Air Bags/Different Steering Wheels

[special-K]

I have the basic '95 Suburban Cheyenne with the foam wheel that has seen better days. I bought a nice leather one a while ago and yesterday went to finally install it (replaced multi-function switch). Well, I learned something new and now need to learn more. My airbag is the same size and shape, but the way it fastens to the wheel at four points are different. Is this another '95-only thing?

I'm going to have to buy a newer airbag at the junkyard or buy an older leather wheel. I want to go with newer air bag. I need to get to the skinny on this. When did they change? I can just look for a '99, but I want to know what years will work, when the change was, and increase my options

[Just call me Sean]

My 93 only has a driver's side douche bag.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by Just call me Sean

My 93 only has a driver's side douche bag.

My '92 was the same, but she left for Florida

My '95 airbag mount holes are like rubber bushings and this newer wheel has mounts that are plastic with fingers. Like this:

[special-K]

No knowledge in this department? Am I going to have to be the expert on this?

I guess junk yards don't sell air bags? The one near town doesn't and that's LKQ. Is that some kind of law? I really need to know my options on years if I have to find an individual parting a newer one. And also if it turns out I need to find the wheel that goes with my air bag. I hope it's not a bastard item all over again

[Just call me Sean]

LKQ isn't going to sell airbags, and possibly seatbelts. Safety items, liability reasons. Independent yards might. Might have to do no warranty no receipt kind of thing. As far as the wheel, I can tell you my 99 looks like the one in the picture, which isn't really helpful. I would think 98-99 would be the same since other major changes to these trucks were grouped 96-97 and 98-99.

[special-K]

Thanks for that, Sean. Now it's just a question if the bag mounting changed in '96 or '98. I can get that answer by looking at the steering wheels in the JY. I forget about all this world run by lawyers bullcrap. It goes against my nature to think in those terms. My nature is "true" reality, not the man-made one.

[Boog]

What year did the truck series change from gmt400 to gmt800? 99 wasn't it? I would think a steering wheel and bag change would have happened then.
Liabilities are a big concern to most everyone now days hence all that legal shmegal disclaimer crap attached to most ads and paperwork.

I've got a friend who has owned a big truck salvage yard for over 50 years who will not sell a used semi truck steering sector for just that possible liability reason.

[special-K]

GMT800 began in in '99, but that is the next series of truck, a complete redesign. The GMT400s beginning in '99 till the end of their run would be 1st design vs GMT800s 2nd design in the same years. But with so many new to the truck market, they came up with OBS since they didn't know any better. A '99-up GMT400 wouldn't necessarily have any redesigns.

[speedygonzales]

I must be missing something. But isn't the shaft design (knurled end) the same for all years? In other words, isn't the difference just the bracket that bolts to the shaft different?

I don't understand why you can't change the bracket along with the steering wheel. What am I missing here?

[Just call me Sean]

Sometimes I have to ask for 98 parts to get the right ones for my 99, it's annoying. It's hit or miss searching 99. Sometimes it will be the OBS part and sometimes it will be the new body style part.

[Mr_Rich]

I have a '97 K2500 that I've been trying to recondition. I cleaned up the steering wheel on this particular truck. It's a non-airbag truck and it's been in Calif. as long as I've known about it. I tried replacing the steering wheel and I bought a steering wheel that was too new model-wise and the shaft and groove area was a different size and would not work. This may be a challenge to find what will work on your truck. Not all of them are generic to the years.

[special-K]

As far as getting to the nitty gritty on the change goes, I'm seeing 95-97 bag results. Still not sure if the 98-00s are the same.

Originally Posted by speedygonzales

I must be missing something. But isn't the shaft design (knurled end) the same for all years? In other words, isn't the difference just the bracket that bolts to the shaft different?

I don't understand why you can't change the bracket along with the steering wheel. What am I missing here?

Either you are or I am missing something. You seem to know something I don't, and I'm missing it. No problem at the steering shaft at all. Air bags are new territory for me and I don't have one to look at. Are you saying there's a removable bracket on the bag I can swap, if I can find one by itself? To answer the question asked in this thread, do you know what years I am looking for? '98-up?

