Swapping Steering Wheels: TBSS to '06 2500HD

[MattKatz]

SO I have my Extra, Very nice TBSS Leather wheel with controls, and my 2500HD doesn't have the Steering wheel controls. I would love to have the controls, but I priced a clockspring and good lord its worth more than gold, even at jobber. I do have the TBSS Clockspring if it could be Frankensteined in. I do remember we tried to put a TBSS wheel in an 03 or 04 before with controls already, and if I recall correctly the wheel bolts on and controls worked but the splines line up differently and I remember something about single stage vs. dual stage Air bags making these incompatible. Id love to get this wheel in my truck and working, but don't want to do it if its going to be an arm and a leg.

Anyone have a clue about this?

 

[duratothemax]

The airbags are indeed different. All HD trucks have single-stage airbags. So there will be the incompatibility there...

Maybe try a junkyard for a used clockspring? Just make sure it isnt broken before you buy it.

You will also need the associated harness for the column, a BCM reflash, and an IPC reflash to make the steering wheel controls work. It is not "plug and play".

Ben

 

[OregonDMAX]

What about the 01-02 style swapped to the 03+ style are those plug and play? As in just an airbag and wheel for non-steering controls

 

[Chevy1925]

What about the 01-02 style swapped to the 03+ style are those plug and play? As in just an airbag and wheel for non-steering controls

Not by a long shot

 

[OregonDMAX]

Not by a long shot

What's different... I know the cars and SUV's are different but how are the trucks different they haven't redesigned airbag modules much in the early 2000's

The only thing that would have to work is the connector fr the airbag itself. If the clockspring is the same it should work

I saw an 01 halfton with an SSS wheel and he said it was a direct swap

 

[duratothemax]

What about the 01-02 style swapped to the 03+ style are those plug and play? As in just an airbag and wheel for non-steering controls

I would think it would be a direct swap?

The airbags on 01-02 HD trucks and 03+ HD trucks are all single stage. As long as the connector is the same.

So if you got an 03+ steering wheel and 03+ HD airbag, it "should" work in an 01-02. Im not sure what the point is though; unless you like the look of the 03+ steering wheel better?

 

[duratothemax]

I saw an 01 halfton with an SSS wheel and he said it was a direct swap

THAT is not a direct swap. 2003+ half tons are dual-stage airbags. 2002 and older half tons are single-stage airbags (like all HD trucks).

So he must have put a silverado SS steering wheel in his 01 half ton, and then used a (single-stage) airbag from a 2003+ HD truck.

Which probably isnt the greatest idea. Airbag deployment timing and deployment force are obviously very specifically calibrated values and the airbag inflator modules are designed accordingly with specific amounts of propellant etc.

All 2001+ HD single-stage airbags are fairly depowered (as far as how fast/hard they inflate) compared to the half ton airbags.

This is due to the generally lower crash impulse and "g-forces" that you would experience in crashing an HD truck (because they are heavier; they decelerate slower in a crash, so you dont need as forceful/fast a deployment to provide the proper amount of supplemental restraint)

One of the head engineers at GM Safety/Restraints told me a while back that the HD single-stage airbag deployment force is comparable to only the first deployment stage (lower deployment force) of a 2003+ half ton airbag.

2002 and older half ton single stage airbags are closer to a 2003+ truck blowing both stages (higher deployment force).

So if you are in a moderate-to-severe crash in a 2002 or older half ton that has any single-stage HD airbag in it, you might not get enough supplemental restraint (from the depowered single-stage HD bag), and could bottom out the bag, smacking your head on the steering wheel......

Its your decision

Ben

 

[Chevy1925]

What about the 01-02 style swapped to the 03+ style are those plug and play? As in just an airbag and wheel for non-steering controls

Not by a long shot

i missed the last part of your sentence. if you do it WITHOUT trying to hook up steering wheel controls or just have a base model steering wheel with out them, it should go right in.

like ben said though, why even swap it?

 

[OregonDMAX]

The only reason I asked is because my stitching is just starting to come out and the only wheels the local parts yard has is 03+ for cheap.

So as long as they are both HD trucks with base model wheels it should work. I might try it.

 

[Chevy1925]

i think ebay has some decent stock 01-02 wheels on it. i bought a better shape one off a member long ago and just now put it on cause the leather had worn through and was becoming really rough. id like to buy a brand new one and tuck it away with a new shift lever and multifunction switch to put in a long ways down the road.

 

[gmc502]

What about the 01-02 style swapped to the 03+ style are those plug and play? As in just an airbag and wheel for non-steering controls

if you don't care about the air bags working(they might work on single stage).I put the whole 06 steeting column and wheel in.what I had to do is put my 02 stalks and ignition switch on the 06.only had to tap 1 bolt hole and the boss is already on the 06.
I used the pac control box to control my pioneer nav system.

 

[gmc502]

as for clock spring,,you need the 06 as it has all the signal paths off the steering wheel.If your handy w/ a soldering iron,,you can take it apart and fix the broken solder joints.
thats what I had to do.

 

[NC-smokinlmm]

If you want a nice aftermarket wheel look at autowoods.com...

I had one and it was nicer than any stock wheel I have ever seen...

 

[OregonDMAX]

I'm not doing all this for a cool looking wheel I asked because I can get an 03+ wheel for about 1/4 the cost of an 01-02 wheel, that's all. And I want my airbags to work so I'm not messing with 06 stuff

 

[duratothemax]

I'm not doing all this for a cool looking wheel I asked because I can get an 03+ wheel for about 1/4 the cost of an 01-02 wheel, that's all. And I want my airbags to work so I'm not messing with 06 stuff

Just use a 2003-2006 single-stage airbag from an HD truck and it should work fine.

 

[dmaxman06]

who needs airbags really? just throw them away:roflmao:

 

[dirtracer347]

if you don't care about the air bags working(they might work on single stage).I put the whole 06 steeting column and wheel in.what I had to do is put my 02 stalks and ignition switch on the 06.only had to tap 1 bolt hole and the boss is already on the 06.
I used the pac control box to control my pioneer nav system.

This is what I'm thinking of doing. Bought a column and wheel out of 06 planned on just swapping the wheel and shifter but I'd really like to have the push pull dimmer switch. It won't fit my 01 column though.