Removing the XJ6 steering wheel X300 XJ40 Airbag type

How to safely remove a XJ40 XJ6 Airbag steering wheel including the

As the removal of the steering wheel seems to cause a lot of contention and arguments resulting in confusion and errors in the information that is being put around we thought it was about time we covered this in a pictorial technical bulletin that shows the correct and therefore only way to safely and successfully remove the steering wheel and a few ancillaries.

The first thing you should do after opening the cars door is to DISCONNECT THE BATTERY.

This is essential for two reasons. Firstly to eliminate the possibility of causing a short in the electrical system which could cause more damage than you even what to think about but more importantly it removes the threat from air bag deployment.

With the battery disconnected wait for 1 minute before inserting the key into the ignition barrel and release the steering lock – leave the key in place for the moment.
Cowlings: Fristly for access, remove the two screws from underneath the steering column. Pull the reostat dimmer switch knob from its spine and remove the lower cowl from the car. Taking care to pass it over the reastat spindle.

Turn the steering wheel so that the front road wheels are straight ahead and locate the  the cover panel at the lower side of the steering wheel on the rear face and lift it via the tab to expose the disarming screw.

Not the dis arming screw is in its disa.rmed position

You will need to fabricate a tool to undo the disarming screw as shown. Using this tool rotate the disarming screw anti-clockwise until it stops (this is quite a few turns)
Being careful not to damage the dis arming screw cover, turn the steering wheel to reveal the nuts (13mm) on each side of the steering wheel and remove each in turn.

Centre the steering wheel once more to gain access to the dis arming cover. Next slide the lock plate across to reveal the locking bolt (13mm) and unscrew it.

The air bag can now be removed from the steering wheel safely – this should now be placed in a safe place away from the car in an upright position where it is not exposed to heat or direct sunlight and in such a fashion that should it be imagined to detonate that it will not cause damage or injury to persons or animals (remember that cats jump on worktops.

Picture shows the fixing nuts with wheel removed.

Back at the car using a 24mm socket located on the centre nut, grip the wheel with one hand and crack the locating nut in an anti clockwise direction until it turns freely DO NOT REMOVE COMPLETELY.

With the centre locating nut still in place, carefully release the wheel by pulling it gently up the shaft. Once loose the locating nut can be fully removed.
Completely remove the steering wheel and collect the wheel toothed collet from the shaft or from inside the steering wheel.

Further stripping of the column to replace switch plate devices.

The upper cowl has three screws securing it. Two are obvious and can be located at the rear of the cowling the third is not so obvious and it hidden toward the upper edge of the cowling. Click the pictures to open them in a new window for clarification. The picture to the right shows the cowling removed exposing the three screw holes in the casting.

Switch plate removal: Should any switch or other component on the column controls need replacing it will be found quicker and easier if you remove the whole assembly as one.

This can be accomplished easily by disconnecting the main harness plug (Purple) and then extracting the four (8mm) bolts from the top of the column

It is then easy to remove the wiper or indicator switches from the mount on the bench requiring only the disconnection of the two plugs ether side of the mount and then cutting the cable ties noting their location first.

Remove the two (per switch) screws from each switch to enable it to be extracted from the mount. Pay attention to and collect the two stand offs so as not to loose them.
Reassemble is the reverse of the dismantling instructions fitting new cable ties where required.  

Tools
Pozi Screwdriver (magnetic)
Home made tool for dis-arming screw
13mm 3/8 drive socket
Ratchet
24mm Socket
Short extension bar
8mm socket or nut spinner
Torque wrench
Flat bladed electrician’s screwdriver
Side cutters
Pliers

  

Torque Settings
Centre steering wheel Nut 35-45Nm
Air bag nuts 9-12Nm (hand tight via 6inch ratchet arm)

Grease- Spline: Lithium grade 2 Multi purpose grease - that tub of stuff you have had in the garage for years