Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Aero 8, 2012< Plus 8, SuperSports, Coupe & Aeromax Aero 8 Steering Wheel Removal

Anyone have experience of removing their steering wheel? I’ve never liked the silver top to mine (Aero 8 S3), so I want to get it recovered!

I’m guessing that disconnecting the battery will un-arm the air bag, but it’s getting that off I stuck with…

Cheers in advance
Matt

Almost, not quite as simple as that. Since the introduction of SRS 2.2 there has been a bigger capacitor in the crash sensor, the idea being that in an accident there is a possibility of an open circuit of main battery feed so the capacitor takes over the deployment signal. Even earlier ones had a smaller capacitor so wise to let the system stand with the battery disconnected if your going that route for 30 min before working on the car. To be honest it makes little difference, never, ever turn the ignition on during the time the airbag module (or any SRS device) is disconnected and be aware that even static will deploy a bag, some don't believe it so I used to demonstrate this on SRS training courses at Volvo. Don't touch the contacts on either the bag unit or plug. We used to have 'test resistors' which were plugged into the harness the moment the bag was disconnected but with care you should be fine.

Surely if static is an issue it is worth earthing the disconnected battery earth cable to a real earth point outside the car?

If one is really concerned the technician should also be earthed, as is normal in the electronics sector. Usually and ankle earth band and wire is enough, but it might be a problem for someone moving about a car.

Final thought: how long are airbags effective, in that do they have a shelf life? So, after for example, 15 years, should they be replaced?

Google is saying (summary): no.

That's a very informative write up Colin.

I replaced an indicator switch on my wifes Polo about 5 years ago and followed the Haynes protocol on airbag deactivation. I have to admit it scared me doing it though as a mate of mine used to fit hands free kits to cars and had suffered broken fingers etc.

Earthing the technician was a standard wind up on apprentice courses at Volvo, we could easily get them to put one foot outside the car and ground it ;-).

The point with all electronics and it's the same with airbags is to only touch what you must and not to go wiping components and terminals with fingers. I ran SRS training at Volvo for 12 years, it was a neat course to do (about 6 a year) as we got to deploy airbags which got everyone's attention. Lots of garages did not see the need for explosives safes as required under the handling regulations but they saw the need when I used to place an upturned galvanised dustbin on top of a passenger side module (110 ltr in those days) in the car park and blow it the height of the building, as we did the training for Police and rescue services we got away with stuff ;-).

Airbags and Pyrotechnic seat belt tensioners are not fussy, they will go bang wth any kind of voltage. I totally disagree with the statement about shelf life, at least for early airbags, they used to be packed with deployment medium that resembled small tablets and these had a shelf life and the car (at least Volvo's did) had a sticker on the drivers side B post stating the airbag exchange date. This was conveniently 'forgotten' when SRS became standard and bags multiplied. When I left Volvo some years ago we were up to 8 as a norm and it was a case that a full deployment wrote off the car, not in terms of damage but in replacement costs, the figure at that time with replacement trim ((and often a new steering wheel and column) averaged £1K per bag!

Colin, from your comments about airbag replacement cost it would seem to suggest that should a regulatory body set a "life" for airbags then at the end of life the car would be scrap.

I can see the self interest of the car makers championing this cause.

As airbags are an option on the new Aeros I can also see a good reason NOT to have airbags fitted: a car without airbags is likely to have a longer life and a higher residual value....

A further thought: can I have them legally removed from my Plus 8, which was supplied with airbags?

Peter

In IT no, in CH yes, in UK I do not know.

If you remove the airbag and change the steering wheel this is technically legal, however it is VOSA and the MOT test that proves more tricky with regulations.

VOSA state as part of the MOT test:

The key part to this is 'obviously'. In my experience providing there are no warning lights on the dash to indicate there is an airbag fault (this might require crude bulb removal) it will pass an MOT if nothing looks out of place.
If Morgan offer the option of a steering wheel without an airbag on the same vehicle as yours, I can't imagine it will be an issue as the car has been fully approved for use on the road without the device fitted.

If that is not the case however I would take into consideration the insurance implications of such removal of an approved safety item, it will most certainly need declaring and if you go down this route it would be worthwhile having a dealer carry out the work.

Hope that helps,
Nick

Page 136 if anyone is interested:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/sy...-7-vehicles.pdf