good call. I obviously wasn't thinking this one through. Looks like I'd need to change out a bunch more components. Damnit! Ah well. I guess I'll get used to the minivan driving.

 

The diameter of the steering wheel has no effect on the number of turns lock to lock. That's determined inside the steering box. The input shaft will still turn the same number of turns, whether the steering wheel is 3" or 24" in diameter.
It will, however, change the force required to turn the wheel, and change how far your hands move for the same amount of steering shaft displacement.

 

So, I can still think about doing this?

 

It won't cause u to have more turns lock to lock but less movement if u were for instance to keep your hand in one spot on the wheel and turn lock to lock. Still same number of turns though. Also would be tighter steering.