[special-K]

I just looked at an A-1 Auto YouTube on multifunction switch to see how that air bag looked. The truck is a '96 and has the same deal as the wheel I have. Looks like I'm in '95-only hell again . Unless someone knows better, it looks like it's '96 up on the bag units. I couldn't

Searching the internet for air bags is a royal PIA due to suspension air bags. Both are simply called air bags. "Oh, you said air bag. I thought you said air bags". I tried steering wheel and safety air bag (with 95 k2500) as well as adding driver after. I use quotes, no quotes, different terms, but the internet is all about wanting to sell me suspension air BAGS when I'm looking for AN air BAG, no S!

[Boog]

Maybe try SRS as in GM safety restraint system for crash air bag images.

Or Tecata air bags for year model.

[special-K]

Thanks, I'll try. But using "98 K2500 air bag driver" gets me actual air bag results. The only "air bagssssss" shown are across the top in the impulse shopping section. The internet has to try to sell you something even when you aren't shopping. The rest of the page is full of air bag drivers for anything but what I'm looking for.

Maybe Speedy Gonzales will be back to clarify if the bracket is removeable. Either way, I don't have what I need, complete air bag or just mounting bracket

[Just call me Sean]

I don't see any bracket in your picture, just the steering wheel.

[special-K]

Yeah Sean, nothing detaches. I thing the wheels are all the same, save the design of the four mount keepers being either rubber or plastic. That leaves the airbag for the bracket mentioned by Speedy. Must be detachable. I don't have one to look at. my guess is it's going to be hard to find the bracket w/o the bag anyway.

[Tom]

My 98 needs a new steering wheel, any idea if the newer truck wheels will bolt on?

[Boog]

I just googled some wheel images and listings on ebay popped up with front and back pics. From those listings it appears the 95 & 96 wheels and bags are the same with 4 pin attachment and 97 looks the same as those 2 pin attachments listed for 98-02 models. Ebay seller's information should not be taken as fact but somewhat of a guide. You can see the bag has to match the wheel due to the 2 or 4 pin attachment plate.
1st pic is of 95-96
links are of 97, 98-02
https://www.ebay.com/itm/17525664843....c101113.m2108
https://www.ebay.com/itm/19250681866...5eac2f5cada8c6

[special-K]

Those must be for GMT800 wheels, '99 and newer, in the Ebay listings. They are for some other steering wheel. That picture of the back of a bag is for same wheels as I have. Might be incorrect on '96 as well, or they changed during '96

I don't have a picture, but he's working on a '96 in this video and it is the same as the newer wheel I have. I'm thinking '95 is a one year item. I guess this is the bracket on the back @ about 1:20. I guess it removes. I only see two places it attaches

How to Replace Multifunction Switch 95-99 GMC...

Tom, I don't know the answer to that. Hopefully someone else knows

[Palf70Step]

It has been a while since I checked, but my 96 GMC 1500 and my 2002 Silverado W/T used the same wheel and bag combo. The Work Truck models used the old style (GMT400)for whatever reason (at least till 2002). I was trying to upgrade my 02 with a leather style wheel, but found they would interchange with 96-02, but some things were different. Ended up not making the change because te factor leather/wood wheels were more than my cheap self was willing to pay.

[special-K]

This is good information, Bill. I said those Ebay bags were GMT800 because they look nothing like my '95 bag or the '96 one in the A-1 video.Also, those have 2-point mounting and these have 4-point mounting. That is the same leather wheel in the video with the same clips as I have. My wheel is the base model wheel. Looks like they used the same air bag but the clips changed. my air bag physically fits perfect. It just wouldn't hold to the wheel

Here is my steering wheel with bag

[Palf70Step]

I can't tell you what is underneath as I don't remember. 1st pic is the 96 GMC, 2nd one is the 02 Silverado W/T Not the best pictures but only ones I had.

[Just call me Sean]

If the bag fits, and the nubs line up, can't you swap the plastic and rubber retainers?

[special-K]

I can see why someone would think they are the same at a glance and without the other to compare to.

Originally Posted by Just call me Sean

If the bag fits, and the nubs line up, can't you swap the plastic and rubber retainers?

I'll have to take another look. But the rubber type I have are like a bushing, rubber inner ring crimped into a metal ring. That metal ring is crimped to the wheel hub (if we still call it that). I It didn't look like I could remove those intact and not sure I could fasten them properly even if they were intact. If it was the reverse situation I'd go ahead and drill out those bushings and pop those plastic clips in no problem

This is my first time dealing with an air bag and I'll admit I'm a big stand offish yet. I feel the air bag need to be mounted correctly, as factory, or it's a no-go