Steering Wheel Color

TipsyMcStagger · August 2, 2010

I have a 2010 Silverdao with Ebony cloth interior. Here's a picture of my steering wheel:

I've already ordered and subsequently sold a titanium steering (25853071) wheel because info on the forum indicated that "titanium" refers to the color of the spokes, not the color of the leather and plastic rear shroud. While the titanium wheel I ordered and received had the "silver" spokes, the leather and plastic shroud were clearly a lighter color than that of my interior.

The only other part numbers available are for "Ebony" and "Cashmere." I think it's fairly obvious that Cashmere can be ruled out.

Several post have indicated that ordering the "Ebony" wheel will result in a wheel with black spokes. But those posts are referencing the part numbers for the 2007-2008 trucks (Ebony = 15917931 & Titanium = 15917932). The part numbers for the 2009-2010 trucks are different (Ebony = 25853070 & Titanium = 25853071). The wheel I ordered was Titanium (25853071) and it did not match my wheel.

It seems the only remaining option is to order the 2009-2010 Ebony wheel (25853070). Is it possible that the ebony part number for 2007-2008 (15917931) had black spokes but the new 2009-2010 part number for Ebony (25853070) has the silver spokes?

TIA.

Tipsy

lsuguy · August 2, 2010

I've always wondered this because the information never seemed quite clear. Especially since I've read about your experience. I'd love to know an answer to this as well

splat10 · August 2, 2010

my guess, and it's only that, but the 09-10 ebony wheel is what you are looking for as i didn't see any 2010 trucks with black inserts while test driving.

If you are just doing the radio controls mod you can remove the inserts from your existing wheel and put them on the replacement with one or two little screws. That's what i'd do. Just order the cheapest one you can find in ebony and change over the inserts.

lsuguy · August 2, 2010

my guess, and it's only that, but the 09-10 ebony wheel is what you are looking for as i didn't see any 2010 trucks with black inserts while test driving.

If you are just doing the radio controls mod you can remove the inserts from your existing wheel and put them on the replacement with one or two little screws. That's what i'd do. Just order the cheapest one you can find in ebony and change over the inserts.

My 09 has an all black wheel with black inserts. I don't have the radio controls however so I'm not sure if that changes anything.

Doug_Scott · August 2, 2010

Why not just go to your local dealer, find a truck on the lot with the wheel you want, grab the VIN and then get the part number from that?

TipsyMcStagger · August 3, 2010

Why not just go to your local dealer, find a truck on the lot with the wheel you want, grab the VIN and then get the part number from that?

I went to a dealership with my VIN. The wheel that came up in the system is EBONY (as I anticipated from the beginning) but there were two part numbers for steering wheels with accessory controls; 25853070 (as listed above) and also 25853068. They each have the same codes listed (K34, NP5, UK3, 19I) but 25853068 also has an additional code, X88.

The gentleman in the parts department called Lansing and was told to order 25853068. He wasn't told what the differences are between the two numbers...he was simply told to order 25853068.

I've just ordered the steering wheel. I'll follow up when I receive it.

Is there are good post that details the removal/installation of the airbag and steering wheel?

Tipsy

lsuguy · August 3, 2010

Why not just go to your local dealer, find a truck on the lot with the wheel you want, grab the VIN and then get the part number from that?

I went to a dealership with my VIN. The wheel that came up in the system is EBONY (as I anticipated from the beginning) but there were two part numbers for steering wheels with accessory controls; 25853070 (as listed above) and also 25853068. They each have the same codes listed (K34, NP5, UK3, 19I) but 25853068 also has an additional code, X88.

The gentleman in the parts department called Lansing and was told to order 25853068. He wasn't told what the differences are between the two numbers...he was simply told to order 25853068.

I've just ordered the steering wheel. I'll follow up when I receive it.

Is there are good post that details the removal/installation of the airbag and steering wheel?

Tipsy

There is. I haven't seen it in a long time though. I'll do some searching

Edit: Hows this http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=69369

BigBlueLB756 · August 3, 2010

This has some good info, too.

http://jrrod2004.com/silverado/steeringwheelswap.html

And a Clock Spring tutorial can't be bad, either.

http://www.jrrod2004.com/silverado/clockspringswap.html

TipsyMcStagger · August 3, 2010

This has some good info, too.
http://jrrod2004.com/silverado/steeringwheelswap.html

Thanks but I was hoping to find something based on a GMT900 install.

I thought I'd once read that a puller isn't required for the GMT900???

Tipsy

blackout07 · August 4, 2010

No puller is necessary, and there really isn't a trick to the airbag. On either side of the wheel shroud you will find a small hole. You will need something long, hard, and thin to stick in there (insert dirty innuendo). I used a wire coat hanger. Anyway, you just have to poke around until you find the release for the airbag. There is one on each side. I spent more time trying to find those push tabs than on anything else.

