Not too long ago, I decided I had enough with the original steering wheel… So I checked my options and my first question was: What can I fit? An OEM Audi steering from another model? Mono? (The name came back from my young tuning days…) Any other manufacturers out there? One thing was for sure, I wanted an air bag & safety on my side.
After a lot of searching on many TT forums, I found out that it is possible to replace the OEM by many other wheels, but it comes at a price and needs technical skills. Not too hard, but definitively not a plug and play. That’s why I don’t see many out there I thought.
But hey, my mind was set and I had decided to change it. So I looked at what others had installed and none fit my taste aside from Nexon models. So I wrote to Izzy (Nexon Motors @ Facebook) and he confirmed he already had one customer installing a custom wheel in his TT. What? Who? Do you have a name I asked him? “Steve / V6RUL” answered! Really? Anyone who follows ttforum.uk has read one of Steve’s posts. So I wrote to Steve who sent me a few pics and confirmed Nexon was worthy of my trust.
A few days later, I confirmed to Izzy I had found the model that I wanted and gave him a 25% deposit. And then I waited, waited and… waited. I wrote to Izzy a couple of times and was told the wheel was being made. A few days later, he sent me pics and two weeks later… ding-doongg! The bell rung and Brown was here with a delivery from half way around the globe.
Installation
The next step was installation… Not sure exactly how I would do this, I searched the web and found a way, some pics here and there but no real tutorial. “Let’s make one” I thought. So this is it! I am using pics from several websites + my own. Oh and BTW, no the radio buttons won’t work. I’ve had this question many times. There is a way and I will explore it later. (The OEM MK1 radio is very simple and does not require CANBUS, unlike the MK2)
– Step 1 –
Remove the + connector from the car battery. Take off the old steering wheel.
Cut the yellow plug off the MK1 airbag loom
As you look at the yellow MK1 plug, the colours are as follows
1 – Black (green paint dot) – Airbag
2 – Black – Airbag
3 – Brown – Horn Switch
4 – Black – Horn/ chassis GND
Next cut the plug off the MK2 loom and separate the unused part of the loom for the black plug.
This is the bit you don’t need and want to remove
Next you need to connect the horn wiring to the MK1 plug
Brown from the MK2 Loom to the single black on the MK1 plug for the GND – Pin 4 on the yellow MK1 plug
Yellow from the MK2 Loom to the brown on the MK1 Plug for Horn switch – Pin 3 on the yellow MK1 plug
This is the change from picture below as you only want to connect one of the airbag plugs
Green on the MK2 Loom to the black on the MK1 plug (next to the brown) Pin 2 on the yellow MK1 plug
Black on the MK2 Loom to the black on the MK1 plug (closest the edge & has green paint in the pic) Pin 1 on the yellow MK1 plug
Individually insulate both the blue and white as you don’t want to accidentally trigger that stage!!!!
I wound the protective cloth back onto the loom to keep everything tidy. Also, make sure you dress the loom back into the retainers on the back of the airbag as if its not tidy, it will foul as you try to mount the bag in the wheel.
Wired like this, the orange airbag plug will NEVER fire but the green airbag plug will.
– Step 2 –
DSG Paddles. Made a loom adapter today and removed the canbus logic for the DSG paddles.
Thats just the DSG paddles. In the MKi wheel there are 3 wires.
+gear up switch line
-gear down switch line
Common
In the MK2 wheel, there is canbus logic on the board under the right coverplate as the MK2 TT uses a single wire canbus connection to the DSG. On the MK1 the logic is external to the wheel and so uses the discrete button presses. I’ve just removed the canbus PCB and connected the wiring to work like the original switches. Of the 3 pin connections to the paddles. the middle pin is the common. then I just used a meter to work out which was the correct one for the switchline.
– Step 3 –
The horn is just another switch that is part of the original wheel loom, I just extended the wire as required.
After install Pics
Audi TT Mk1 8n Tuning - Parts & Accessories 
Nice job been looking at flat wheel… now just trying to afford it LOL
lol, tks bud
Andre, that wheel is sick! Absolutely incredible workmanship. Excellent job on the write up as well.
Thanks Jay! 🙂
over my budget.. better wash my ass for that price LOL 🙂
You know this airbag will NOT deploy correctly right? The MK2 TT airbag is a dual stage bag, and will not fire off correctly (or at all) being wired to an airbag module that is made for a single stage airbag, Just thought you might want to know if you didnt already
Hello Mike,
It’s been proven that wiring a 2 stage airbag as a 1 stage and manually triggering the firing mechanism will fully inflate the airbag. What hasn’t been proven is whether a 2 stage airbag wired as a 1 stage airbag will react the same way a 1 stage airbag would react in an accident under the exact same circumstances. Until that is methodically tested, everything and anything said is just pure speculation.
