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How to Install Steering Wheel Radio Controls


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I like the idea of having the shifting on the left and the volume control on the right.

 

I think we could probably do that, do you have a multimeter?

 

We need to know the resistance in Ohms that the shift buttons send to the computer, and make sure that they are different during button presses, and the same when nothing is being pressed.

 

Here is how to do this:

 

Take off the airbag as I described.

 

Unplug the green plug.

 

Check the resistance between holes 2 and 4 when looking at the plug from the left to right. Your meter should give you something around 4.7k Ohms, and that should change when you press shift up and shift down.

 

Report back here with those numbers, and I will make sure that they are not the same as the radio controls.

 

The other thing to consider is that we will have to modify your steering wheel wiring harness to make sure that all signals are sent down the correct pathways and then use that multimeter to find the signals to tap them, at the harness side.

 

This would be custom, and different than my directions, but we should be able to figure it out.

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I suppose you could cut at the harness side and then tap at the stereo side...

 

You MIGHT be able to, in theory, have just say the volume controls and then have the other side to shift, but then U would loose the mode, and seek buttons. Also it would have to be determined what resistance the steering wheel shift buttons send out, and whether or not the stereo or transmission computer are effected by receiving this signal. I will try this on someones car if they want to come here to let me hack into it...:icon_tong )

Oh, I see. The two sets of controls do DIFFERENT things for the stereo. I thought it was a case of being duplicated like the shift controls...

 

I am the only person to actually do this so far as far as I know...

 

That may be the easiest solution, to pick one or the other...

So, it's a question of what the computer (ECU?) sees and it then sends the control the stereo to "do the right thing"? So, it's NOT (as I thought before) just a straight connection from stereo control to stereo?

 

That makes it much more complicated, IMHO.

 

I've gotten so used to the shifting controls..

 

Here's a crazy thought: IF they can co-exist, hack out a bit more of the wheel, and put both stereo modules/buttons on the same side.. I know it wouldn't look that great :icon_surp

 

Honestly, if it's a choice of either or, I'm keeping the shifting.. Way too much fun :)

 

HV

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Oh, I see. The two sets of controls do DIFFERENT things for the stereo. I thought it was a case of being duplicated like the shift controls...

 

 

So, it's a question of what the computer (ECU?) sees and it then sends the control the stereo to "do the right thing"? So, it's NOT (as I thought before) just a straight connection from stereo control to stereo?

 

That makes it much more complicated, IMHO.

 

I've gotten so used to the shifting controls..

 

Here's a crazy thought: IF they can co-exist, hack out a bit more of the wheel, and put both stereo modules/buttons on the same side.. I know it wouldn't look that great :icon_surp

 

Honestly, if it's a choice of either or, I'm keeping the shifting.. Way too much fun :)

 

HV

 

When wiring up the Radio controls the wires do go directly to the Stereo.

 

But in an automatic the shift controls HAVE to go to the ECU (or TCU) for them to work correctly...

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When wiring up the Radio controls the wires do go directly to the Stereo.

 

But in an automatic the shift controls HAVE to go to the ECU (or TCU) for them to work correctly...

 

Ok, so then could I just wire one of the stereo control wires up to the stereo directly? Or would I run afoul of the (argh, forgot the name of the part - the thing that lets wires pass through the steering wheel)? Any way to run extra wires (The only steering wheel related work I've done has been to put a Momo wheel on two non-airbag VWs with the horn being the only thing actually going through the wheel)?

 

HV

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Jamie (Subie Gal) can ge the steering wheels (Spec B) for $286.00 and the switches alone for $82.25 and will honor these prices for LegGT forum members.

 

 

A GB could hapen if there is enough interest.

 

didn't see this, how many would we have to get?

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Actually, re-thought this after reading through the directions. They are awesome but lack the necessary info for 5EATs. We need a process for both...I may be the guinea pig on it eventually...No rush though until I know I can do it.

 

My biggest question is what to do with the shift button wires once I figure out where to plug the stereo controls in. I need this mod, I can't take it anymore!

 

So this is a work in process I guess.

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Hmmm.....

 

Steering Wheel Controls, .......... Front Brembo's , ...........

Steering Wheel Controls, .......... Front Brembo's , ...........

Steering Wheel Controls, .......... Front Brembo's , ...........

Steering Wheel Controls, .......... Front Brembo's , ...........

 

Steering Wheel Controls useful mod, not to expensive, Front Brembo's found an AWESOME price for the complete kit, useful mod that would look killer behind the Prodrives....

 

...My wife's gonna kill me isn't she....

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http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?p=441952#post441952

 

Opie, I'm on your boat. Got a set of fronts and now I'm looking for the rears with the help of edmundu.

 

Please, post al related replys to the GB in the other thread and mods, feel free to clean up this thread tl leave the focus on the info posted by trabbic.

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Actually, re-thought this after reading through the directions. They are awesome but lack the necessary info for 5EATs. We need a process for both...I may be the guinea pig on it eventually...No rush though until I know I can do it.

 

My biggest question is what to do with the shift button wires once I figure out where to plug the stereo controls in. I need this mod, I can't take it anymore!

 

So this is a work in process I guess.

 

Buy it, and I will work with you to get the exact wire colors for the Automatic, it will still be pretty easy.

 

Just take a picture of that white plug under the steering column, and post it up here, and I will tell you what wires to cut and where to tap.

 

You will just tape up the other wires so you could always hook them back up if you needed to...

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how easy would it be to set off your airbag in your lap?

 

You would have to do something really dumb, it is almost impossible. To be safe disconnect your battery.

 

I just made sure that the ignition was off, that should disable the air bag system, but I offer no guarantees...

 

Disconnect the battery and you'll be fine...

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Trabbic - out of curiosity, is the airbag/horn cover identical between the standard wheel for the manual and the wheel with the controls?

 

I guess we're also yet to see if the Spec.B wheel will even be identical. Here's to hoping! :)

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Buy it, and I will work with you to get the exact wire colors for the Automatic, it will still be pretty easy.

 

Just take a picture of that white plug under the steering column, and post it up here, and I will tell you what wires to cut and where to tap.

 

You will just tape up the other wires so you could always hook them back up if you needed to...

 

 

Will do. I am going to order the POds this weekend from a local dealer or SubaruPartsforyou.com.

 

Thanks bro

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Trabbic - out of curiosity, is the airbag/horn cover identical between the standard wheel for the manual and the wheel with the controls?

 

I guess we're also yet to see if the Spec.B wheel will even be identical. Here's to hoping! :)

 

The Spec.B Wheel is the MOMO wheel with steering wheel radio controls. (the same wheel as 05 automatics with the radio controls instead of the shift controls for the automatic.)

 

The airbag cover will look the same as you have now, because you will be using your airbag, I assume that they are all the same.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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