RX-8 Steering wheel.....IT FITS!!!
 

Over the course of the next few weeks I will be documenting the details of the swap. But just for those who are wondering, the RX-8 steering wheel fits quite well into the FD.

Here are the details: Using a 2004 RX-8 steering wheel. I will be installing a PAC-SWI-PS to control the Pioneer Radio's audio, therefore making use of the Rx8's steering wheel controls (pretty straight forward). I will also try to make use of the RX-8's cruise buttons to adapt to the FD's system (not so straight forward). Mounting the Rx-8 wheel is the same as the Nardi/Protege/Miata, you just have to drill notches for the clock spring. Don't know how the airbag will wire in, as I haven't yet received it.

More to come stay tuned...

pretty cool, good to know!

So how will you test if the airbag works or not, once you have it wired up...? What happens if you get in an accident and the airbag wasn't wired up correctly?

Is the steering wheel smaller in diameter than the stocker?

It should be similar to size to the miata and newer spec nardi ones everyone uses.

I haven't measured it yet, but visually it appears to be only slightly smaller in overall diameter than stock, I will post a side by side pic, and take some measurements to clarify this.

Hey B found a way for you to test it. :nod:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXtza...ature=youtu.be

I'm pretty sure its the same as the newer spec wheels. I remember reading about some others that did the same thing.

that is F-ing hillarious!!!! Testing will commence immediately!!!

just bought an rx8 wheel for my fd. will be following your build thread. :)

FD vs. RX-8 wheel size comparision
 

Here is a side by side pic (FD on the left), as you can see the Rx-8 is maybe an inch smaller in overall diameter:

^ thanks for the picture. Awaiting finished product pics

Do want

Nice!

more pics

Hmm Rx8 wheel is smaller diameter. So it will restict some the gauge pod view a little. When I was a Mazda parts manager a few years ago, I had access to one of these as a warranty return. Mazda never asked for it back so I was gonna keep it. Then my Fixed OPS manager decided to just through it away. I was pissed! The only thing I really wanted it for was to try and wire in the steering wheel radio controls.

After looking over the RX-8 wiring diagram, I discovered that the easiest way to make the steering wheel radio controls work is through the use of a PAC-SWI-PS Pioneer (I think it works with Sony, and Jensen stereos too) steering wheel interface wired directly to the wheel and an aftermarket radio. I will find out if this works in about a week or so, as I wont have time the rest of this week to work on it.

subscribing. great updated look.

Great keep us posted. My Bimmer has me spoiled with the steering wheel radio controls. It's fare less distracting. LOL!

I know what you mean, my daily beater is a 98 e38, and my goal is to incorporate some of the same comfort and convenience of my bimmer into the FD, without compromising too much of its soul.

The Metra AXXESS ASWC would work too. They vitually program themselves and wiring is simple and straightforward. Either way, I'll be watching. :D

Oh, I'll be following this. What pioneer unit do you have?

avic-f90bt

Quick update:

Finally got an Rx8 airbag. Bad news, the airbag connectors are completely different (4 wires vs. three). At this point, I am content with just having it for aesthetic purposes until I can figure it out, meanwhile I will just bypass the airbag light and buzzer. More updates to come.

did you figure out the cruise and radio controls?

Still working on that, but what I have tossed around is, since I wont be using the airbag, I can use its wires on the FD's clock spring to run from the wheel to the PAC unit for the audio controls. Basically unplug the airbag sensor plug under the dash, and harvest it's wires for the controls. Not ideal, but it works, I also left enough wire between the plugs to reattach them if necessary down the road. Also, doing it this way allows me one extra wire to also hook up to the lighting for the Rx-8's buttons!

awesome.

why not run more wires? and um.... just buy a couple connectors? I guess I don't like the idea of eliminating the airbag.

I have an RX8 and I happen to like love the layout of this wheel. lol I can be cruising and my thumbs already know where the buttons are. Even when I'm about to destroy a sharp turn, my thumb knows exactly where that mute button is so I can hear my tires. lmao This is a pretty interesting swap, good thinking on the radio control unit. I may have to use that Idea if I ever put an aftermarket radio in.

Looks interesting.. I have an rx8 steering wheel, and a metra interface system 95-7510hg..

Any updates? Were you able to wire up the cruise control?

