IOR Steering Wheel Control Retrofits are here!

ls5454ss · June 2, 2022

2 minutes ago, Railroad_Jim said:

Thanks for the info about the QR code. I opened up a messenger session on his website asking him about instructions. Hopefully I'll get a response soon.

Sounds good! You're welcome. He really should put something like "scan this for instructions"

Railroad_Jim · June 2, 2022

2 hours ago, Railroad_Jim said:

Thanks for the info about the QR code. I opened up a messenger session on his website asking him about instructions. Hopefully I'll get a response soon.

He got back to me via Messenger and sent me the link to the instructions.

Those definitely contain the level of detail that I was looking for!

ls5454ss · June 2, 2022

Just now, Railroad_Jim said:

He got back to me via Messenger and sent me the link to the instructions.

Those definitely contain the level of detail that I was looking for!

Yeah he did a great job with the instructions for sure. All the best finishing the install!

Railroad_Jim · June 3, 2022

Upgrade complete on my 2020 Custom Trail Boss! With the help of the Harness Dr's instructions, I was able to figure out how to get the wires landed where they needed to be.

Unlike everyone else that I saw post on here, I didn't go with the full-digital High Country gauges, instead, I went with the more traditional (and cheaper) gauges setup that has the color LCD in the center, and the four physical gauges up top. I like the physical gauges, and the silver trim on this cluster looks nice.

Overall, I'm blow away by how much this upgrade improves the feel of the truck. The cheap foam steering wheel with the big blank panel on the right (instead of buttons) just screamed cheap, as did the monochome LCD in the center of the gauge cluster. The look and feel of the leather wheel is awesome, and I'm surprised how much better the gauge cluster looks. The wider display and the addition of color makes it look so much nicer! The trim on the steering wheel and the new gauge cluster trim looks good with the silver trim around the radio.

But the main reason that I did this was, was to get the steering wheel buttons, and I'm not disappointed. The microphone button is great to bring up my Google assistant, even when I'm not running Android Auto, and my biggest pet peeve with the IOR radio before was that when I was in Android Auto and listening to the radio, there was no easy way to change between my presets. I had to hit the home button, and navigate back to audio and press the new preset button on the top of the screen, then press and hold the home button to get back to Android Auot! Now, I just press the buttons behind the left side of my steering wheel. And just activating the Google assistant required reaching all the way over to the right, and pressing the microphone icon, which pretty much made you take you eyes off of the road.

Special thanks to WAMS for making this possible. My 2020 Custom Trail Boss with 5.3 and without start/stop indeed works with the "2021 US Spec GAS - Chevrolet - NO AUTO STOP" gauge cluster that he had me order.

Anyways, here are two pictures. One comparing the stock wheel with the new one, and one with the new wheel and gauge cluster showing.

I did record a series of videos with a digital camera while doing the installation, and maybe I'll try to put together a youtube video of it sometime, if the footage looks okay.

GETGONE · June 3, 2022

Your upgrade is why I spent the $390 for the Safety Confidence package that has the cluster you installed and the wheel with all the buttons. Sadly it wasn't leather wrapped so I bought a new wheel that was leather wrapped because I hate the urethane crap and trying to do a leather wrap over the stock wheel would look like crap. Factory wrap is so much cleaner looking.

Railroad_Jim · June 3, 2022

10 hours ago, GETGONE said:

Your upgrade is why I spent the $390 for the Safety Confidence package that has the cluster you installed and the wheel with all the buttons. Sadly it wasn't leather wrapped so I bought a new wheel that was leather wrapped because I hate the urethane crap and trying to do a leather wrap over the stock wheel would look like crap. Factory wrap is so much cleaner looking.

Sadly, that package isn't available to order on the Custom series of trucks, or I would have gotten it!

Chevrolet definitely made a decision to limit features to the Custom series, in order to drive customers up to the higher trim levels. You couldn't even order fog lights on the Custom! (And we won't talk about the non-functional center console that so many of us have replaced....)

ls5454ss · June 4, 2022

20 hours ago, Railroad_Jim said:

Sadly, that package isn't available to order on the Custom series of trucks, or I would have gotten it!

