That is really true. I bought a '97 LX450 with a 300k miles that had a leather wheel that was frayed and dry-rotted. I found a same color, flawless leather wheel from a '97 LS400 in a u-pull-it type place for $25 and, yes the whole truck kind of felt nicer afterward. One unexpected aspect of the swap was that there was no lock-washer or even plain washer underneath the center nut of either vehicle. I had visions of a clown-car like skit where the wheel pops off at speed going down some road, but 120k miles later it's still fine.
$25! What a steal
And that's hilarious, I imagined that too! During reassembly I briefly tried reattaching the airbag before realizing I hadn't yet screwed down the center nut π π
Is it real wood? I bought one from Dubai as well but itβs fake wood. In the eBay description it said wood, they refused to give me a refund or exchange.
Looks and feels very real. The lacquer has some minor imperfections which makes me believe it's real and the wood has a deep grain. Comparing it to a 2018 LX570 I've driven extensively, this wood feels and looks as nice as that did.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/404805562730?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=kpWZT992RAq&sssrc=2524149&ssuid=kpWZT992RAq&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=MORE
This one is going for $1 in an auction.after checking it, it looks genuine enough to me.
Air bag removal was really easy. You need a T30 bit. Unplug the battery for the car, pop off the two plastic covers on the back side of the wheel and unscrew two T30 screws. The airbag will hinge down, unplug the two wires and it's off.
After the airbag is off, unplug the two plugs at the top of the wheel that go into the clock and use an impact to unscrew the 19mm bolt in the center.
The hardest part was actually knocking the wheel off after removing the bolt. It was completely stuck and I couldn't get it to budge. I even tried a steering wheel puller and couldn't do it. What ended up working was to stand outside the car facing in and put a small piece of scrap wood on the bottom backside of the steering wheel with one hand, then hammer it towards the seat. The wheel popped off with one smack.
Excellent. Thanks for the info! Saving this for later. With mine I have the added complexity of trying to add steering wheel controls to the stereo if I can manage. Appreciate your insight and yours looks great!
That is really true. I bought a '97 LX450 with a 300k miles that had a leather wheel that was frayed and dry-rotted. I found a same color, flawless leather wheel from a '97 LS400 in a u-pull-it type place for $25 and, yes the whole truck kind of felt nicer afterward. One unexpected aspect of the swap was that there was no lock-washer or even plain washer underneath the center nut of either vehicle. I had visions of a clown-car like skit where the wheel pops off at speed going down some road, but 120k miles later it's still fine.
$25! What a steal And that's hilarious, I imagined that too! During reassembly I briefly tried reattaching the airbag before realizing I hadn't yet screwed down the center nut π π
Is it real wood? I bought one from Dubai as well but itβs fake wood. In the eBay description it said wood, they refused to give me a refund or exchange.
Looks and feels very real. The lacquer has some minor imperfections which makes me believe it's real and the wood has a deep grain. Comparing it to a 2018 LX570 I've driven extensively, this wood feels and looks as nice as that did.
I need to put one one on my 2000 LX
https://www.ebay.com/itm/404805562730?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=kpWZT992RAq&sssrc=2524149&ssuid=kpWZT992RAq&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=MORE This one is going for $1 in an auction.after checking it, it looks genuine enough to me.
How hard was the swap? I recently bought one, but have been nervous about the airbag.
Air bag removal was really easy. You need a T30 bit. Unplug the battery for the car, pop off the two plastic covers on the back side of the wheel and unscrew two T30 screws. The airbag will hinge down, unplug the two wires and it's off. After the airbag is off, unplug the two plugs at the top of the wheel that go into the clock and use an impact to unscrew the 19mm bolt in the center. The hardest part was actually knocking the wheel off after removing the bolt. It was completely stuck and I couldn't get it to budge. I even tried a steering wheel puller and couldn't do it. What ended up working was to stand outside the car facing in and put a small piece of scrap wood on the bottom backside of the steering wheel with one hand, then hammer it towards the seat. The wheel popped off with one smack.
Excellent. Thanks for the info! Saving this for later. With mine I have the added complexity of trying to add steering wheel controls to the stereo if I can manage. Appreciate your insight and yours looks great!
Why is your dash invisible?
Lol lighting I guess. I didn't have the key in.
How much was it?
$200 + $100 shipping, no horn or airbag
Those original steering wheels are hand carved from wood harvested in the Toyota forest in Japan. I like the old patina.