Ls400 Wood Steering Wheel Swap

[kitcharollon]

Hello guys. This is really a great place for Lexus owners, and I appreciate all the stuff you guys help with. I've been wanting to do this swap on my 1996 LS, and after some research, I have found a couple "facts" which I would like to prove the validity of.

1. The actual wheel on the 95-97 and 98-00 are the same wheel with same mounting hub.

2. The airbags are different, with the 98-00 being second generation.

3. A swap would have to involve BOTH wheel and airbag to work.

4. The 98-00 airbag is plug and play with the wiring in 95-97.

Can anyone verify if these are true (esp. the last one)? I've come pretty close to doing the swap, but heard from one guy that the 98-00 airbag will not work with the wiring/airbag sensors in the 95-97LS.

[1990LS400]

Like other manufacturers, Toyota started using "de-powered" air bags in their cars beginning with the 98 model year. I think it is a very different design.

I drove a 90 LS with an all leather wheel from 1990 to 2003 and I think its all leather wheel was much more comfortable than the wood/leather wheel in my current LS.

[SW03ES]

The 98 wheel WILL NOT fit in a 97, this has been tried several times. The hookups for the airbag are very different.

You could buy a 98+ airbag but it would not function.

Like Jim I love the look of the wood wheels, but for comfort after living with it for a few years I like the leather better too.

[nc211]

Johnson Lexus here in Raleigh offers the option of upgrading the leather steering wheels to the current wood wheel on ALL LS400 models, from 90 to current. Don't ask me how they do it, but they do, for $1,400+ too might I add. You can call them if you like. Look up the number on the official lexus website and drill down to the raleigh dealership.

[SW03ES]

They have an aftermarket company do it for $500, then charge the customer $1400 thats how they do it.

Check out www.americanstitches.com