DIY: Steering wheel replacement with black wood wheel

[97BlackAckCL]

No trimming required!

Finally got a weekend off from work and replaced my steering wheel with my Lexus OEM black perf leather / black burlwood steering wheel. Also swapped the blue LED steering wheel controls in that [MENTION=30225]yosh2000[/MENTION] did for me. Very happy with this mod, and the smooth wood is going to take some getting used to, but I absolutely love the OEM look and feel of this wheel.

Before of the steering wheel controls, which I was so sick of looking at in front of my pretty blue gauges.

The new wheel

First test fit with everything installed

Blue LED steering wheel controls to match the rest of my swap

Outside view with the sun lighting up the wood, it only has the burlwood look in direct sun, otherwise it looks like black wood. I really like it

 

[Lewis&Clark]

Finally got a weekend off from work and replaced my steering wheel with my Lexus OEM black perf leather / black burlwood steering wheel. Also swapped the blue LED steering wheel controls in that [MENTION=30225]yosh2000[/MENTION] did for me. Very happy with this mod, and the smooth wood is going to take some getting used to, but I absolutely love the OEM look and feel of this wheel.

Before of the steering wheel controls, which I was so sick of looking at in front of my pretty blue gauges.

Gorgeous. Nice work on this mod. I so wish I had the guts to try swapping out my ugly orange factory lighting with blue or white LEDs. I think that one though is going to wait until the warrant runs out on the truck first!

Starting to call around to junk yards, hoping to find a good deal on a wood steering wheel.

The Lexus GX470 I know is an easy fit for an '08 T4R. Would one of the steering wheels from a Land Cruiser also work?


dt

 

[gshadow325]

Starting to call around to junk yards, hoping to find a good deal on a wood steering wheel.

The Lexus GX470 I know is an easy fit for an '08 T4R. Would one of the steering wheels from a Land Cruiser also
dt

You think $200 is too much for a NEW wheel? Good luck in finding a decent used wheel at the same price or less.

Also the first post lists the wheel is for a land cruiser.
[MENTION=51033]97BlackAckCL[/MENTION] bought something different than the original post from a usa seller. I think that's where the confusion might be from.

 

[97BlackAckCL]

Gorgeous. Nice work on this mod. I so wish I had the guts to try swapping out my ugly orange factory lighting with blue or white LEDs. I think that one though is going to wait until the warrant runs out on the truck first!

Starting to call around to junk yards, hoping to find a good deal on a wood steering wheel.

The Lexus GX470 I know is an easy fit for an '08 T4R. Would one of the steering wheels from a Land Cruiser also work?


dt

Thanks, I have an extra steering wheel controls that I will be putting up for sale if you're interested. I had Josh (yosh2000) do mine and I just swapped them when I put the wheel in. I actually just swapped my stock board for the blue LED board, super easy. And yes, this was from a USA seller not the overseas one, and I paid $200 as well :thumb3:

 

[emelianenkov]

Wood wheel is cold in the morning!

 

[97BlackAckCL]

Wood wheel is cold in the morning!

I hear there's nothing worse than having cold wood :embarassed:

 

[Lewis&Clark]

You think $200 is too much for a NEW wheel? Good luck in finding a decent used wheel at the same price or less.

Also the first post lists the wheel is for a land cruiser.
[MENTION=51033]97BlackAckCL[/MENTION] bought something different than the original post from a usa seller. I think that's where the confusion might be from.

No no not at all. I think two hundred bucks is a pretty darn good deal for a new wheel. I'm just on quite a budget lately, so I thought I'd see what I can find being scrapped somewhere and hopefully get an even better deal.

Thanks for pointing out the LC in the original thread. Long thread and had forgotten about that part.

 

[97BlackAckCL]

No no not at all. I think two hundred bucks is a pretty darn good deal for a new wheel. I'm just on quite a budget lately, so I thought I'd see what I can find being scrapped somewhere and hopefully get an even better deal.

Thanks for pointing out the LC in the original thread. Long thread and had forgotten about that part.

Keep an eye on ebay too

 

[Lewis&Clark]

I hear there's nothing worse than having cold wood :embarassed:

What about the steering wheel heaters in the Land Cruiser steering wheels...anyone got those working in a 4R?

 

[emelianenkov]

I hear there's nothing worse than having cold wood :embarassed:

But it's piano wood, so it's black... And as they say.... :laugh:

 

[97BlackAckCL]

What about the steering wheel heaters in the Land Cruiser steering wheels...anyone got those working in a 4R?

I wish, I'm not that brave

But it's piano wood, so it's black... And as they say.... :laugh:

 

[gshadow325]

What about the steering wheel heaters in the Land Cruiser steering wheels...anyone got those working in a 4R?

get me one, i will get it to work.

 

[CookieRoe]

get me one, i will get it to work.

:eyebrows:

That would be cool!!

 

[olsen_karl]

Bump for different question --

For anyone who replaced their steering wheel, either with one of the ones in this thread or from another source -- was there any difference in the dish of the wheel? In other words, did the wheel rim sit any closer (or further) to you than the stock wheel?

I have a 4R without a telescoping steering wheel, and am getting close to selling it, if I can't make it more comfortable -- i.e., if I can't figure out a way to bring the steering wheel a little closer to me.

If there is a deeper dish wheel that fits the same 4-spoke design of the 4th gen 4R wheel, such that the airbag assembly fits, and that matches up with the splines, then this might work.

 

[CookieRoe]

I don't think so, the wheel is "thicker" maybe giving the impression that it's closer, but not closer.

 

[97BlackAckCL]

Bump for different question --

For anyone who replaced their steering wheel, either with one of the ones in this thread or from another source -- was there any difference in the dish of the wheel? In other words, did the wheel rim sit any closer (or further) to you than the stock wheel?

I have a 4R without a telescoping steering wheel, and am getting close to selling it, if I can't make it more comfortable -- i.e., if I can't figure out a way to bring the steering wheel a little closer to me.

If there is a deeper dish wheel that fits the same 4-spoke design of the 4th gen 4R wheel, such that the airbag assembly fits, and that matches up with the splines, then this might work.

Nope, I got a Lexus steering wheel, and it was a direct swap, doesn't sit any closer, just feels a little wider with the grip. :lookout:

 

[97BlackAckCL]

Also wanted to mention, that that wood sure does get cold in the winter

 

[JeffMerr]

If you have the base model wheel without radio controls, is it possible to add these? Either doing this mod or replacing it with an oem wheel w/controls?

 

[97BlackAckCL]

If you have the base model wheel without radio controls, is it possible to add these? Either doing this mod or replacing it with an oem wheel w/controls?

Should be, they just screw into the steering wheel. I have an extra set of audio controls, let me know if you'd be interested.

 

[JeffMerr]

Should be, they just screw into the steering wheel. I have an extra set of audio controls, let me know if you'd be interested.

So I'm wondering if the wiring is already there for the controls to plug into? And I know I would need the center portion from an oem control steering wheel since there are cut outs on each side.