I have a pioneer double din unit and want to do the same thing as you. Does the steering wheel still allow a good view of all the gauges or does it cut them off a lot?


I would guess the reason you will likely never get the airbag to work is it is a dual stage airbag vs. the fd's single stage system. hooking up the airbag would more than likely do more damage than help when the system in the car is not designed for it.

updates?

I have not been able to work on the car for a couple of months now. I got a cheapo speed6 that I am making a dd that has been consuming what little free time I have left. Hopefully I will be able to post some meaningful updates in a couple of weeks though...

updates? I'm actually in the process of performing the same swap on my 1991 convertible. I just got these today....

any update on how this turned out?

update
 

I am still working out some kinks but I got the audio portion of the install working.

Disclamer: This is still experimental, and I take no responsibility if you follow this write-up and damage your car.

First thing I did, since I wont be using the Rx8 airbag, is harvest the wires that go to the factory airbag as a wire through clock spring source. I made connections on the chassis side of the airbag wires and then cut the connector off on the steering wheel side (with enough wire to re-connect it if I decide to go back to stock wheel later), and ran wires to the controls as follows.

If you look at the picture the wiring on the steering wheel is as follows:

connect white wire to signal (white) wire on SWI-PS

connect W/B wire to ground (I used one of the phillips screws on the wheel for this, but I have been seeing resistance fluctuation on the buttons when turning the wheel, so I may run this to a chassis ground to see if that helps).

connect red wire coming from upper portion of steering wheel to either 12V switch or 12v when
lights on source. (I chose 12v constant).

connect black wire to ground (I used the same screw on the steering wheel frame).

The blue and green wires are for cruise control, I will experiment with these later.

After wiring up and programming the PAC SWI-PS for version 3, I hooked it up to my AVIC F90BT radio, and the buttons on the wheel now control the radio just fine, although sometimes you have to turn the steering wheel very slightly (literally a quick jiggle while pressing the button) to get it to work. I believe this is due to resistance fluctuations from the clock spring, I will experiment more on that to get it to work flawlessly. Another option is programming the SWI-PS on version 11, which I may try as well if all else fails.


I will post more updates soon.

awesome mod, keep us updated!!!

Just installed in RX7 Vert.
 

I'm glad this thread is still alive. Today I connected my RX8 wheel to my Turbo Vert I'm building. I tried to use the RX-8 clock spring but it did not fit. I ended up using the original clock spring. I had to grind the center of the clock grind so I could turn the plastic shaft vertical so the RX-8 wheel would line up. Took less than 5 minutes with a dremel. At this point I only have the horn working. I look forward to more updates so I can get the audio working. Thanks for all of the info Inbrown.

updates?

There isn't a whole lot to update yet. I will be working on the horn wiring and the cruise sometime within the next few weeks. Here are some semi-finished aesthetics for you in the meantime.

Ever figure out the airbag? Anyone else figure out the airbag?

I decided it wasn't really worth the effort. The Rx8 uses a dual stage, vs. the single Stage of the FD, and though technically possible to retrofit, the cost (monetary and time) wouldn't be worth it. I just did the airbag light mod (do a search on it) and called it a day. The overall result was worth it. Let's see: It's smaller than the stock wheel, looks better than the stock wheel, gives you steering wheel controls of an aftermarket radio, gets rid of the old school single stage airbag that could cause YOU more damage in an accident (my sister had her nose broken by the deployment of an older single stage bag like the one in the FD, yet had no other injuries, she wore a seatbelt), and just gives you another way of bringing the car up to date.

How did you get the steering wheel controls working? I installed my wheel in a vert. All the stereo shops tell me that its impossible to get working because I dont have the RX8 radio harness.

Nice work, the RX8 wheel looks great

fantastic. personally i prefer a removable steering wheel because of the extra layer of safety.

really nice mod. good job on pioneering this one...

if you dont mind, could you do a little more in depth write up on the wiring of the radio controls?

looks badass!

back from the dead...any luck with the cruise controls?

No, I haven't really had the time to really dig into it. I have been using the original controls attached to the lower part of the console. Also for all those wondering, I got the horn to work by using a small wire bolted between the hub and the airbag assy. The horn is the green wire coming out of the body side harness that connects to the steering column. On the steering wheel side, I swapped the audio control wire on the steering wheel over to the factory gray wire instead.