TipsyMcStagger · August 4, 2010

No puller is necessary, and there really isn't a trick to the airbag. On either side of the wheel shroud you will find a small hole. You will need something long, hard, and thin to stick in there (insert dirty innuendo). I used a wire coat hanger. Anyway, you just have to poke around until you find the release for the airbag. There is one on each side. I spent more time trying to find those push tabs than on anything else.

Will the airbag release one side at a time or do both clips have to be "popped" simultaneously?

Once the airbag is removed, is it fairly self evident what remains to remove the wheel? Is it just the one retaining bolt and the harness connectors?

TIA.

Tipsy

dlewis1111 · August 4, 2010

No puller is necessary, and there really isn't a trick to the airbag. On either side of the wheel shroud you will find a small hole. You will need something long, hard, and thin to stick in there (insert dirty innuendo). I used a wire coat hanger. Anyway, you just have to poke around until you find the release for the airbag. There is one on each side. I spent more time trying to find those push tabs than on anything else.

Will the airbag release on side at a time or do both clips have to be "popped" simultaneously?

Once the airbag is removed, is it fairly self evident what remains to remove the wheel? Is it just the one retaining bolt and the harness connectors?

TIA.

Tipsy

you need to do both at the same time. once the bad is off, there is a nut that hold the wheel on. once it's off, the wheel will come off very easily. no more pullers.

i believe the steering wheel part numbers changed for 09-10 from the 07-08 numbers. All have different numbers for a wheel that is ebony both with black and the silver spoke covers. i would suggest ordering the cheaper version and the just swapping the covers from the old wheel. good luck

blackout07 · August 4, 2010

I did mine one side at a time.

TipsyMcStagger · August 12, 2010

I did mine one side at a time.

Well, my new 25853068 wheel arrived today. This time, the leather and the rear shroud are the right "ebony" color. However, the inserts are ebony too. I was going to swap them with the titanium inserts from my stock wheel but I managed to put a tiny scratch in the stock insert when I was removing it so I just left the new darker inserts in place. They look fine.

A few points for those who are doing this in the future;

1) The airbag can be released one side at a time. Like others, I used a small Allen wrench.

2) I was expecting to find an additional electrical plug under the wheel in the stock harness for the new radio controls. There is none. You simply remove the stock connector and plug in the new connector. I guess there are pins that are unassigned with the stock wheel (with no radio controls).

3) The steering wheel is super-simple to remove. Just remove the one retaining bolt (13/16") and work the wheel off. The retaining bolt is a "nylock" however. I didn't realize this. I'm not a big fan of reusing self locking nuts but I didn't have another on hand, so for peace-of-mind, I'll probably order a new retaining nut.

4) The airbag has two electrical connectors. I'd never seen these particular connectors before so it took a minute or two to figure out how to remove them. There is a clearish retaining clip on each connector which needs to be pulled up just a bit. Once it's lifted, the two tabs on the sides of the connectors are simply squeezed and the connector can be pulled out of place.

If I had to do this a second time, it would probably take less than five minutes.

I love my new steering wheel radio controls!

Tipsy

lsuguy · August 13, 2010

I did mine one side at a time.

Well, my new 25853068 wheel arrived today. This time, the leather and the rear shroud are the right "ebony" color. However, the inserts are ebony too. I was going to swap them with the titanium inserts from my stock wheel but I managed to put a tiny scratch in the stock insert when I was removing it so I just left the new darker inserts in place. They look fine.

A few points for those who are doing this in the future;

1) The airbag can be released one side at a time. Like others, I used a small Allen wrench.

2) I was expecting to find an additional electrical plug under the wheel in the stock harness for the new radio controls. There is none. You simply remove the stock connector and plug in the new connector. I guess there are pins that are unassigned with the stock wheel (with no radio controls).

3) The steering wheel is super-simple to remove. Just remove the one retaining bolt (13/16") and work the wheel off. The retaining bolt is a "nylock" however. I didn't realize this. I'm not a big fan of reusing self locking nuts but I didn't have another on hand, so for peace-of-mind, I'll probably order a new retaining nut.

4) The airbag has two electrical connectors. I'd never seen these particular connectors before so it took a minute or two to figure out how to remove them. There is a clearish retaining clip on each coonector which need to be pulled up just a bit. Once it's lifted, the two tabs on the sides of the connectors are simply squeezed and the connector can be pulled out of place.

If I had to do this a second time, it would probably take less than five minutes.

I love my new steering wheel radio controls!

Tipsy

I WANY EBONY WHEEL WITH TITANIUM INSERTS!!!!!!!!!

I know they exist. Why can't we figure out a part # for it???????

Oh and thanks for the tips.