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Steering Wheel Position


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I got myself an Atlantic Blue Legacy GT Unlimited Wagon a few weeks ago. Enjoying the car very much, and looking forward to finishing the break-in period.

 

But I sure would like that steering wheel about 2" closer to me.

(I don't mean the to become a beotch and wine thread.)

 

Is there any adjustability to the "telescoped" position of the steering wheel that the Subaru technicians could do?

 

Does anybody have an exploded diagram, or shop manual page, showing how the steering column goes together? I don't want to mess around in there without some direction, especially with the airbag waiting to pounce.

 

TIA

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I'm 5'11". Can't seem to find a comfortable position. If I move the seat forward, my knees hit my knuckles when turning while clutching/braking. If I tilt the seat forward the headrest hits the back of my head, plus I feel like grandma at the wheel.

 

The position I've found is tolerable - just. I'd sure be a lot more comfortable with the steering wheel closer.

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On my other cars, it the steering columns were bolted in through elongated holes, and there is anout an inch of play that can be used to adjust the reach of the wheel.

 

I checked the manual for info on our Legacy's steering column, and the two mounting holes appear to be elongated as well. It may be worth a look to pull the trim and check.

 

Jason K.

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On my other cars, it the steering columns were bolted in through elongated holes, and there is anout an inch of play that can be used to adjust the reach of the wheel.

 

I checked the manual for info on our Legacy's steering column, and the two mounting holes appear to be elongated as well. It may be worth a look to pull the trim and check.

 

Jason K.

 

Excellent! Any chance you could scan the relevant manual pages for me?

 

By the way, nice color choice on your wagon. :D

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I'm 5'11" too and I adjusted the fore/aft positioning on my LGT wagon until my elbows were at the desired 90 degree angle. Once I got the fore/aft positioning where it needed to be, then I balanced the up/down component until the seat pressure was just slightly against my thigh bottoms and then adjusted the up/down of the steering wheel until it was pointed directly at the middle of my chest, between the bottom of my chin and my waistline. Works for me and doesn't require any additional movements. I can not see all of my speedo/tach but I typically drive by sound and I can see the top of the speedo so I know when I'm getting close to exceeding the 65mph speed limit.

 

SBT

- Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum -
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Excellent! Any chance you could scan the relevant manual pages for me?

 

 

Here is the best I could find. The center diagram shows the sloted mounting holes. You will propbably need to zoom in a bit to see the diagram.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1103/AWDpower/Legacy%20GT%20Wagon/steeringcolumndiagram.jpg

 

By the way, nice color choice on your wagon. :D

 

Thanks!

 

Jason K.

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5'10 here and i fit like a glove.., not that it helps you guys..wish it had settings so i could tell you what i am set at. Just know if i can fit, you probably can too. Though its not all about the overall height, some people have more of their height below the waist, some above..others are pretty equal. AS mentioned above by another member, i have a slight problem with my guages..mine is less than his. I simply can't see my turn signals, so i find myself with the blinkers going sometimes if i am jammin and making many turns, some of which aren't enough to set the blinker back to neutral. I just have to slightly slouch to see them however, so not a big deal to me.
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Hey Keefe,

 

I could work with something like that. But their website seems to be down right now. Any other sources for and adapter like this that fits the 2005 Legacy?

 

Thanks!

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Hey Keefe,

 

I could work with something like that. But their website seems to be down right now. Any other sources for and adapter like this that fits the 2005 Legacy?

 

Thanks!

 

 

it's a JDM part, I am sure Dan @ MachV can get that for ya. well, we are also lucky cuz we have Momo steering wheels so you can ask http://www.ogracing.com for momo hub ring extenders and adapters for the car as well since they do supply steering wheel parts for Sparco and Momo adapters for aftermarket steering wheels.

 

Keefe

Keefe
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What does the RapFix do?

 

it's a steering wheel adapter for aftermarket steering wheels. Also there is an option for a steering wheel lock as well that when you remove the steering wheel off the rapfix, you can put the lock on it making it very hard to steal the car.

 

Keefe

Keefe
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But how can you run that adapter with an airbag?

 

why not? the airbag is in the steering wheel, not in the steering column.. and you just extend the air bag wires to get them to connect (if they are not long enough to reach). Same goes for the horn wires.

 

Keefe

Keefe
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it's not a tall person thing, it's about the length of your legs vs. the length of your arms after a certain height.

