Performance steering wheel has arrived!!!....

[RoninWheels]

Here are the first (iphone) pics after pickup. It will be installed later tonight... more pics to come.
:headbang:







I have come to terms with the fact that i have a serious problem when it comes to spending money on this car... so the performance bumper and side skirts are next. (unless bbs decides to make wheels that fit)

[m3jasper]

Nice wheel...:wink:

[larryn]

That thing is SEXY! Just read in another thread that the car doesn't need to be reprogrammed to be able to install that, and there's an existing plug for it.

Hmmm.. Might be time for you to disconnect your battery very shortly. :smile: If you do, PLEASE take pics along the way.. a DIY of this thing would be a fantastic addition to the DIY forum.

[eunosracr]

Originally Posted by larryn

That thing is SEXY! Just read in another thread that the car doesn't need to be reprogrammed to be able to install that, and there's an existing plug for it.

Hmmm.. Might be time for you to disconnect your battery very shortly. :smile: If you do, PLEASE take pics along the way.. a DIY of this thing would be a fantastic addition to the DIY forum.

Let us know how the install goes. Im about to jump on this but want to see how difficult the install is before I do.

[RoninWheels]

heading out to a friend's now to start the install.... i'll be back later... (maybe with a DIY)

[gatorfast]

What is so different about it than the stock wheel?

[imported_LiveFast135i]

alcantara and shift lights mainly

[S54dan]

Nice! Post up pics when you get a chance to! I'll be installing this on a vehicle shortly as well! Maybe on Saturday

[AchtungF80]

Wow, Ryan, you are my hero!!!
Def. get a writeup of this, would love to see a video as well if you could!

How long till you get Performance seats?

[RoninWheels]

This is the most i have typed on a single page since my last report in college.

Originally Posted by larryn

That thing is SEXY! Just read in another thread that the car doesn't need to be reprogrammed to be able to install that, and there's an existing plug for it.

Hmmm.. Might be time for you to disconnect your battery very shortly. :smile: If you do, PLEASE take pics along the way.. a DIY of this thing would be a fantastic addition to the DIY forum.

Originally Posted by eunosracr

Let us know how the install goes. Im about to jump on this but want to see how difficult the install is before I do.

Originally Posted by Dan@UnitedBMW

Nice! Post up pics when you get a chance to! I'll be installing this on a vehicle shortly as well! Maybe on Saturday

Originally Posted by AchtungE30

Wow, Ryan, you are my hero!!!
Def. get a writeup of this, would love to see a video as well if you could!

How long till you get Performance seats?

Well the wheel is on.... but unfortunately no lights yet. The wheel is plug and play but once the dash is removed, so if anyone is planning on doing both the carbon trim and the steering wheel, do them together.

The issue at this time... other than the obvious darkness is that there is one wire (green/brown) that is supposed to be connected into the harness behind the hood release... the issue is that my car does not have the green/brown wire. So rather than start splicing and shite we left it alone. The rest of the wiring was straight forward... and everything worked once i started her up... everything but the lights on the wheel. My guess is that it is some sort of ignition power wire..but we'll see.

So for now i have the wheel installed(the first in a US 135i i believe) but no functions. I have a bmw master tech searching for the answer to my issue with the hopes of having it resolved over the next couple days. So i will keep everyone posted.

Larryn:
As for a DIY(actually Don'tDIY), it will have to wait until it's 100% but i will say that for anyone not experienced in this type of work. DO NOT TRY THIS ON YOUR OWN. and have an electrical engineer and his master bmw tech father do it for you.(as did i) However i will post my most recent pics shortly. oh and we did disconnect the battery:wink:

Dan@UnitedBMW;
I would appreciate any input you may have in this situation only to make the install go a bit easier for you guys. Do you have any other install instructions or a wiring diagram other than the one on the instructions carguymo posted? thanks.. u can call my cell whenever.

