[Vulcan50]

So a couple days ago I finally got my new steering wheel wrap in the mail. More on that later.

The new wrap requires removing the original leather and then stitching the new one on. This really requires removing the steering wheel, granted I suppose you could leave it on but it would be much harder to get the same results.

Anyhow, I pulled the airbag successfully and then removed the bolt that holds the wheel on. My assumption was that it was a compression fit in addition to the splines, I was wrong, it slides pretty easily once the bolt is out. What happened was the wheel came off before I wanted it to. (I believe I went to reposition myself and habitually grabbed the wheel for leverage, that was my mistake.)

When the wheel came off I had not yet unplugged the connectors at the top of the wheel, this pulled the clock spring spool out. Because of how the ribbon cables are wrapped around the spool there was built in slack. This saved my bacon because it would likely have torn the cable otherwise.

There are two ways you can try to fix this, though it maybe wise to plug the connectors back into the wheel and test your steering wheel buttons to confirm nothing is torn. I didn't do this so it would be at your own risk. I tried the buttons after I put it back on and had fixed the clock spring, but testing it first might save you some time in case the ribbons are torn.

The way I approached it was more of a blind methodology, because at the time I didn't know another way. Straighten out the ribbons, and wind them around the spool, it should really only go one way neatly, if I remember correctly the wrap is counter clockwise. The ribbons should have a natural bend in them from being in that position for most of their life, once you reach this point in the ribbon it has a loose bend to go the opposite direction. They change direction individually, one bend, then 1.5" or so and the next, and so on.

Once all the ribbons are reversed you will want to pack the ribbons as tight as possible to the spool, DO NOT CREASE the ribbons. Work the spool into hole. Once the back is in the hole, face of the spool is bigger than the hole it is going into, so you have to pry the "hole" over the spool in one spot with a flat head and then spin the spool and work it in. It is like takin a tire off a rim, the tire (hole) is pried over the spool (rim).

The second option is to remove the steering wheel position sensor assembly, then taking off the clock spring cover and doing it from the rear. Here you can see what you are doing. The concepts remain the same.

Following my fix, I had issues similar to a failing steering wheel angle position sensor. Turn signals wouldn't self cancel, adaptive headlights were shifting back and forth (even when going straight), cornering lights coming on and off with the slightest turn of the wheel, and numerous warnings and lights.

I thought the fact that this happened immediately after reinstalling the clock spring, seemed too coincidental that it actually needed replaced. So I set out to clean the optical disk, I thought that I may have contaminated it. So I started this DIY http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=520467

I only got as far as step 11, in picture 10, it shows the indexing arrows, mine were off by about 180*. I turned it and I put it all back together and tested it out. Sure enough that was the issue. I followed the recalibration procedures, turning the wheel, but the lights stayed on. After driving a few yards they went away and then turned and the turn signals cancelled on their own. The point being that if the lights/warnings don't immediately go away, give it a short drive.

The final though is that if your clock spring comes out it may not be more than an inconvenience.

Final thanks to yikes98