Sportsmanphil

Here is the deal. Ive just finished putting 250,000 miles on my loaded silverado. I picked up this Yota for a few reasons and will be driving it a bit while I beef the ticker up in my Chevy.

Meanwhile I am upgrading my yota.

That said, im having a tough time adjusting from a nice leather clad comfy silverado to the base truck Yota.

I FRIGGIN hate a small plastic steering wheel!!! Might be fine for little Jap hands, but not my oversize paws.

I dont want a GT steering wheel. What I would like to find is a NON airbag leather factory steering wheel. At the very least, a fake leather/pleather non airbag factory wheel with a larger grip surface.

I never followed Yotas to date so I am unsure if there is a non airbag steering wheel available, maybe in a Limited 4 Runner, T-100 etc.....Obviously the steering wheel splines must be the same diameter and count.

Before I pull whats left of my hair out searching this out, maybe one of you here have already done such research and could save me some time.

Thanks!

SCToy

Might check out MOMO wheels, they sell em in a number of sizes. I don't know if they go as big as you'd like, but they are wrapped in italian leather.

ToyoTech559

i just installed a steering wheel cover and it increased the overall diameter.

Sportsmanphil

Call me picky, but i was wanting to stay away from GT's, wheel wraps etc.. Im wanting to stick a factory wheel in there to keep that original look.

Junkers88

Went through the same thing a few years ago with a ruined factory steering wheel in my 4runner, looked all over for a factory replacement that was thicker (I have fingers like anorexic sausages and that skinny wheel did nothing for me). I finally bought a GT off ebay for 8 bucks and installed it. I know you don't want a GT, or a wrap (tried the wrap also and it was terrible, like holding a semi-warm rabbit carcass with the fur on the inside.... ick).

Good luck in your search! Just wanted to point out that the GT is thick and comfy and works well for long fingered freaks like me.


edit: Crap I just thought of this! Can you pull the steering wheel and take it to a leather shop and have them re-wrap it in matching colored leather, maybe add some padding or use thicker leather??? That'd keep the factory look and offer a better feeling wheel.

Sportsmanphil

That is an option for sure. I was hoping early 4runners might have had leather steering wheels but it seems not.

Thanks for everyone's input

justin_4runner

the early 4runner do have ones that are thicker then the metal covered in plastic. you could go by a couple junk yards and see if u can find one u like,

Sportsmanphil

I tried, the local U-Pull-It doesnt have much in the way of older Yotas.

The big scrap yards dont keep anything older than 10 years and if you want the steering wheel, you gotta buy the entire friggin steering column....

Magnusian

These ginormous hands feel just fine on a stock 'yota wheel.

shaeff

I wonder of a MKIII Supra wheel would fit. The '89 wheels are black, three spoke, and leather. I've got one here (off my Supra) and have been considering that as an option. I like the feel of a thicker wheel, plus it doesn't get nearly as cold in the wintertime.

Stupid plastic wheel gets coooold.

L5wolvesf

I’m reviving an old thread because there doesn’t seem to have been answered and because I am in a similar position now. I removed the horn pad from my 84 to work on its horn issue and I found that along with the cracked steering wheel, there are a lot of cracks under the pad. Not so bad that anything would fail but it’s kind of annoying to know they are there. Since I have to remove it I figure it would be a good time to put on a better replacement and maybe upgrade the look and feel some. My search about upgrading got me to this thread.

I my search for something better looking and Toyota (I don’t feel like doing the aftermarket thing with this truck) I came across the blue wheel pictured here. It is simple and somewhat nicer looking, design wise, than the 84 wheel IMO. The one in the pic, on ebay, is from a 1994 and supposedly would fit “89-95 Pickup – 90-95 4Runner”.

Allegedly, based solely on what I saw in ebay (yeah, not the most reliable source) a 1984 wheel will cross up to a 1989, but I don’t know this for sure.
QUESTION 1: If that is correct will a 90s wheel cross down to an 84?

Note that the 84-89 wheels have a square hole where I think the horn wire goes. I can’t say that for sure because the wire to mine was not connected, but it is the only place it would fit. Note that the backs of the 2 wheels are different but . . . QUESTION 2: Are they compatible?

I would imagine the shaft diameter and spline counts are the same, but again I don’t “know” this. QUESTION 3: Can anyone confirm this?

QUESTION 4: Has anyone done this swap (mid 80s steering wheel to a mid 90s wheel)? Is it a simple swap or ? ? ?

Co_94_PU

iTrader: (-1)

I poked around this issue not long ago, you might have seen me and space-junk talking about it. We're both thinking to swap to the early 90 sr5 wheel and shaft. Padded vinyl wheel, better tilt mechanism, no key lock button ECT..

My research turned up the splines and diameter are the same, however the horn ring is a different diameter or was it distance I've forgotten now but both are solvable. Either spacers or a ring swap will be needed to use the newer model wheel on the older shaft.

QA
Let's just say probably safe to assume yes to all. Haven't done it however. There wouldn't be any reason to retool the spline part. There are likely difference in the shaft lengths between various models car vs trucks and such but nothing a bit of cut and weld wouldn't overcome.

Give me a minute to go trudge through the mud and I will snap a picture of my 86 gutts for reference of the Spade connector you're missing.

Co_94_PU

iTrader: (-1)

This is an 86 4runner. The horn ring Spade connector is pressed through the back side of the plastic, to the left you can see one of the ring mounting screws.


this is a mid-early 90 4runner
Steering wheel trim, front facing cover
Primered steering wheel

Thought I had more or better photos, one with the ring attached, but this is all I have on hand. Hopefully it's helpful.

L5wolvesf

I didn't find your post upon just doing a re-search but I only went back 1 year in the 86 - 95 forum.
I did find a tad bit of info here > https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...-wheel-294263/ on the 2nd post - but that was within the same generation.

Good to know the splines are the same. I don't mind a lil surgery as long as I know I can get the horn to work reliably with a different wheel.
I'm holding off on pulling my wheel until this get answered. I don't really want to fool with it multiple times.
Thanks for the info.

This pic is of my current wheel with the pad off - just a bit different.

space-junk

iTrader: (1)

im going to try to swap out for the 2nd gen runner tilt wheel with the cruise control buttons. clean that stupid cruise control off the dash.

L5wolvesf

Hope it works out for ya. I just want a decent wheel in mine.

Co_94_PU

iTrader: (-1)

Not much a or can't fix

Still not used to the spoke location on the first generation 4runner I'd be less comfortable if the wheel wasn't off center/straight

Lol

bootscootboogie

iTrader: (1)

I'm just throwing this out there... 70s and 80s corollas / cresdidas / crowns etc had some ill interior swag going on. I bet they had more leather steering wheel options than pickups / runners

maco35

I got a grey leather steering wheel from a '89 1st gen 4runner being parted out.

maco35

The way i got it.