Hello, z3 change to z4 steering wheel

[kane]

Hello. I have a Sep 99 registered Z3 2.8 which I want to change the steering wheel on, it has a duel stage wheel. I cannot find a Raid wheel and more importantly RAID and a couple other German companies can no longer get the wiring to convert that wheel from a single to duel stage. So that leaves the Z4 wheel. Questions. 1. Is it much smaller as I find the Z3 wheel too wide in diameter. 2. As I have a duel stage system already will the existing wiring work. 3. Is there much to making the Z4 wheel physically fit. I've heard some machining us required and possibly a new washer. How involved is this conversion? I'm really struggling with the current wheel. Many thanks

 

[Shelly]

 

[Shelly]

Hi @kane , I’m sure someone will be along shortly, to give you some advice
Please post some photos of your Z
And where does your Z live

 

[Jack Ratt]

Hi Kane welcome to the forum. You may just need to swap the slip ring from your old steering wheel to your new wheel. I can't be certain but when I swapped my steering wheel they had different slip ring plugs

 

[Nodzed]

@bertiejaffa put a Z4 wheel on his Z3M maybe he will drop in and give some advice, speaking to him I dont think is was straight forward, involved machining part of the boss I think

 

[pgunter]

Hello

Searching the Zroadster database and found this. It might help you identify parts similar to what you are looking at.

https://zroadster.org/threads/z4-e85-steering-wheel-swap.24787/

 

[kane]

Hi, thanks, but that's Z4 to Z4. I'm looking Z4 to Z3.

 

[pgunter]

But it will give you an idea of the z4 connectors and slip rings.

 

[Mint]

Hi @kane, to the forum from me too in Staffordshire. Let's see if @bertiejaffa has done the conversion as it's not a common occurrence

 

[PHILIP BAXTER]

Hi Kane, and welcome from me in Cardiff.

 

[Nodzed]

Hi @kane, to the forum from me too in Staffordshire. Let's see if @bertiejaffa has done the conversion as it's not a common occurrence

He did Dave, he had it on the M on the last Scottish cruise we all did.

 

[kane]

Thanks all for the welcome. Fingers crossed BertieJaffa can give me some advise on the conversion.

 

[bertiejaffa]

Hi Kane, I will reply to your message but essentially you need to buy a Z4 wheel and the airbag the bad news is that the z4 airbag is unique and as a result aren’t cheap- the good news is I happen to have a dual stage z4 airbag which might suit

The back of the steering wheel needs to be machined down and you need a custom piece of metal fabricating to adapt the machined wheel onto the Z3 slip ring. @Southernboy might be able to help you with that..

Cheers Lee

 

[Southernboy]

Yes I can help...

 

[Southernboy]

Lee - do you still have the info on the machining I sent you ?
If Kane wants that, I can email it to him too.

 

[Southernboy]

Hi Kane - I did the conversion on a 1997 2.8 which has a single stage system - successfully.
You have a dual stage, so the conversion is straight forward. The wiring connectors to the air bag are universal, so you won't need any connectors to be changed.Basically you will need an e85 Z4 wheel and airbag. The reason for the e85 wheel is it isn't a multi-function wheel, which would be costly and useless on a Z3.
The Z4 wheel is thicker, and smaller.
The adapter part you will need, I have.

 

[bertiejaffa]

Lee - do you still have the info on the machining I sent you ?
If Kane wants that, I can email it to him too.

hi - yeah I have emailed it across. Hope you’re keeping well pal

 

[kane]

Ok. Sorry for late reply. How much do you want for the adapter bit. PM me if you prefer. Thanks

 

[M Phillips]

Will this adapter allow me to install this wheel to my facelift Z3? I understand it will also need machining.
Thanks

 

[Texbid]

hi - yeah I have emailed it across. Hope you’re keeping well pal

Pls send this to me as well. Im in the process of making this change.