Chevrolet definitely made a decision to limit features to the Custom series, in order to drive customers up to the higher trim levels. You couldn't even order fog lights on the Custom! (And we won't talk about the non-functional center console that so many of us have replaced....)

I was in the same exact boat as you with a Sierra base level. I was stuck having no trim options, as I needed a single cab long bed. I had to do wayy too many upgrades to make the truck in to the truck that GM should have allowed me to buy. Thanks for the BS, GM...

GETGONE · June 4, 2022

22 hours ago, Railroad_Jim said:

Sadly, that package isn't available to order on the Custom series of trucks, or I would have gotten it!

Chevrolet definitely made a decision to limit features to the Custom series, in order to drive customers up to the higher trim levels. You couldn't even order fog lights on the Custom! (And we won't talk about the non-functional center console that so many of us have replaced....)

Actually it IS available on Customs as mine is a Custom. I think it was a 2021 addition. Same with the Multi Flex tailgate.

Railroad_Jim · June 5, 2022

12 hours ago, GETGONE said:

Actually it IS available on Customs as mine is a Custom. I think it was a 2021 addition. Same with the Multi Flex tailgate.

Oh wow, I didn't realize that they changed the available options for 2021. Pretty neat!

I should go through the configuration again sometime.

Railroad_Jim · July 3, 2022

I just wanted to update the thread on how this upgrade has improved the daily "quality of life" when driving my 2020 Custom Trail Boss.

Instead of feeling that crappy foam steering wheel (and the defect/nub I had on the back of mine at the 12 o'clock position) in my hands, I now have a nice leather wrapped wheel and it makes a big difference when driving the truck. The trim color on the steering wheel that I chose, seems to match the factory trim around the radio quite well.

What surprised me most is how much I like the new color gauge display in the center. I didn't realize how lame the Custom's monochrome display was until getting this. When using the cruise control, seeing the symbol in green lets me immediately know that cruise control is enabled, which wasn't so easy to see on the old display. Just having the time displayed there makes it so much nicer than looking at the stereo, trying to find the time, especially when android auto is running. I wish that there was a way to also display the outside temperature next to the time, but there doesn't appear to be a way to do that. While I didn't get the mostly digital high-country display, the display that I got is quite nice, and I like the shiny trim around the physical gauges.

And of course the buttons are what I was most looking forward to, and I'm not disappointed. Being able to hit the microphone to bring up the android assistant, instead taking my eyes off of the road, to look at the bottom right corner of the android auto screen is so much better. And my pet peeve of not being able to easily change radio presets while running android auto has been addressed.

It's a great upgrade and thank you so much for those that found out how to do this, and those vendors who sell the parts that I needed to make it work!

Edited July 14, 2022 by Railroad_Jim
- Added info about the cruise control

Mac-427 · July 19, 2022

Railroad Jim, your installation looks so good I wish I had followed your approach instead of the "full" version. Too late now, but wanted to let you know what a nice job you did.

Railroad_Jim · July 19, 2022

56 minutes ago, Mac-427 said:

Railroad Jim, your installation looks so good I wish I had followed your approach instead of the "full" version. Too late now, but wanted to let you know what a nice job you did.

Thanks Mac! I appreciate the comments, and am really happy how well it turned out. I like the look of the "real" gauges, and they have a really nice back-lighting glow to them that the factory gauges that my Custom Trail Boss didn't have.

I just drove the truck for back-to-back weekend trips of over 600 miles each, and the leather wheel and extra control buttons made the trips much more enjoyable.

ls5454ss · July 19, 2022

11 minutes ago, Railroad_Jim said:

Thanks Mac! I appreciate the comments, and am really happy how well it turned out. I like the look of the "real" gauges, and they have a really nice back-lighting glow to them that the factory gauges that my Custom Trail Boss didn't have.

