Retrofit steering wheel controls ... - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

afphinfan · 04-29-2006, 10:02 PM

The only option that I wish this truck had other than Homelink is the steering wheel controls. I cannot understand for the life of me why an inexpensive option like steering wheel controls and a 6 disc changer for $200 is damn near impossible to find in my area, when BS options that I didn't want were on a ton of trucks. I didn't want to wait to have one ordered and I wouldn't care to much not having it but I've heard of quite a few people upgrading their stereos and wondered if I could trade steering wheels and stereos with someone or find a wrecked one with that option, how hard would it be to replace the steering wheel and extra wiring harness? I'm probably smoking crack on this, but I've been on a steady dose of pain meds this week and I'm bored out of my skull ... idle minds are dangerous!

Thanks,
Mark

Deviant · 04-29-2006, 10:56 PM

Someone did a steering wheel swap not to long ago... try search for it. Looked prety promising to me, though I didn't follow up on the thread after.

afphinfan · 04-29-2006, 11:52 PM

I did another search and found one post where someone asked a similar question and was told it was too $$$, but did seem to think that the harness was there. That is the important part, I know that the wheel can be changed out with some help of some pros that I know ... just gotta find someone who bought the upgraded stuff but then went custom or a wrecked tacoma with the controls. Would the airbag need to be changed or swapped?

All this is theory anyway as I am sure that I probably would not waste the time or money ... like I said, doped up on painkillers and idle time!

calypson · 04-30-2006, 12:17 AM

Airbags are the same and changing the wheel is very easy. I changed my steering wheel with controls to the wheel from an 06 Camry. (I like 3 spokes better)

afphinfan · 04-30-2006, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calypson

Airbags are the same and changing the wheel is very easy. I changed my steering wheel with controls to the wheel from an 06 Camry. (I like 3 spokes better)

Calypson ... nice mod! Care to do a quick write up of what was required to do this? If the steering wheels are plug and play from many different models, there may be quite a few people interested in this. I could live w/o it but if it was easy enough and the price was right then I would jump on it.

Rodge · 04-30-2006, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by afphinfan

Calypson ... nice mod! Care to do a quick write up of what was required to do this? If the steering wheels are plug and play from many different models, there may be quite a few people interested in this. I could live w/o it but if it was easy enough and the price was right then I would jump on it.

I'd be VERY happy if there was a write up. The steering wheel can be a bit uncomfortable on longer drives.

BillBrasky · 04-30-2006, 01:43 PM

Here's the link for the steering wheel swap thread (pics) by calypson, in case you guys had trouble finding it. Sorry to waste your time if you did...

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/t132992.html

tk628 · 04-05-2007, 12:04 AM

I wish there was an easier way to do this

bueno_taco · 04-05-2007, 04:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by afphinfan

The only option that I wish this truck had other than Homelink is the steering wheel controls. I cannot understand for the life of me why an inexpensive option like steering wheel controls and a 6 disc changer for $200 is damn near impossible to find in my area, when BS options that I didn't want were on a ton of trucks.

You shoulda come to Texas.

The 6 disc with steering wheel controls was the one option I specifically did not want that I had to get anyway as here it was pretty much impossible to get one without it.

I think the airbags are different as from pictures I've seen here it appears the airbag cover covers the area where the buttons are located on the wheel with the controls. Too bad they didn't use the same wheel and just have dummy buttons for trucks without the controls, like the dummy buttons on the right side of the wheel for the one with the controls.

I never use the controls and intend to replace the radio, and I hate either having the controls be there and not work, confined to using Eclipse units, or having to buy a PAC adapter and still being limited to what head units I can buy that those work with. On the other hand I have no intention of replacing the entire steering wheel.