 

I'm 6'7", i'd like about an extra half inch to an inch on the steering column, but I find it pretty comfortable. However, I'm not leggy. My legs are proportionate to my torso, and I have long arms to boot. So it more or less works out.

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Keefe/All -

 

From looking at section AB-14.6, I'd imagine that our steering roll connector might cause a problem in this proposed (RAPFIX II) solution. :(

 

I have yet to remove our stock steering wheel - this is actually my first car in which I honestly and truly like the feel of the stock steering wheel, maybe the fact that it's a MOMO, and that's what I've preferred in the past, helps? - but it looks as if it shares some similarities in terms of the roll connector as the 2G DSMs, which I'm more familiar with.

 

On our DSMs, due to the roll connector - which we in the community often referred to as the clock dial - it's impossible, without some serious fabrication, to retain the roll connector while using standard MOMO-brand hub adaptors. Essentially, the only way to go short of fabricating a bracket to extend around/atop the roll connector was to remove the connector, which, of course, would thus disable the driver's side SRS.

 

I'm again at this point totally uncertain of whether the roll connector and its location in the LGT would present the same problem for us, but I would advise that anyone interested in such hub adaptors first look in to their stock steering wheel assembly before taking the plunge, especially those who are not willing to give up their driver's side airbag.

 

Additionally, legalities and insurance considerations aside, how safe would it be to retain the driver's side airbag with such an "extension" in-place?

 

-A

<-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges

'16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family

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Keefe,

 

Ah! Now that explains it, then - does the RAPFIX go around the roll connector?

 

Or do the JDM models allow use of the RAPFIX after dis-installation of the airbag and roll connector?

 

:confused:

 

If it's the former, then you've got me hitting myself or my ignorance on not know about this accessory back in my DSM days. Woulda have kept me a lot safer. ;)

 

-A

 

PS: Oops, I realized that my language had been un-clear, above. When referring to the "driver's side airbag," I meant the driver's-side - as in the steering-wheel- not the side airbag on the driver's side. Sorry 'bout that confusion! :redface:

<-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges

'16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family

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Summary of what I've learned today:

 

I e-mailed several aftermarked parts retailers. There are no adapters available for my car because if I use one I might disable my airbag. Big Brother, or his lawyers, don't want me to do that.

 

It is possible to get an adapter, but it has to be welded directly to the steering column. This might fry my ECU or other electronics.

 

As pointed out by TSi+WRX, there may be problems with the contacts for the airbag. I haven't investigated how this contact is made. It may be possible to make everything work with the right adapter and possibly splicing a little extra length into the airbag (and horn and cruise control) wires.

 

I still need to follow up on Keefe's suggestion of the BOSS adapter. Have to find someone who can tell me if there's one for the 2005 Legacy. I've sent Dan @ MachV an e-mail.

 

Looks like my best shot will be to try AWDpower's suggestion and see if there's any adjustment in the steering column. Maybe I can lengthen those slots a bit. I'll have to see how far I can move the steering column before I disengage the steering shaft!

 

Another option might be to pull the entire steering shaft and sheath out and splice in a few more inches. I would also have to make/modify the mounting brackets for this to work. That's an awful lot of work.

 

I'll let y'all know if I come up with a workable solution.

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Blue,

 

Please do keep us updated. :)

 

For some strange reason, although I've found the part in our Service Manuals regarding the roll connector, I cannot locate the walk-through section on removing the center airbag module/cover. :confused:

 

Just on this AM's commute, I've felt around behind the steering wheel for possible access/retention screws, but came-up short. I'll investigate in more detail when I return home this PM, but does anyone have a quick reference as to how to remove the center module on the steering wheel?

 

I'd likely end up pulling the wheel, as I've got that slight off-axis cant to the wheel that some of our LGTs are afflicted with from the factory - this will not only allow me to examine the innards of the wheel, but also should resolve this issue for me once and for all (if my past experience installing aftermarket steering wheels holds true, that is!:lol: ).

 

Love to hear about the RAPFIX II - if that somehow sits above and over the roll connector, thus enabling airbag retention, I actually might spring for one.

 

From looking at the video on the site that Keefe linked us to, though, it still seems to me that the hub adaptor bolts so that the roll connector would have to be removed. :( But then again, videos aren't all that detailed... :redface:

 

-A

<-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges

'16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family

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