I just drove the truck for back-to-back weekend trips of over 600 miles each, and the leather wheel and extra control buttons made the trips much more enjoyable.

Random comment on this one, but, in retrospect I wish I went with the "mid-level" cluster instead of the Denali cluster. The gauges at the top are definitely harder to read with just the blue sweep. While the Denali cluster does anesthetically look nicer, I don't know if it's exactly more "practical".

Railroad_Jim · July 19, 2022

2 minutes ago, ls5454ss said:

Random comment on this one, but, in retrospect I wish I went with the "mid-level" cluster instead of the Denali cluster. The gauges at the top are definitely harder to read with just the blue sweep. While the Denali cluster does anesthetically look nicer, I don't know if it's exactly more "practical".

You guys are making me feel better about going for the "mid-level" cluster instead of the "hi-country" digital package. I was having slight buyers remorse for not getting the fancier gauge cluster before I installed it, but have been completely happy afterwards.

My only complaint is that with the steering column being tilt only, I can't adjust it so that I can properly still see the top gauges and also have a good angle of the wheel (and still drive with my knees when needed). I have it adjusted so I can mostly see the top gauge needles, but I wish the column had more adjustability to get it how I really like it. I'm 6'3" but that's not that tall.

They sell the columns with tilt and telescope:

https://www.gmpartsbin.com/a/Chevrolet_2020_Silverado-1500-LT-Trail-Boss-Crew-Cab-Pickup-Fleetside-53L-EcoTec3-V8-AT-4WD/_50018_7626396/STEERING-COLUMN-ASSEMBLY/GH19405.html

I'm not sure which to get being that I only have the six speed automatic, with old-fashioned key ignition (which I like!) but it looks like this one would work:

https://www.gmpartsbin.com/p/Chevrolet_2020_Silverado-1500-LT-Trail-Boss-Crew-Cab-Pickup-Fleetside-53L-EcoTec3-V8-AT-4WD/Column-ASSEMBLY-Steering-Column/94506339/84800780.html

I wonder how tough the installation would be?

My wife likes to remind me that maybe I should have purchased the more expensive model of my truck.

ls5454ss · July 19, 2022

17 minutes ago, Railroad_Jim said:

You guys are making me feel better about going for the "mid-level" cluster instead of the "hi-country" digital package. I was having slight buyers remorse for not getting the fancier gauge cluster before I installed it, but have been completely happy afterwards.

My only complaint is that with the steering column being tilt only, I can't adjust it so that I can properly still see the top gauges and also have a good angle of the wheel (and still drive with my knees when needed). I have it adjusted so I can mostly see the top gauge needles, but I wish the column had more adjustability to get it how I really like it. I'm 6'3" but that's not that tall.

They sell the columns with tilt and telescope:

https://www.gmpartsbin.com/a/Chevrolet_2020_Silverado-1500-LT-Trail-Boss-Crew-Cab-Pickup-Fleetside-53L-EcoTec3-V8-AT-4WD/_50018_7626396/STEERING-COLUMN-ASSEMBLY/GH19405.html

I'm not sure which to get being that I only have the six speed automatic, with old-fashioned key ignition (which I like!) but it looks like this one would work:

https://www.gmpartsbin.com/p/Chevrolet_2020_Silverado-1500-LT-Trail-Boss-Crew-Cab-Pickup-Fleetside-53L-EcoTec3-V8-AT-4WD/Column-ASSEMBLY-Steering-Column/94506339/84800780.html

I wonder how tough the installation would be?

My wife likes to remind me that maybe I should have purchased the more expensive model of my truck.

Good idea with a telescoping column...I'd have to research to see how easy it would be to install. I know what you are talking about with the top gauge thing. I don't THINK I have that issue with this truck (seat all the way high for the wife, and wheel adjusted to match so I can see...6 ft here). Now you're going to make me see next time I drive to see if I can comfortably steer with my knee

I wish I had the option to purchase a more expensive model...but...GM is dumb and doesn't even offer it on a single cab / long bed. Thanks, GM.....lol