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-   -   RS Flat Bottom Steering Wheel fitted!! (https://forum.a8parts.co.uk/showthread.php?t=15027)

Chip2786 8th June 2019 02:43 PM

RS Flat Bottom Steering Wheel fitted!!
 
So I just finished fitting a Flat Bottom RS wheel to the S8, I was pretty worried because no one seems to have done it (or at least posted about it) before.

I know its not everyone's cup of tea but I've always liked them, heres what I did

Difficulty 4/10 (fairly easy)
Time about 1.5 Hours for me but you could easily do it in 40 mins with this guide

Step 1. Remove the battery negative terminal If you like your face where it is DO NOT SKIP

Step 2. I followed the 1st part of this guide to remove the old airbag, keep the old wiring loom because the RS loom has a different fitment.

https://i.ibb.co/m6KFv0s/IMG-3844.jpg


Step 3. I used the above guide to help me remove the wheel bolt using this from amazon

https://i.ibb.co/gw9Mtmq/IMG-3852.jpg

and this from a local shop

https://i.ibb.co/1XBcyd9/IMG-3853.jpg

you will have to fight yourself to get the bolt to budge as the steering lock cannot be engaged

Step 4. Fit the new Wheel, It has guiders so it will only fit on 'straight' make sure the wheel bolt is very firmly tightened

https://i.ibb.co/2FNscbg/IMG-3845.jpg

Step 5. Here comes the reason why it took me so long, The Airbags spade connectors are different size's between the S8 and the RS3 so when I connected it up fist time the horn was continuously on (sorry neighbors)

https://i.ibb.co/XS5Km8q/IMG-3849.jpg

This connector looks like a normal ground but it is in fact the horn contact, I had to (with a small flat screwdriver) peel the small spade connector open enough to fit over the RS airbags bigger terminal

I did the same thing for the proper ground pin


Step 6. Fit the new airbag carefully making sure you don't snag any of the cables and screw it back in from behind

https://i.ibb.co/n30Qhd2/IMG-3847.jpg


Step 7. (Optional) I removed the S8 Badge from my wheel and fitted it to the RS wheel. It was easy to remove the badge from the S8 wheel because its made of leather around the badge, The RS is plastic so I dented the wheel whilst doing it, its not the end of the world just worth noting

https://i.ibb.co/sHjGMrZ/IMG-3850.jpg


Everything works as expected, all buttons work and the flappy paddles do too! im very happy overall

Johnmed 8th June 2019 03:18 PM

Nice work. Are the airbags both of the same type? I know some are single stage etc.

I replaced my wheel and airbag with an S8’s, gaining paddles.

Chip2786 8th June 2019 03:30 PM

They are both dual stage airbags so no error codes on the dash +++

Johnmed 8th June 2019 03:30 PM

Happy days.

homer simpson 8th June 2019 04:05 PM

I like that very much! What year RS3 wheel fits the D3? I wonder if there was a heated version.

Chip2786 8th June 2019 04:24 PM

I didn’t go by year in the end (it’s a minefield) I just bought a wheel that had the same spec as my original (flappy paddle, volume, mode button, voice assist etc) there are a lot of newer wheels that have more buttons but I’d avoid as they will be wired differently

Norretal 8th June 2019 07:03 PM

Nice work Chip, your mods are inspiring me +++

IT 10th June 2019 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homer simpson (Post 150999)
I like that very much! What year RS3 wheel fits the D3? I wonder if there was a heated version.

As far as i'm aware, there are no heated flat bottom wheels....

Every brochure, even for modern cars, you can opt for flat bottom _or_ heated but never both.....

IT 10th June 2019 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chip2786 (Post 151000)
there are a lot of newer wheels that have more buttons but I’d avoid as they will be wired differently

Its all a data bus for the multifunction wheels. Paddles, heating control, illumination and buttons all travel down a single data bus usually.

Only the horn and airbag have dedicated wires in the slip ring from memory. Heated wheels have a pair of heavy duty brushes around the slip ring to conduct the current.

I don't know what protocols are used between the later cars though, so if that's changed, it could be game over, but I suspect wiring will be surprisingly similar.

homer simpson 10th June 2019 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IT (Post 151018)
As far as i'm aware, there are no heated flat bottom wheels....

Every brochure, even for modern cars, you can opt for flat bottom _or_ heated but never both.....

Damn! I remember looking through the D3 brochure and there were certain options that were not available in sport (S8) spec like heated steering wheel and massage seats. Why Audi, why?? :mad:


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