I think when you get involved w/ such modification you have to understand the possible consequences of what you’re getting yourself into. I know there are people out there that are going to argue to length that you shouldn’t do it, others will tell you you’ll be fine… Bottom line, it’s your decision because no one knows… You do it at your own risks and you better be willing and ready to assume any consequences, whatever these might be.
Personally, it works for me and my airbag light and VagCom show no faults… and NO, I’m not going to crash my car just to prove a point! 🙂
Hi Andre! I just received my airbag fresh from the UK, unfortunately it did not come with the wiring harness. I was wondering if you know of a place I can source the harness from? Thanks in advance! Lloyd
Sorry, but follow=on to my post…. I forgot to tell you the airbag part# 8J0880201N6PS. Thanks 🙂
Sure!
Have you tried an Audi dealership?
Or are you referring to the mk1 to mk2 wiring loom? This you can get from the UK as well. Contact Gareth from HazzyDayz at hazzydayz@gmail.com.
Best,
Andre
Thanks for the contact Andre! Can’t wait to get this conversion started. Cheers, Lloyd
Andre,
Hi, I have a quick question for you. You mentioned toward the end of your steering wheel build about a change in photo (insert below)
“This is the change from picture below as you only want to connect one of the airbag plugs
-Green on the MK2 Loom to the black on the MK1 plug (next to the brown) Pin 2 on the yellow MK1 plug
-Black on the MK2 Loom to the black on the MK1 plug (closest the edge & has green paint in the pic) Pin 1 on the yellow MK1 plug”
What do you mean? Do I just go by what the photo has which is combine the black and the blue wire to pin 1 and the green and the white wire to pin 2.
Thank you in advance.
Lloyd
Hey Lloyd,
Do not combine the wires! Mk2 Green (only) to Mk1 black on pin 2 and Mk2 Black to Mk1 Black on pin 1.
Individually insulate both the blue and white like in the picture or in any other way. They simply need to be appart from one to the other and unplugged and unskinned.
🙂
Andre
Thanks for the clarification Andre, just avoided a catastrophe…..haha.
If you don’t care to have the function of an airbag could you just install a MK2 wheel with an airbag cover and use vagcom to shut off the airbag light?
Absolutely! But that would defeat the purpose of paying that much for a steering wheel! 🙂
I’m running bucket seats with 4 point harnesses the driver’s airbag literally provides no safety for me. Anyway the reason I asked is because I found an R8 steering wheel online and purchased it, but now I’m having trouble finding an airbag for it. The A8 looks the same, but I’m having trouble finding if it will mount up properly, etc.
This is only true if your using a HANS device. If not you can sustain massive whiplash and even death from sudden deceleration.
i am about to do the same…did yoy find out if the A8 airbag fits the R8 steering wheel?
I don’t have your answer as it came on the Wheel as is. But ask these guys: http://stores.ebay.com/nexonmotors
i’m from romania and i have a question can i buy online a steering wheel like tha?
Of course you can! Try Nexon Motors on Facebook. 🙂
Andre
Hi all, what was the cost of getting that wheel custom made? Thanks
Where can I buy this steering wheel at? And how much was it?
Hi Andre
Loved the steering wheel swap. Can you tell me how much all the parts were to complete the job and do you know where I could get the work done ? I’m in the UK.
Garry
mrgagiles@gmail.com
Hi Garry, you can source them here: http://stores.ebay.com/nexonmotors
Pingback: Flat bottom Steering Wheel with active controls… on a MK1 TT?? | Audi TT Tuning – Parts & Accessories – Mk1, MK2, Mk3
Hi would anyone be interested in doing this swap for me for cash
Lovely job!
Hi, price?
You can find some on eBay for 1k
I now have a working VW Scirocco G Steering wheel with 1 airbag bag in my Octavia 1.8T (mk1) year 2000
https://www.stevensvwspares.com/ebay_listing/370829063724
Thank you andre-martin hobbs for your guide
Sincerely Absinth
Here are some pictures
Has now bought on ebay, 40mm domed Skoda wheels caps
to cover the vw mark on the steering wheel.. hehe
Will post pictures of it when everything is finished.
Pics please!
PRICES? ADRES?
Hi! Quick question, can you get the steering controls to work aswell or is that not possible ? Thanks
Jordan
Absolutely possible! But not without an adaptor kit.
What’s the price and how I can order it ?
Ask Izzy: look for Nexon Motors on Facebook
hmm you dont forget tell like need change as well – Clock Spring
Hey bud nice TT I would love to see the outside of it. I have a 2002 Audi TT and I’m in the process of fixing it up. I’m wondering what it is you have under your climate control where you’re ashtray was please let me know. Thanks
This is it: https://auditttuning.org/2010/12/10/update-osir-design-carbon-fiber-mantis/