AchtungE30:
i actually consider you my hero... based on your master photography skills. As for a video...... i'll make one when its finished, as if i had earlier it would have involved me smoking cigs, yelling, cursing and holding a flashlight. The seats aren't going to happen as i think my next task is going to be a road trip to BBS for some LM's or LMr's.
P.S When is the next meet?! or did i miss it

eunosracr;
i can have my friend install it for you if your interested.. but once i get everything finalized with mine. First off check out the install instruction carguymo posted in the commercial section..pg2


**PICS SHORTLY

[RoninWheels]

...
rear of original wheel.. notice 3 torx screws and 2 holes made to left and right (to remove airbag)

1st airbag removal hole shown

2nd

1 torx screw shown 3 in total(holding trim around multi function buttons..incl m badge)

wheel removed

first harness mod

performing first harness mod

removing dash

supplied control unit needed(carries green/brown wire=mystery)

removed more dash (notice my non carbon ashtray cover.. thanks BMW for making 2 different ashtrays based on the trim types for the same car):iono:

and more (still no CF ashtray cover)

more again

issue is with harness above obd port(no green/brown wire)

finished

finished.... almost



Despite my issues i am completly satisfied with the look and feel of the steering wheel... and i'm sure the operations once we get everything worked out.:thumbup:

and for anyone who noticed the center steering wheel trim(w/m badge) was reused on the new wheel as the suede trim that came in was not trimed for the multi function wheel.

i'll keep everyone posted on the outcome of the wiring issue.

any questions and/or concerns feel free to call my cell anytime

thanks,

Rd

[Blacky]

Great looking wheel and I am sure it feels nice, maybe similar the JCW mini wheel.
However by the photos I don't like the Plug an Play bit!
Good luck and can't wait to see the final out come.

Is the back of the wheel a different colour to your steering column trim or just the way the light is on it?

[gemini330zhp]

Wow looks like a big job!!!!! Would this wheel work with a Steptronic with Paddles?

[RoninWheels]

Originally Posted by Blacky

Great looking wheel and I am sure it feels nice, maybe similar the JCW mini wheel.
However by the photos I don't like the Plug an Play bit!
Good luck and can't wait to see the final out come.

Is the back of the wheel a different colour to your steering column trim or just the way the light is on it?

could be the light but i havent seen it in the day light yet... thanks i'm sure we'll have it worked out soon

Originally Posted by gemini06m3

Wow looks like a big job!!!!! Would this wheel work with a Steptronic with Paddles?

that i would have to check on...

[professor]

thanks for these posts. looks absolutely great and it's a nice side benefit that you were able to retain the M badge!

[larryn]

Looks incredible, and thanks for posting pics of that process. I'll wait to add to DIY until you get it working. Too bad about the extra mystery harness.

[RoninWheels]

It is complete... and fully functioning:




i set the tach rev limit low so i could take a pic of the lights. ( the highest it can be set is 9900rpm)
















it really is a great addition to the car! and everyone must have it. :thumbup:

i'll explain the previous issue shortly.

[m3jasper]

:thumbup:

[larryn]

Bravo!!! There's more there than I thought! Oil AND water temps, and a complete functioning G-Tech type of setup, plus shift lights? i didn't realize you could set the shift light settings... pretty darned svelte, Ryan. i think I couldn't drive with that in my car.. I'd get in and start caressing it, and never go anywhere.

I see the "Competitor Paddock" parking pass. Did you go to Lime Rock or the Glen today?

Does it display "BMW Performance" when you start the car up?

[Blacky]

Ooohhhh I want one now!
Better e-mail Dan and get one on the way
Was it really that hard to do yourself?
If you had the choice again and with Hindsight would you do it yourself or let a dealer do it for a couple of hundered dollars?

[gemini330zhp]

Wow thats awsome!!!! I have a question does anyone know if this would work with a steptronic with paddles???

[slipkmaggot]

Originally Posted by gemini06m3

Wow thats awsome!!!! I have a question does anyone know if this would work with a steptronic with paddles???

I'm almost certain it does. i remember there was a little display of this somewhere(BMW welt maybe?) where it had paddles behind the wheel. and in many other official BMW pictures. i cant look for a link at the moment, but maybe someone can confirm?