Steering Wheel Replacement

what horror stories ? Are you talking about removing the Original Steering Wheel and replacing it with another non-Jaguar wheel ?

I replaced my 1984 XJ-6 steering wheel with a 15" Momo and I never looked
back. The original is just too big for my taste, but I'm sure there is a purpose for its size. (I stopped doubting Sir William a long time ago). However I haven't noticed any difference, except a good one.

To remove the original steering wheel:

First park the car with the front wheels and steering wheel in the same position it normally is when driving in a straight line, (steering wheel and steering column should be centered, but that's another day, another dollar).

There are two flat blade screws on the rear of the black plastic center piece. Remove those and don't lose them. Pry out the Naughugide (did I spell that right?) center cover, (the one with the emblem).

Now you need a 19mm (if I remember correctly) Socket and a 1/2" ratchet
and maybe a 3" Extension of your Socket is short.
NOTE: I could be wrong on the size of the socket needed).

The Horn's cream-plastic electrical contact will be seen, turn it counter-clockwise with the 19mm socket without the ratchet, just put the socket over it and turn with your hand, very carefully (it's plastic and it can break). Pull it when fully unscrewed.

That will leave the Steering Wheel Nut to remove; Insert the socket over the nut, with ratchet in the remove position, and hold the steering wheel
straight while turning counter-clockwise to loosen the nut and remove it, (you don't want to move the shaft from the position it was). (a helper here would be handy).

Now GENTLY GENTLY pull the steering wheel from the East and from the West and from the South and from the North until it comes lose, then just pull it GENTLY off the shaft. That's it.

To re-install another one is the reversal except you need to make sure the
Plastic Horn contact goes in exactly centered before you tighten it, very easy for it to end up not making contact down there so after you've assembled everything you end up with the claxon not working, but then you'll know what happened. Just make sure you tighten the steering wheel nut as tight as it was when you removed it. (THINK SAFETY FIRST).

Otherwise the entire procedure is pretty straighforward.

If you're installing a Momo, or anything else other than the original-style
steering wheel, you might need to pre-install the Hub on the new Wheel,
and you might need to solder wires which will complete the Horn circuit.
That's what I had to do, but its no big deal, just protect the new wheel if using a solder gun near it.

JAM