How To: Replace the Clock Spring

[D-LASH]

tolls needed: 10mm, T10/T27 torq driver, 10mm allen wrench or allen socket, and small flat head for a connector tab
1st things 1st DISCONNECT THE BATTERY, avoid any chance of the air bag accidentally going off. Once thats done, center the wheel and remove the 2 10mm bolts that hold the air bag in place. I actually squeezed a socket wrench behind there until I could loosen it by finger with just the socket. Once those 2 bolts are out, the air bag will be free, lean it forward enough to access the 4 connections to free the air bag completely. I used a small flat head for the top black connector, just slide it under and it pulls right apart(careful, they're small and fragile) Bottom white connector comes apart easy, push tab and pull... and the 2(black/yellow) tabs pop out easy, squeeze and pull.

With the air bag out of the way comes the fun part. I used a 10mm allen wrench with a 10mm socket on an extender as a breaker bar, you can also use a 10mm socket here on a wrench which I think your supposed to
...anyway, the bolt has lock tite on it, so she'll need to be pulled pretty good. once thats out, the wheel will come right off now, just feed the clock spring wires through the hole, and on to the clock spring. The only real trick here, is to line up the holes for the T10 driver and loosen but DO NOT REMOVE THEM! It will unwind the clock spring(kinda like a pull start, ask me how I know, LOL)Your just freeing them from the mounting holes. An easy guide would be to not pass the heads out of the top cover holes(simple enough)

Once those are free, you'll need the T27 driver under the steering wheel there's an access hole to the set screw. Just loosen that all the way out(it won't fall out) and everything's disconnected now. To completely free the clock spring, I used a short flat head to gently pry it forward, just kinda worked it around under both clock spring covers(get under it) Eventually it'll free it up and off....and thats it! Line up the electrical connectors nice n easy, it'll slide right in when you got it right, the 3 mounting holes should be in line, tighten it down, tighten the set screw under the wheel and put it back together. Feed the wires through the wheel
tighten center bolt, air bag connections and the last 2 wheel bolts.

[NOTPAID4]

Yeah, but DO the turn signals work? Didn't see that part ~LOL~

Just kidding... NOW I got get Tee ONE for CHANCE and let my very, very good friend put it in for me! Hint... Hint...

[Chutsk10]

Nice write-up D.

I am going to move this into the Misc. Tech Article section for now (until we expand the categories to be more descriptive).

[Magmania]

Nice work on the replacement and the write up!

Nice write-up D.

I am going to move this into the Misc. Tech Article section for now (until we expand the categories to be more descriptive).

Finally something you can work with Andrei! Get er' done!

[FloridaRT]

Not to sound dumb, but what is a clockspring and what does it do????????????

And why should we be playing with it?????????

Thanks,

Bob

[NC-SXT]

Not to sound dumb, but what is a clockspring and what does it do????????????

And why should we be playing with it?????????

Thanks,

Bob

Think turn signals Bob. A lot of us have broken ones that wont turn off after you make a turn. This is something that I have had to do for about a year.

[Magmania]

The clock spring is the device that self cancels the turn signal after the turn is completed. I was told that it also gives steering wheel position feedback to the CPU. Typically what fails is the self cancel feature and not the position feedback.

Sent from my Phone!

[D-LASH]

Yeah, but DO the turn signals work? Didn't see that part ~LOL~

Just kidding... NOW I got get Tee ONE for CHANCE and let my very, very good friend put it in for me! Hint... Hint...

oh, you know I tested it the second I finished, good as new!! I felt myself holding back from habit of canceling the blinker manually... Jim, we'll find 1 of these for you and swap it about 20-30 min, tops, ...so simple

Nice write-up D.

I am going to move this into the Misc. Tech Article section for now (until we expand the categories to be more descriptive).

Thanks brother! ...I got an official tech article now, sweet!

Nice work on the replacement and the write up!

Thanks! I was surprised how easy it was

Not to sound dumb, but what is a clockspring and what does it do????????????

And why should we be playing with it?????????

Thanks,

Bob

heres a pic of my broken 1, the little plastic tabs break and mine was jammed in there @ the 9-11:00 position. I read another member had his loose in there and would make a grinding noise. Mine personally would click on every turn until it eventually got stuck and would never cancel the blinker.

Think turn signals Bob. A lot of us have broken ones that wont turn off after you make a turn. This is something that I have had to do for about a year.

I found the part on line for about $70 new but wound up buying one cheap off a great member, and then to my surprise it showed up with an entire steering wheel and column, LOL! April fools!! Big THANKS to HellsFire!!

The clock spring is the device that self cancels the turn signal after the turn is completed. I was told that it also gives steering wheel position feedback to the CPU. Typically what fails is the self cancel feature and not the position feedback.
Sent from my Phone!

mine was clearly the plastic tab broken off, then jammed in there...such an easy fix though...
Thanks for the positive feedback guys, I'm going to find the new part I found online for anyone and compare what I did different form the write up I seen(less work)
http://www.lxforums.com/board/f74/wi...roblem-178822/
I realize now that the set screw on the bottom(T27) was to remove the whole cylinder from the column, the part with the stalks connected, that's not necessary for just replacing the clock spring.
heres the part:
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53...All-Categories

[FloridaRT]

Think turn signals Bob. A lot of us have broken ones that wont turn off after you make a turn. This is something that I have had to do for about a year.

Okay, that I understand - but shouldn't it be called a turn signal spring, instead of a clock spring???

LOL


Bob

[pmishan]

I haven't heard that it will be required set up the car on a computer in order to eliminate the seatbelt light from staying on, you know about that?