DIC steering wheel replacement?

[AndyG]

I was thinking about trying to find a "redundant radio controls" steering wheel from a junkyard, and putting it on my truck to give me access to the DIC. I know many of the available options are actually installed at the factory because its cheaper to build them all the same, and then if you don't buy the option, you just don't get the buttons for it. Question: is this so for the DIC without the steering wheel? Would my idea work to get access to the DIC? this is the one thing I wish I would have gotten extra when I bought my truck (2005 2500HD D/A).
Maybe Madmatt would be the one with the answer. He seems to be pretty sharp on such things.
Thanks

[madmatt]

sorry, but no help here man. I've never done this or even tried to do this, but I wouldn't be a bit surprised if it worked. Most all the wiring is there for all available options, the switches or optional item is just left out.

[AndyG]

The one thing that has me concerned is disabling the air bag. It would be just my luck to set the thing off! Do they require power to actuate or is there some stored energy that can fire it if I accidentally cross some wires or contacts?

[madmatt]

Just pull the fuse. pull any and all fuses labled SIR or airbag. set one off :eek: while working on a steering colum one time and will never have it happen again.

[DmaxMaverick]

Originally posted by AndyG:
The one thing that has me concerned is disabling the air bag. It would be just my luck to set the thing off! Do they require power to actuate or is there some stored energy that can fire it if I accidentally cross some wires or contacts? As Madmatt says, pull the fuse. There will also be a yellow electrical connector near the column under the dash. Disconnect that as well before pulling the bag. All SRS connectors will be yellow. Your concern about the airbags isn't displaced. Those things can be violent when mishandled.

[AndyG]

My initial "disable" idea for the airbag was to remove both batteries from the truck the night before I started the work to give any hidden capacitors time to discharge. So what if I have to reset the stations on my radio.

[madmatt]

I'd still pull the fuses. When I got hit it sprained my wrist, gave me whiplash, and broke the seat back hinges. I was laying over the wheel with my hand stuck through it. Those things are scary strong. We stuck one under the rear end of a car and set it off just to see what would happen as we had heard it would lift the rear wheels and much to our surprise it did.

[GLW]

i recently bought a 2006 fm dealer. he actually had to search other dealers for the truck (06 3500 crew lt2 w/ lbz). it did not have the dic option. before finalizing the purchase, i inquired on the possibility of having the dealer install this option (the invoice option price on the dic with other trucks was less than $200). the salesman inquired with the service manager - i was told emphatically that the wiring harnesses were not the same and to install a wiring harness for the dic would be at least $2700. now i realize this was a dealership and they were trying to make a quick sale, but i really had no way to know if this was true (even though it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck). i bought the truck and have no regrets, but i also wish it had the dic.